My Life as a Navy Wife

I ran. I ran and I ran until my legs wouldn’t hold me anymore. I just needed to get out, to breathe a little. I end up just stopping and gasping for air. It’s freezing out here and I’m only in a singlet and short shorts, no shoes, no jacket. I don’t have my phone and its pitch black out here. I let my eyes focus and I realise exactly where I am. This is the small footbridge going over the river that Jack and I used to play on when we were kids.

In the few hours following Jack and my massive discussion we had also arranged it so that he and I shared the king bed and my brother and sister had the room with the two king single beds in it. The overwhelming feeling of being unable to breathe just got stronger and stronger and I couldn’t stand being cooped up in my Grandparents house on their 4 acre property any longer. So I ran and now here I am about 10 kilometres from where I started.

I lean my arms on the rail and let myself catch my breath, I stand out here admiring the night shivering for a while before deciding to go back home. As I’m about to walk off of the footbridge I hear a twig snap and footsteps approach. I used to think it was so cliché but now that it’s happening I can see why it’s so freaking scary.

“W-whos o-o-o-out t-th-there?” I manage to stutter. Oh god now I’m stuttering how much more cliché could this get?

“Relax babe, it’s just me,” I feel my entire body relaxes and I thank the stars that it’s only Jack. Again, pretty cliché right? “I came running after you, god you’re quick, why’d you run?”

“I couldn’t breathe, I just…everything was happening so fast, all I’ve ever wanted, I’m suddenly given in it one afternoon, I mean,” I stop and look at him, “Jack, I love you, I have since I was 8 years old, you’re all I’ve ever wanted, my whole life I’ve wondered what it would be like to call you mine and live my life with you, knowing that you will be there when I wake up and when I go to sleep and here you are, you’re my boyfriend and I love you dearly.”

I tear up and Jack rubs my back, telling me that he’s always wanted the same thing. He suddenly stops and holds me at arms length. I give him a look of alarm, worried that I’ve said or done something wrong and ask him what’s wrong.

“Its crazy but,” Jack takes a breath, seeming to be making a decision, “Jacqueline, I know its nuts, but will you marry me?”

“I know its nuts, but yes,” I tell him and kiss him full on the lips.

“I could only ever see myself marrying you, so why not do it next month?” Jack asks excited, his face taking on that animated look and his eyes twinkling.

“How about in February so I have time to find a dress and we can organise it, it’ll be better if we have two months to organise it than just one,” I tell him, my heart rushing as I begin to plan in my head. He takes my hand and places his pinkie ring on my wedding finger.

“This is promising that I will buy you the perfect engagement ring tomorrow,” Jack tells me and we begin the walk back.

“I don’t need anything, you’re the perfect finance, that’s all I want Jelly,” I whisper.

“I’m getting it for you, I don’t care if you don’t need it, I want to get it for you, I already know what one too,” Jack tells me and whilst the dark prevents me from seeing it, his voice tells me that he is wearing the brightest smile.

By the time that we arrive back at my grandparent’s we’ve planned half of the wedding. With smiles on our faces we decide not to tell anyone until tomorrow in the morning and so we just go straight to our bedroom and write down all of our plans.

That night I fell asleep in Jack’s arms, with the world’s biggest smile on my face, because finally, all but one of my dreams had come true.