* * *
Sam strolled towards the door and opened it with a beam on his face. "Hey guys, come on in!" he said as he ushered Jon and Joanna inside and closed the door behind them. "Josie's out on the back porch � come on through."
"Man, the two of you practically live out there. What's the point in having the rest of the house?" commented Jon with a grin.
"We're making the most of this great weather while we can � besides, you've got to admit that it's pretty nice out here." replied Sam as they stepped out onto the back porch. Josie had just finished laying a fresh white tablecloth on the table outside, and looked up with a smile as she saw their two friends appear on the porch.
"Hi Jon, Joanna. Great to see you again." She crossed the porch to them, kissing them both in welcome.
"Likewise!" said Joanna. She looked at Sam and Josie's beaming faces. "Okay, I'll bite. What are the two of you looking so happy about?"
In answer, Sam picked up Josie's hand and held it up, turning it so that the ring was facing the other two. Jon and Joanna's eyes widened, then she shrieked and threw herself at them for a hug. Jon held back until Joanna was finished, then moved in and hugged them both heartily.
"Fantastic! When? How??" asked Joanna, her face glowing with delight.
"Last night, by photo actually," said Josie smiling at Sam.
"Huh? By photo?" Jon's face was blank. Sam laughed at the look on his best friend's face. Josie took Joanna by the hand.
"Joanna and I will get us some drinks, and I'll get the photo as well so that you know what we're talking about � c'mon Jo". The two girls disappeared inside, both talking and giggling with happiness.
Sam and Jon grinned at each other, then both sat themselves down. Jon stretched his legs out and crossed them at the ankle as he regarded his friend, shaking his head and smiling ruefully.
"Fantastic news, Sam. I was wondering if you'd ever catch up�"
Sam laughed and settled back comfortably in his chair. "Listen to you! How did you come to get married? You used to say that it would never happen." He asked, one side of his mouth curling up.
"God Sam, do you think I had any choice in the matter? Up against Joanna?" he shook his head, grinning at his friend.
"She came up to me while I was working on the car one day � the oil tank had a leak and I was trying to fix it. I slid out from under the car, covered in oil, and found her standing there looking like a bush covered with butterflies. She looked me up and down and said .." he paused and scratched his head. "Well, I don't know exactly what she said, but it ended up with her kissing me, oil notwithstanding, and saying "Fine then, we'll be married next Easter." He spread his hands in comic resignation. "I was still trying to work out how it had all happened, when I found myself in front of a priest saying "I take thee Joanna �" and swearing a lot of other improbable statements.
Sam rocked back in his seat, laughing.
"I know the feeling. It's a strange feeling isn't it?"
Jon smiled, embarrassment forgotten. "It sure does. I still get that feeling, you know, when I see Joanna suddenly, standing against the sun, not even looking at me. I see her, and I think, God, man, she can't be yours. Not really." He shook his head, brown hair flopping over his brow. "And then she turns and smiles at me �" he looked at Sam, grinning.
"Well, you know yourself. I can see that it's the same with you and Josie. She's � something special isn't she?"
Sam nodded. The smile didn't leave his face, but altered somehow.
"Yes," he said softly. "Yes she is."
* * *
Joanna looked up from the photo as Josie finished describing Sam's proposal. "Oh Josie, I think that's the most romantic thing that I've ever heard. I knew that Sam had it in him, but wow!" She put the photo down on the bench and looked at Josie for a moment, then impulsively leaned over and hugged her again. "I'm soooooo happy for you both!" Josie hugged her back, then they released each other and looked at each other for a moment, then burst into giggles. "Just look at us!" giggled Joanna. "What do you call it?"
"A happy attack."
"That's right. You got that from Cliff didn't you?"
"Sure did. Now, what to drink - how does a white wine sound? Cliff has gotten us onto some really nice Australian wines � you might like this one, it's a .." Josie turned the bottle to read the label. "Evans and Tate Classic White."
"Sounds good to me, although I think Jon will probably have a beer."
"Let's hedge our bets then." said Josie as she rummaged in the fridge to pull out two beers as Joanna helped herself to some glasses, and got out the bottle opener and headed back outside.
As they sat talking, Joanna extended her hand to Josie. "Josie, can I have another look at your ring? I didn't get a close-up look earlier."
"Sure." said Josie, obligingly twisting the ring off her finger and handing it over. Joanna took it and looked at it, smiling as she noticed the ornate engraving.
"Wow, the detail on this is amazing. It looks like something from another age. And � hang on, there's something engraved on the inside of the band."
"There is?" said Josie sitting up straighter in her chair.
"Sure, here, have a look." said Joanna as she passed the ring back to Josie.
Josie bent over the ring and peered at the band. "Well, there's something here, but I don't even think that it's English�.Da mi basia mille � I wonder what it means�" Sam had overhead the girls' discussion, and was watching them with a slight smile playing on his lips. Josie looked at Sam inquiringly. "Sam, do you know about this?"
"Uhh, yes, as a matter of fact I do. It's part of a Scottish love poem that I came across while I was in college. I've always remembered it, and thought that it would be a nice touch."
Josie's face softened as she looked at Sam. "What does it say?" she asked softly as she slid the ring back onto her finger. Sam reached out and took her hand, rubbing his thumb over the ring as he began to speak.
"Da mi basia mille, diende centum dien mille altera, dian secunda centum" A faint blush pinkened his earlobes as he translated: "Then let amorous kisses dwell on our lips, begin and tell. A thousand, a hundred score, A hundred, and a thousand more." Keeping his eyes on Josie's, he then raised her hand to his lips. Jon and Joanna exchanged a heartfelt look at each other, then glanced back at the enraptured couple.
Much later, as Sam and Josie walked Jon and Joanna to their car, Jon opened Joanna's door, walked around to the driver's side, then stopped and turned to them both. "So, do you think that the two of you will be able to resist the wedding gene?"
"What's that?" asked Josie, wrinkling her forehead as Joanna rolled her eyes at Sam behind Jon's back.
"You know, the latent gene that everyone has. It's activated by a wedding announcement, and means that suddenly the most important thing in your life is what colour the napkins at the reception should be � that sort of stuff."
Sam laughed, then puffed out his chest in mock attitude and put his arm around Josie's shoulders as if to draw her to him for protection. "We'll be able to resist I think Jon. We'll just fight it out back to back."
Jon's eyes flew open in horrified dismay. "Back to back!?" he exclaimed. He turned to Joanna with a look of horror. "No-one's told them the facts of life!"
Sam's hands tightened on Josie's shoulder, turning her towards the house, and they made their escape inside, pelted by a hail of laughter.
In the hallway inside, Sam leaned against the wall, doubled over with laughter. Unable to stand, Josie sank to the flor at his feet and giggled helplessly. After a moment she groped for his hand and he hauled her upright, and she collapsed against his chest.
"Let me see if I've got this right, now." He cupped her face between his hands, and pressed his forehead to hers, his face so close that to Josie his eyes blurred into one large green orb and his breath was warm on her chin. "Face to face, is that right?" The fizz of laughter was dying down in their blood, and being replaced by something just as potent.
"It's a start � I think we're learning." breathed Josie as she pulled him close for a kiss.
* * *