“Your sister is going to graduate from college soon, I’m pretty sure she’s more mature than that.” Her mother said, dismissively.

“Mom, you failed to realize that she got us awake at six a.m. to open gifts, right? After going to bed at two.” Alec answered.

“Four...” Ian answered, correcting out of habit, then realized that he shouldn’t have spoken. “But who keeps track anyway?”

Alec gave him a suspicious look. “Anyway, just verbalizing my psychological stresses, mother.”

Nancy rolled her eyes. “Right, go verbalize with your father, I’d just like to focus on cleaning.”

“No need to Martha Stewart, mom.” Alec grinned, it being a family joke ever since the famous Martha Stewart went maniacal on public television, that and she unfortunately shared the same last name.

By lunchtime, Abby was up again, showered and dressed in jeans and what looked to be Michael’s high school swim team sweatshirt. She entered the kitchen where her mother and Aunt Debbie were busy glazing a ten pound slab of ham. “Anything I can do, mom?”

“You…er, well Ian’s set the table, Michael’s made mashed potatoes, Aaron’s made biscuits, Andy’s done the laundry, Alec’s vacuumed…no.” She said, going through her list. “You can start the coffee maker!”

Grinding some coffee beans and putting them in the machine, she sighed and went into the living room to find Ian dozing off as he tried to read through “Swimmer’s Weekly”

“I told you it was a boring magazine.” Abby said, poking him in the ribs.

Ian jolted awake, nearly hitting her on the head. “They said you’d be up till five in the morning because of your nap.”

“Oh…well, if I expend some energy later..” She said tracing circles on his chest. “I might be sleeping earlier.”

“You’re so bad…and in your own house.” Ian said, grinning as he put an arm around her.

“You were so singing a different tune last night in the hot tub.” Abby laughed.

“So whatever you guys were talking about, don’t continue.” Michael said coming in. “HEY! Swimmer’s Weekly! I LOVE that magazine.”

The rest of Abby and Ian’s vacation continued with more outdoor football games and almost moments in the hot tub. They soon found themselves back in Paris, packing up to move to Italy, where Abby would continue to study until May, and Ian would continue to train for the World Championships in England after Abby graduated.

Several nervous breakdowns due to stress later, Abby was settled into their villa outside of Florence. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever been this tan in February, ever.” She said to no one in particular as she brought a glass of lemonade out to the deck.

Ian, who’d been tanning as well to relax after a very hard practice, just laughed. “I’d rather be in Hartford.”

“Why?! When we could be tan all year and have wonderfully tan children.” Abby said, looking almost wistful as she sat into her tanning chair with a book on Italian history.

“But don’t you long to be so pale that you can see your how blue your veins are?” Ian asked. “I do, personally.”

“You realize you’re tanning now, right?” Abby asked, not looking up from her book.

“Yes.” Ian answered. “And don’t comment because I’m going to lose.” Abby just laughed at his well trained answer. “About children…”

Abby gulped. “Well you know, I was saying that out of tongue and cheek. We’re not married or even engaged…you don’t…”

“No, it’s okay…I was just curious as to how many you wanted.” Ian asked seriously, looking at her.

“At least three, but maybe four or five.” Abby answered. “No…four.”

Ian laughed as he watched her think. “You’ve given names to them haven’t you?”

Abby blushed, though you couldn’t tell because she was tanning. “No. Although there wouldn’t be anything wrong if I had.”

Ian just grinned at her and went back to his tanning.

The last three months of college went by fast for Abby, and she found herself sitting in the stands of the World Championships holding an Australian and American flag for her swimmers. It was the final for the two hundred meter freestyle, for which Ian had the Olympic and World Record, as well as the gold, and Michael and Ian were in neighboring lanes.

“Alec, is it normal to be perfectly scared shitless right now?” Abby asked her brother, who’d gotten married to Heather in Italy during Abby’s spring break. Heather was in the hotel room as she was suffering from morning sickness.

“Yes, Abby, yes it is.” Alec laughed. They were being watched carefully by a reporter who’d been following Abby all day.

The swimmers took their positions on the block, and Abby watched Ian, praying he would jump off when he was supposed to. The buzzer went off and the swimmers plunged into the pool. It was the longest four laps of Abby’s life.

Ian had touched the wall first, smashing both records by seconds. Completely ecstatic, Abby hugged Alec so tightly that his cries for air could not be heard. Ian was screaming, and generally going completely insane. Minutes later he was out of the pool and answering some reporter’s questions. Abby looked for him to come over to the fan stands to at least say hi, but he went into the locker rooms instead.

“Abby, he’d need to change, or else face gropage.” Alec replied. “There are a group of fangirls over there that are looking positively rabid.”

“True…” Abby said, seeing Michael come over, who’d been satisfied with second place in the event.

“Has Ian come over yet?” Michael said, to them. Abby shook her head and looked at him suspiciously. She looked at Alec who’d just given him a look of warning.

“Guys, I don’t like being plotted against.” Abby said, looking forlorn.

“He’ll be here, Squirt. You go and get your cool-down swim in after your medal ceremony.” Alec said, patting him on the back. “Great swim, great swim.” They were awarded their medals when Michael decided to run back to the pool.

Abby sat contentedly chatting the the ups and downs of France and Italy with Alec while waiting for Ian to return. She had just began a rant on the disgusting smell in Venice because of the canals when Ian came back, fully dressed and not smelling of chlorine. “Hey Abby!”

“IAN! That was such an AMAZING swim.” She said proudly before kissing him on the lips. “The longest four laps of my life.”

Ian grinned. “Hey, I’m getting claustrophobic in here… wanna go for a walk?”

“Sure…but I kind of wanted to see Michael’s next swim…although he’ll definitely get it.” Abby said, looking at the pool.

Ian’s large hand took Abby’s and lead her outdoors to one of the many gardens so common in England. “It’s a nice night.” Ian started, looking up at the sky.

“I know you’re not here to talk to me about the weather.” Abby said perceptively. “So, Thorpedo…spit it out.”

“Okay…so, I said to myself before I got onto the pool deck ‘If I really, really loved you,’ which I do, ‘and was positively sure I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, I would smash my word record.’ And I did.” Ian said, speaking very quickly as opposed to his normally relaxed Australian speech.

“Yes…” Abby said, looking at him curiously.

“But then I realized, even if I didn’t smash the world record, I still wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, and that I do love you, a lot. So much that I will endure a lifetime of mockery from your brothers.” Ian answered. “So what I’m basically trying to say is…Abby, will you marry me?”

Abby nearly fainted. “Yes! YES!” But suddenly she stopped. “But Alec, Aaron and Andy…do they know?! Mom and Dad!? Michael?!”

“They all know…” Ian grinned, kissing her forehead. “I don’t exactly have a ring…but I’ve got this gold medal, so for now…until we get to the hotel room anyway, which is where the ring is, you can wear it.”

“Okay…I need to sit down. But I think that the adrenaline is pumping so fast that it makes me want to run three miles, under ten minutes.” Abby said, speaking very quickly. “Ian…how many times have I told you I love you?”

“Countless times, especially in the bedroom.” Ian laughed, holding her hands. “You know…I could use the Olympics right now.”

“Why? What for?” Abby asked.

“Because they give us free condoms.” Ian said with a smirk.