Chapter 10

Driving form the heliport back into Pembroke Hall community in the city was filled with pure laughter and merriment for both Corny and Eric, but especially for Corny!

Because now, she fully had come to realize how much Eric loved her and cared about her!

Gone were the days when she pined over and wondered when she would get the right man in her life to love her and possibly call her his wife!

Eric has been outstanding, wonderful, and a marvelous guy to her so far! He has also been the most understanding and the most patient man any woman could ever ask for in their life time!

To Corny, he wasn't only boyfriend for the day; but she had given him the title as boyfriend of the month and also for the year, knowing for sure that someday, he would be an excellent and wonderful husband to her; no questions ask!

Reaching closer to the city nearer to where Corny was living, Eric stepped on the gas... slow down his vehicle and pulled over to the shoulders of the street to locate a parking spot where he could safely leave his car.

Obtaining such, Eric tightly held onto Corny's hand and then went straight into the middle of the crowd where people were parading and celebrating their various heritages in festive manner in the dead center of the streets! Where many cultures were cooking their own food, and blasting music to commemorate the festive occasion!

And for most of the rest of that day, Eric and Corny walked hand in hand throughout the crowd; mingling, dancing and patronizing many of the vendors and tasting many different foods as they went along!

Unfortunately at times, rejecting some of the foods they had tasted; because their pallets just could stand the samples they had placed inside their mouths while greedily accepting others because of the pleasantness they had brought to their taste buds and the smile it had brought to their faces!

From dust until dawn, they both had enjoyed the entire day and knew they had bonded even more!

But now, the sun was escaping... finding its hiding place from amongst men, and for most part, many persons were now withdrawing themselves from of the streets and heading home since this celebration seemed to have occupied their entire day with cultural celebrations and mingling with various groups of people from the entire globe!

With the scantiness of the crowd now apparent, Eric grabbed his baby's hand and walked her across several streets to locate his car and then brought her home!

Once on Melbourne Drive, Eric walked Corny to her front-door, bid her fare-well, and thanked her for sharing such a wonderful day with him before returning to his car and then stepping on the gas like he had some great emergency that needed his immediate attention!

Entering the house, Corny found her aunt, Ms. Maxwell fast asleep on one of the couches in the living room and decided to awake her, and let her know that she has returned home now, before heading for the shower.

Not seeing her niece for the majority of the day, Ms. Maxwell wanted to chat about all that had transpired throughout the day with her and Eric... fill her in with the surprise that had caused Eric to show up very early Sunday morning at her doorstep and then scoop her away for almost the entire day!

But, Corny being tired, informed her aunt that chatting with her now wasn't possible, because she was dead tired and only needed to be in bed at the moment!

However, Corny promised her aunt that she would fill her in with all the scoops she had for her, first thing in the morning during their breakfast time.

And just like she had promise her aunt, Corny spend Monday morning telling her aunt about the helicopter ride which Eric had taken her on, and also about the candies and the beautiful flowers he had given to her which she had left on the front porch so the night dew could keep it fresh. Along with the wonderful moment she and Eric spent at the cultural festival on the other side of the city tasting various foods, dancing to all sorts of music and just enjoying themselves!

Which all were fun, welcoming, and exciting news at the time, to Ms. Maxwell's hearing!

She was very elated to hear that her niece had found happiness in her life with a wonderful man, and pretty soon, if all went well, they both would be tying the knot together; because they both were certain of their love, and future commitment to each other!

Very soon after downloading her aunt with all the juicy details on how she and Eric had spent their Sunday together, the mailman came at the gate ringing his bell with quite some urgency; causing Corny to wonder if something drastic had happened to any relatives in the family!

However, thankfully, the mail man was only there to deliver a telegram from the Paul Bugle Technical Institute requesting for her to come by the institution immediately and pay her required fees, and also to collect all the books and material needed for her to start pursuing her education as a hotel manager.

From the information Corny had just received from the institution, she would be starting classes in the next two weeks, and needed to prepare herself for the task at hand. She needed to submit a letter to her employee requesting that her work schedule be reduce to only weekends, or few days during the week; so she could concentrate on her studies while still keeping some form of financial independence in her life.

With that arrangement made and finalized, Corny began her classes two weeks later, and the road to obtaining her degree as a hotel manager at the Paul Bugle Technical Institute, where she was very determine to complete all her courses and be masterful in her craft.

It was only three weeks after starting her classes that Eric Bent called her, hitting her with the wonderful news that his divorce papers has been finalize, and he was now a free man to marry her!

This is the exact moment they had been waiting for, all along!

They were now, both riled up, jumping for joy, overwhelmed with happiness and very excited about taking the next step in their awesome relationship!

Especially, since the two love birds had been waiting for this day to come for so long; and now it was here when they could set a date to tie the knot and walk down the aisle as husband and wife!

And so, Corny and Eric decided to go out that weekend and celebrate his freedom, and also this wonderful beginning that they both were embarking on together!

They had a plan and it was slowly coming together for them!

He was going to be the perfect husband to her, the faithful and the very understanding husband who would never leave her side no matter what happened in their lives!

Soon after she had graduated from school, he would assist her in opening and operating her own hotel businesses; and then, a couple years after the businesses were up and running, they could start focusing on having their own little ones!

It was a smart plan!

A very educated plan!

A very futuristic plan!

And no one had seen anything that could possible go wrong; preventing them from living out their dreams of being married! Unless, the mighty hands of God shook the earth and the heavens, and then brought along an earthquake that would dismantle their future plans of being together holistically and matrimonially!

It was a wholehearted and passionate moment for them both; so Saturday evening, soon after closing his gas station business, Crony and Eric gotten themselves all dressed up, and went out celebrating the completion of the legalities pertaining to his divorcement.

This massive burden of waiting... going back and forth fighting for properties... fighting for who should have custody of the children and so on... all was now a thing of the past and a weighty load very much lifted from their shoulders!

And now, there was nothing standing in their way of living the life the way they wanted it for themselves with each other close by their side.

So they ate, went dancing, shared much moments of romancing, laughing, playing around with each other like love struck teenagers; just having a wonderful night together, until in the wee hours of Sunday morning, before deciding to end the partying and head on home because there were other responsible task to later attend to!

Without a shadow of a doubt, they both knew, this night filled with celebration and romance, they would never ever forget!

However, Eric had to get some rest so he could return to work feeling refresh and revived from his weekend off before going back to work, and Corny also needed her rest!

So she could spend some time looking over her school work, after she was through sleeping.

Because, they both knew these were commitments they needed to fulfill so they could have the future they wanted for themselves and their potential family.

So for the next six weeks, they spent set hours chit-chatting only on the phone, keeping each other a brisk with whatever new and exciting were taking place in their own individual lives.

This wasn't a no-nonsense relationship he was having with her, and Eric was very ready to invest in a house and also wedding ring for his beautiful woman Corny Thousands since he already felt, he had invested enough time in knowing all about her, even though, he knew from the very start that she was the only one for him!

The love he had for her burn within day and night, and he knew for sure that she would make him feel happy and complete someday!

He had his heart set on Corny and knew that she would never do to him all that his first wife had done to him; stealing from him, and worst, constantly cheating on him with other men whenever he was off at work.

Regardless of him giving her everything she ever needed, wanted or would ask for; she still would sleep with other men while they were married. Although, there were times when she would ask him for something and she needed to wait for him to generate the funds she required of him since he was the only one in the household working and there were many obligations that needed to be handled!

With all her scamming and cheating ways, he still had good plans for her, wanting her to improve herself, start her own business or even go back to school; learn a trade that would make her financially independent, and strengthen the affairs of their family, especially financially! Even after she went and had a child out of wedlock, while they were still legally married!

Eric really wanted their marriage to work out, but after shamefully finding his wife in compromising positions on three different occasions with three different men, he just couldn't handle it anymore and decided to gracefully bow out from the union and leave her alone!

Although, they still continued sharing the same dwelling place for over two year now and care for the children they had produced together!

But, a new day was just around the corner... light was here at last at the end of the tunnel, and Eric envisioned his future days being spent with Corny Thousands, with her faithfully being at his side and him deeply loving every moment of it!

Eric now had alimony and child support to pay to his wife and for four children; but thankfully, he was good for it, and was very overjoyed that now he was in a position to fulfill such obligations as they were presented to him.

Because, he had a promotion at his place of work; allowing him to establish his own franchise of the Shell Gas Station Companies where business was already booming rapidly for him and everything was only looking upwards!

Four months had now passed since Eric Bent divorce papers had been finalize and he began searching for a new house to share with his darling girlfriend Corny.

He wanted to find a suitable house for them to live in before popping the big question of engagement to her!

And for weeks at end, he went house hunting with one of the most reputable realtors he knew of in the city, trying to find the right crib that would be pleasing and comfortable for his sweetheart Corny to share with him.

It was a grueling three months before he found three housing contenders he thought of considering and decided he would bring Corny to choose from anyone of the three houses he had picked out.

He thought, she should be a part of the decision making process because she was going to be living in the house as well, and furthermore, he wanted her to be happy while living there!

And one weekend, when he knew Corny was off from work and didn't have much of a school assignment to attend to Eric went by her house early one Sunday morning, and surprisingly, he brought her with him to look at the three different houses which he had selected, so she could make a decision on which one he should buy for them!

He hadn't seen her around three weeks now and was so overjoyed to have seen her as she came to the front door to meet him!

Like long last lovers, he heaped her up in his arms, and began spinning her around in the air while he kissed her repeatedly and expressing his loving affection towards her!

"My darling I missed you so much!"

Eric declared.

"I miss you too, my sweetheart!"

Corny replied, smiling back at him with happy eyes.

"Go and get dress, we have somewhere important and fun to go; today!"

Eric informed her.

"Another helicopter ride or, this time it's a boat ride?"

Corny asked laughingly.

"Neither one of them; Honey!"

Eric replied smiling back at her.

Walking back to the stairs, Corny tried searching her mind to figure out where he was taking her to, but her mind couldn't find the answers she was searching for, so she decided to ignore such puzzlement from her thoughts and just leisurely go for the ride instead.

Twenty-five minute later, she was back on the front porch to join him and seconds later, they were shouting good-byes to Ms. Maxwell who was occupied in the kitchen fixing Sunday dinner.

Corny knew better than to ask; where was he taking her to because, she knew, she would never get a suitable answer out of him like he had done to her when he took her for the helicopter ride!

Showing up at the first house was indeed a shocker, and Corny was even more in great dismay when Eric reached into his pants pocket, took out a set of keys, open the front door of the house with it, and then asked her to take her time and look around the house and then tell him what she thought about it!

For a moment, she stood for a while dumbfounded!

She wasn't expecting this bombshell and stood there staring into Eric's eyes, utterly speechless until he had to gentle encourage to go ahead and do as he had asked her to!

"Go ahead and look around and tell me what you think; whether you like it or not!"

Eric smoothly encouraged.

Cautiously and slowly, Corny put one foot before the other and quietly, she made her way throughout the house carefully examining its details and observing each room as she went along.

While Eric leisurely pace himself behind her, digging at her for her opinion!

"It's nice; pretty nice, I would say!"

Corny mentioned.

But it wasn't the response that Eric was expecting at all!

There weren't any words proclaiming any form of exclamation point... no wows!

With her thoughts of the house being subdue and her only verbal expression was that it was "pretty nice" Eric closed the doors behind them and now was on to the next house, so he could get another reaction from her.

Pulling up in the drive way of the second house, Eric searched Corny's face to capture her reaction, and he could see that she had on a happier face than before, but, how happy she was would only be left until she reached inside of the house.

Spacious living room, open floor plan, garnet countertops and beautiful slate tiles had Corny exclaiming...

"This is absolutely gorgeous, Eric!"

Hastily she went off to one bed room and then to the next, and then she was in the master bedroom and observing all the details of its on-suit fixtures with pleasantness covering all of her face!

Now he didn't have to be digging for her opinion, because she was freely giving it to him!

"Eric this house is really beautiful, and it is also in a very nice neighborhood it seems! It is freshly painted inside and out, and the landscape of the yard looks like it was done recently!"

"So you really like this house, Hun!"

Eric asked.

"Yes, I do!"

Corny responded eagerly.

Now they were gliding from off the hill and travelling north to see their third house; and twenty minutes later, Eric was parked in the drive way and heading towards the front door as he fumbled for the right keys to open the front door of the house.

While Corny stood there scrutinizing the exterior of the property to see if it was up to par or if, it was in any competition with the house they had just left from a while ago!

So far, she liked what she had seen until she entered the inside of the house and started looking around at the living area and the bedrooms, and to her conclusion, the yard seems to be so much nicer to be than the interior of the house!

And again, Eric was reading her face and could see the expression on her face that she wasn't pleased with the third property they had looked at!

Corny began reflecting on the first house they had looked at and began realizing that it was a very beautiful house but, because it was such an unexpected visit for her, her brain just couldn't process or appreciate its beauty, its spaciousness or anything else that it had to offer!

With reoccurring thoughts of the first house rolling through her mind, Corny asked Eric to bring her back to the house which they had first visited so she could look at it one more time and then make a decision about it!

After revisiting the very first house they had seen before and going through another walkthrough of it, Corny excitingly decided that it was the one... the best choice for them to start sharing their lives together in!

She had made a decision and Eric was now overwhelmed with joy that she had liked the same house that he had his heart set on; and repeated he asked her if this was the house she wanted to live in with him, and smiling she shook her head and replied,

"Yes, I think this is the one!"

Even though it was a sluggish process in getting the house approved by the various financial institutions involved, the keys to Eric's new house were handed to him eight weeks later, bringing him so much happiness and joy!

Each day, he was one step closer to the dreams he desired and shared with his woman Corny, and she was very much right there by his side cheering him on; every minute of it! Because she was so fanatically love-struck and adored by him!

Getting the keys to the house into his hands, called for another reason for him and Corny to celebrate!

The very first weekend after receiving the keys to his brand new house, Eric gave Corny a call inviting her to have dinner with him at their favorite restaurant and soon after her arriving there, Eric took the keys from an envelope and began dangling it in front of her face while showcasing a gigantic grin on his face.

Seeing the keys swaying in his hands, Corny too felt elated and so she got up from her seat, reached over the table and tenderly kissed her man a long and lingering kiss that told him, she wasn't going anywhere far from his side.

The house was bought and the keys for it were in Eric's hands and she presumed that soon, he would be popping the big question, asking her to marry him; possibly tonight!

But, right throughout the evening, they ate, chatted, saluted several glasses of wines, and yet still, Eric did not get down on his knees and pop the big question to her!

However, not wanting to appear too eager for his hand in marriage, Corny kept a cool-head and carried along throughout the night just like all the other times he had invited her out for dinner; socializing, showing him that she was indeed his friend, and how much she loved everything about him!

For hours they sat at the table and talked about having the house furnished, what were her taste in furniture, and when they should acquire such furniture, before marriage or after marriage; presuming that someone might give them furniture as gifts knowing that they have an empty house that needed to be furnished.

Leaving the restaurant, they went out dancing like they usually do when out celebrating for one reason or the other; hoping that some vigorous movements would improve their vitality and keep their minds refresh, agile and upbeat!

Nevertheless, Corny's mind was stuck on when he would be asking her for her hand in marriage and presumed, it would be anytime soon!

Yet, three months had passed with Eric wining and dining Corny every other weekend, and he still hadn't gotten down on his knees and pop the question of marriage to her!

She now became very anxious and wondered, if he was never going to slide that diamond ring on her finger! Finger which she had been keeping manicured over the past four months; so whenever he asked her for her hand in marriage, and she stretched forth her hands towards him, her fingers would appear beautiful and very presentable for the occasion.

But her efforts of getting her hands nicely done and having them look fabulous for Eric's moment of proposal was practically in vain; because, it was only four months later that he had asked her to marry him!

And when he did ask her for her hand in marriage, it was only him and her in the living room of the new house that he had recently purchase for them to move into after the marriage!

Needless-to-say, Corny was exceptionally happy when he had finally asked, and joyfully said yes to him when he had gotten down on his knees and made his proposal to her.

For minutes she screamed like someone was attacking her with axe!

Along with jumping up and down continuously like she was a busy body cheerleader on a trampoline!

It was around a good thirty minutes before she finally subdued herself, came to her senses, and then trembling smile at Eric, and said, "Yes" to his question!

And before sliding that hard shiny rock on her wedding finger, Corny screamed loudly once again saying;

"Yes, Eric, I'll marry you, I'll marry you!"

Now the precious piece of jewelry was on her finger and before Eric could get off his knees, Cory knelt down in front of him, closed her eyes and began kissing him as if he was some imaginary bowl of ice cream she was tenderly and slowly licking away at!

On and on, she went on kissing him while down on her knees until Eric had to gently resist her; not because he wasn't enjoying it, but the floors were extremely tough, and they had begun hurting his knees!

Now on their feet Corny latched herself to Eric like a waist belt and continued kissing him like there were no tomorrow!

Causing Eric to be silently thankful that he hadn't done this engagement publicly but privately!

Not in the atmosphere like the restaurant where they usually frequent for celebrations and socializations and where he had originally thought of asking her for her hand in marriage.

For hours they stood in the empty house frolicking and caressing at each other until Eric decided it was now time for them to go somewhere and celebrate their act of engagement, even though, they weren't quite dress for the occasion and it was getting closer to mid-night.

Excitingly, Corny agreed because she was now ready to showoff that rock she had on her finger to anyone who cared or was willing to look at it!

Pulling up at the Howie's Disco and Bar establishment little after eleven o'clock in the night to celebrate this new mile stone in their lives, Corny hoped and prayed, she would run into Eric's ex-wife sister just so she could dangle in front of her face the massive piece of rock Eric had just placed on her finger asking her to marry him!

And just like a fairy had answered her secret prayer, shortly after stepping inside the establishment and had gotten comfortable seats for both of them, there sat the woman who had so rudely assaulted her verbally sitting a few tables away from them!

Corny did everything she could to make eye contact with her and when that was achieved, she continuously masked her hand with large engagement ring on it across her face and at other times, stroking Eric's hand repeatedly just so she could show-off her engagement ring!

Throughout the night until they were ready to leave Howie's Disco and Bar, Corny made it her permanent duty to keep on flashing her left hand with the humongous white gold ring with a large glistening diamond incase on the top of it until she thought everyone in the club had seen it!

And at other times, getting up from her seat, sticking her ass in the air, and kissing Eric erotically drawing desirable and undesirable attention to the small table where they have been sitting and socially sipping at their drinks and cracking nuts!

With the music selector switching from the very hype and fast disco music and transiting to something more soft, romantic and smoothing, Eric reached across the table for Corny's hand and then escorted her to the dance floor where the both of them locked both bodies and lips, and started dancing to a number of soul music, until the music selector went back to playing disco music again! Causing the younger crowd to get riled up, raced back to the dance floor where they began flickering, shaking and shimmering all that their mama's gave them!

Gripping his fianc閑 left hand tightly, Eric walked Corny back to their table where they returning to drinking their beverages and smashing on the bowl of nuts placed at their table.

And for hours they sat and drink until Corny declared that she was ready to head on home which Eric jumped to his feet, paid their bill and exited the very festive night spot to bring her home!

But not before stopping at one of the take out eateries and buying three trays of food with three different meat options as he advised her that he wanted her to have enough food to eat without her or Ms. Maxwell entering the kitchen the following.

With such generosity, Eric warned!

"Please stay in bed and rest yourself for school Monday... I don't want you lifting a finger tomorrow, you hear me?"

As he pulled her head up against his breast, gently rubbed his finger through her hair and slightly kissed her on the forehead!

Dropping Corny home in the six o'clock hours of the morning, Eric took the food trays from his car and brought them to her front door where he further carried them to the kitchen after Corny hand opened the door to let him inside the house.

Ms. Maxwell heard the fumbling in the kitchen and began making her way down the stairs to do the usual, gossip with her niece about what exciting thing or place Eric had gotten her indulge with this time around.

"What are you two lovebirds up to this time of the morning?"

Ms. Maxwell asked excitingly.

"I just brought some meat products to the kitchen so you or, my wife to be, don't have to do any cooking today!"

Eric replied while making his way back to the front door.

Corny, in the meanwhile, without saying a word of greeting had her left hand prancing it in her aunt's face gleefully showing off her engagement ring!

Not picking up on what her niece was indicating to her, Ms. Maxwell brought her attention to the coffee pot starting to make such fresh coffer for all three of them.

But Corny obstructed - got in her way and brought her left hand up closer to her face causing her aunt to shout with deep excitement joy!

"He proposed!"

"He proposed!"

"Oh Sweetheart, that is wonderful that he has proposed!"

"Eric, my nephew, please come here and give me a very big hug!"

"Congratulations to the both of you!"

"I'm so truly happy, for the both of you deciding to become as one!"

Ms. Maxwell continued on as she held Corny and Eric in both her hands and snuggled her head against their shoulders.

Not able to contain her tears, Ms. Maxwell began weeping for joy!

Now very happy that the child she had raised since her mother and father died leaving her as an orphan in her care; has now found true love with a wonderful man and was going to tie the knot very soon!

And without sipping on that cup of coffee which Ms. Maxwell was getting ready to make, Eric told her that he had to leave them instantly while he gently pulled Corny hands towards him and ask her to walk with him to his car right away!

Holding her hands into his as they walked towards his car, Eric lift Corny from off the ground like she was a small object and began kissing her vehemently while revealing to her that she was looking extraordinarily sexy that hour of the morning; causing him to feel hot and horny and desperately wanting to make love to her right now!

But, Corny passing her fingers delicately across his lips and giggling, whispered in his ear, giving him a gentle reminder that as soon as they made it down the aisle she would be all his, and then, he would be free to position and reposition her anyway he wanted to in the privacy of their bedroom!