As Chad held up the ring for Jeanie and asked for her hand in marriage, he felt her response before she actually said it. It was one of the benefits of being mated; that they could feel the strong emotions of their mate.
"I would be honored to become your wife, Chadley Baker! Yes!" Jeanie squealed and launched herself into the waiting arms of her love as cheers and applause rang out all around them. Kissing her mate passionately, she was swung around and dipped into a deeper kiss as the cheers and applause turned into whistles at their public display of affection. As soon as she was righted, Chad slipped the ring on her finger and waltzed her down the steps with her arms full of the flowers.
After the very public and very sweet proposal, Chad took Jeanie home and loved her so completely and thoroughly that she was sore the next day for her classes. When she showed up to class the next day, she was bombarded with questions and fawned over as well as teased for that very public display of love. She took it in good humor and showed off her ring to her fellow students and somehow, word had gotten back to her Aunt Matty, who then told her mom and dad about her engagement. Considering that her Aunt was the founder of this medical school, it was no surprise that word reached her so quickly. But she was mortified that her parents had to find out via the grapevine. She had intended to call them and share the news, but last night left no room for anything but the love she shared with Chad.
"Jeanie, Baby! Why didn't you tell us that Chad proposed to you!" Grace, Jeanie's mom asked over her impromptu lunch date with her daughter.
"It only happened last night, Mom! I didn't want to call and disturb you and Dad. Besides, if I had told you last night, you would have woken up Alice with your squealing! It was a school night after all!"
"Oh, don't give me that! You could have called us this morning if that were the case! Your dad is upset, by the way, that Chad didn't come to him and ask for your hand first, but I managed to calm him down."
"Really? He's upset over that old fashioned ideal. Jeez! It's not the 90's like when you and Dad were dating! Did Dad ask for your hand from Grandpa?" Jeanie countered.
"As a matter of fact, yes, yes he did! It was so sweet too! My father was so thrilled with the gentleman your father was that he approved of him almost right away! Your father would have been more than happy to give his blessing if Chad asked first! Instead, we find out from Aunt Matilda that you two are to be married!"
"Regardless of if Chad asked Dad for my hand or not, you two already approve of him! I mean we've been mated for over four years now! You didn't expect that we wouldn't be taking this step eventually, right?! I don't see what the big deal is. We are getting married, but it's not like it's going to be tomorrow! We were thinking a few years down the road, like after I fully graduate from medical school."
"What about children then? You're already 22! By the time you get done with medical school that's what? Another 4 years and you'll already be 26! Your dad and I aren't getting any younger, Jeannette! We would like to see grandchildren before we become too old to enjoy them!" What do you say to taking a year off of school and raising a baby?"
"Mom! Do you hear yourself?!" Jeanie was outraged. "You want me to put my dream on hold, just so that I can fulfill your selfish desire for a grandchild?! What about Alice, huh? What about raising her? If you feel the need so strongly for a grandchild, focus on raising the child you have remaining at home! Alice needs you now, Mom. You won't have time to fuss over a grandchild! Besides, it's not my fault that you had me so late in life and then you went and had another when I was nearly grown! You're being completely unreasonable right now asking this of me! I'm not 24 hours engaged and you're already trying to dictate my life as a married woman!" Jeanie got up from the lunch table and stormed out of the restaurant.
She had to leave or risk saying worse to her mother. Her mom didn't deserve those words she had already thrown out at her, but she was mad. By the time Jeanie had cooled off, it was time for her to get back to her studies. It bothered her the whole day though, and by the time she got home, she deeply regretted going off the deep end.
"What's wrong, my love?" Chad immediately felt the turmoil in his mate even before she entered the apartment, so when she entered, he was already up and ready to receive her in his arms. He was ready to give her all the love she deserved and needed right now so that it could help her calm down.
"I met my mother for lunch today and I ended up throwing some rather heated words her way." Jeanie relaxed in to her mate's arms. She recharged just by being here like this with him. It always made her feel better to be held by her alpha.
"Oh? And can I ask what caused these heated words? I thought you had a good relationship with your mother?" Chad asked as he soothed Jeanie.
"She found out that we had gotten engaged through the grapevine because I stupidly forgot to tell her and Dad about it last night. I threw a stupid excuse at her about it and she countered it with the simple counter that I could have called them this morning. It was a big mess. It started out lighthearted and playful jabs, but my mom said some things that I took a little too seriously and I threw so many nasty things her way. She was just looking forward to the natural progression of things and I bit her head off for even suggesting it! I'm such an awful person for storming out on her!" Jeanie's lip quivered as she recalled all the things she said to her mother.
"Shh, it's alright my love! From my perspective although things got a little heated, you were both right and both wrong for the way you went about things. For one, we have barely gotten engaged, and we are both so busy right now in our lives. While you go to school, which I fully support, and I work full time. Where would we both find the time to raise a child right now? Your mother suggesting that you take the time off school without offering any kind of recompense for the loss of your education that we've paid for out of our own pockets is unreasonable, you're not wrong there. However, you throwing your sister into this argument was unfair. Alice didn't ask to be born and you know very well that your parents did everything in their power to raise you and didn't plan on any more babies. It was beyond their control what happened, and you know that, especially as a medical student! That one was on you." Chad walked Jeanie through everything that was said and played the mediator, helping her vent as well as see the error of her approach to the ill words spoken out of frustration.
After that Jeanie called up her mom and apologized for her words and carefully explained her feelings, this time without the barbs added to her words. After coming to an understanding with both of them apologizing, Jeanie got the congratulations from not only her mother, but her father and little sister as well. In fact, little Alice was so excited that Chad was going to be her big brother for real, that she literally jumped for joy. Being the carefree kid she was, she immediately wanted to be a flower girl cause her friends at school got to be them when their family members got married. This led to a conversation explaining that the wedding was going to be a few years off yet.