When Lacey and Blessing got home from school, they realized no one was home. They were briefly perplexed by this as they hadn't realized the day would turn out this way, but then the thought hit them. This would be the perfect time to begin their plans undisturbed.
They sat on the ground and Lacey pulled out her notebook and pencil.
"All right," Blessing said, "let's do this just how we talked about. I don't know how much time we have to figure this out before everyone gets home."
Lacey nodded. "Yeah, we need to make our case. You know how they are."
"What's first?"
Lacey drew a line down the center of the paper and wrote 'Pros' at the top of one column and 'Cons' at the top of the other column.
"I've seen my dad do this," Lacey explained. "Okay, pros..."
"All right," Blessing said, "let's do this just how we talked about. I don't know how much time we have to figure this out before everyone gets home."
Lacey nodded. "Yeah, we need to make our case. You know how they are."
"What's first?"
Lacey drew a line down the center of the paper and wrote 'Pros' at the top of one column and 'Cons' at the top of the other column.
"I've seen my dad do this," Lacey explained. "Okay, pros..."
"That's easy," Blessing said. "If they teach us how to drive now, they won't have to cart us around anymore or get us a car when we go somewhere."
"Yeah, that's a good one," Lacey responded. She spoke as she wrote, "Increased independence. Parents like words like that."
"That sounds good."
"They're going to say we're too young to learn. Should I put that as a con?"
Blessing thought for a moment. "Well, I don't want a lot of things in that column. That's not going to help us. How can we turn that around to make it a pro instead?"
"Yeah, that's a good one," Lacey responded. She spoke as she wrote, "Increased independence. Parents like words like that."
"That sounds good."
"They're going to say we're too young to learn. Should I put that as a con?"
Blessing thought for a moment. "Well, I don't want a lot of things in that column. That's not going to help us. How can we turn that around to make it a pro instead?"
Lacey grinned and spoke as she wrote again, "Lots of time to gain experience."
Blessing laughed. "Will they buy that?"
Lacey shrugged. "I don't know. But if you think about it, the only way to learn is to do it. So, if we're older and only just starting, we'll just be older bad drivers."
Blessing giggled. "Okay. Leave that as a pro then." She paused to think. "What about how they always say we should be more responsible?"
"How do you mean?"
"Put it down as a pro that learning to drive will make us more responsible. I think they'll go for it. We'll have to watch out for other people when we're driving and take care of the car and all of that kind of stuff."
Lacey grinned at her cousin. "You're good."
"Not a single con on the list!" Blessing beamed.
"Now we just have to find the right time to tell convince them."
Blessing laughed. "Will they buy that?"
Lacey shrugged. "I don't know. But if you think about it, the only way to learn is to do it. So, if we're older and only just starting, we'll just be older bad drivers."
Blessing giggled. "Okay. Leave that as a pro then." She paused to think. "What about how they always say we should be more responsible?"
"How do you mean?"
"Put it down as a pro that learning to drive will make us more responsible. I think they'll go for it. We'll have to watch out for other people when we're driving and take care of the car and all of that kind of stuff."
Lacey grinned at her cousin. "You're good."
"Not a single con on the list!" Blessing beamed.
"Now we just have to find the right time to tell convince them."
Olivia couldn't believe how warm this Autumn night was. She'd accidentally left her coat in the limo when Jasper had unexpectedly told the driver they wanted to take a walk but she barely even missed it.
Jasper wrapped his arms around her and kissed her lovingly. Olivia loved the smell of his aftershave and tickle of his stubble on her cheek.
Jasper wrapped his arms around her and kissed her lovingly. Olivia loved the smell of his aftershave and tickle of his stubble on her cheek.
"This street is so picturesque. I've always loved this part of town," she murmured as they gazed into each other's eyes.
"I know you love this street. And you're right, it's very beautiful. I thought since the evening was unseasonably warm, we could stroll for a little while."
"I know you love this street. And you're right, it's very beautiful. I thought since the evening was unseasonably warm, we could stroll for a little while."
"That's fine with me," she said. "I don't want this night to end. It's been just lovely."
"I'm so glad you feel this way."
"I'm so glad you feel this way."
Before she had the chance to think or realize what was happening, Jasper suddenly dropped to one knee. Her heart pounded in her chest and she felt as if she couldn't breathe.
"Olivia Baldwin, I love you with all of my being and I want you to be my wife." He presented a small box and opened it, the diamond sparkled in the moonlight.
She put her hands to her mouth, unable to contain that gasp that escaped. "Oh, Jasper!"
"I talked to your brother and he gave his permission. All you need to do is answer," he said gently, with hope in his eyes.
She put her hands to her mouth, unable to contain that gasp that escaped. "Oh, Jasper!"
"I talked to your brother and he gave his permission. All you need to do is answer," he said gently, with hope in his eyes.
"Yes," she said without hesitation, her voice cracking with emotion. "I would be honored." Her hand shook as she held it out to him.
Remaining on his knee, he smiled with delight as he slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly.
Remaining on his knee, he smiled with delight as he slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly.
"It's the most beautiful ring I have ever seen!" she exclaimed as she moved her hand about so that the moonlight made it sparkle from different angles.
Jasper stood and opened his arms wide. "I promise to always love you and protect you. I will try my very best to always see that you're happy and secure."
His statement brought tears to her eyes.
"Are you happy? Are you going to hug me? Or would you rather stand there gawking at the ring and cry?" he teased.
His statement brought tears to her eyes.
"Are you happy? Are you going to hug me? Or would you rather stand there gawking at the ring and cry?" he teased.
She laughed, jumping into the air and into his arms.
They embraced for the first time as an engaged couple. And for the first time in her adult life, Olivia felt that she had finally found true love at last. She felt deeply that Jasper meant every word he said to her.
When they finally stepped apart, Jasper said, "Have you noticed where we are?"
Olivia looked around. "The Old Manor House." Then she realized something she hadn't noticed when they first walked near the mansion. "There are lights on inside. Is someone living there now? It's been empty for so long."
Olivia looked around. "The Old Manor House." Then she realized something she hadn't noticed when they first walked near the mansion. "There are lights on inside. Is someone living there now? It's been empty for so long."
Jasper looked down at his feet, a mannerism Olivia knew well. It meant he had something to tell her that she may object to.
"What's going on?"
"No one lives there right now. But I asked the Realtor to leave the lights on until later tonight."
"What's going on?"
"No one lives there right now. But I asked the Realtor to leave the lights on until later tonight."
She gave him an icy stare. "The Realtor?"
He nodded slightly. "I bought the house... for us and our children."
Olivia stared at him, too shocked to speak.
"I know what you're thinking. How could I buy a house and not tell you? I wanted it to be a surprise for our engagement. It's beautiful and I know you've always admired it."
"Yes, I've admired it all my life, that's true. But what made you think I would want to move out of the home that's been in my family for generations? And what about the kids and uprooting them?"
Jasper sighed. He had hoped she'd be happy and excited but he should have known this was how she would react. She liked to control things and was always resistant to change. He figured she was right that he should have spoken to her but then it wouldn't have been a surprise.
"Liv," he began, "I want us to have a house of our own. One that we can live in as a married couple with our children. There's nothing wrong with the Baldwin house, of course, but I don't think this is uprooting the children at all. It's not like we're moving out of Riverview. They won't even be changing schools. And there's one more thing you may want to consider."
"Yes?"
"Your brother. He could stop living above the garage and move into the main house with Lacey. He's a Baldwin... it's not like the house would be leaving the family. Honestly, I think he deserves the main house."
He nodded slightly. "I bought the house... for us and our children."
Olivia stared at him, too shocked to speak.
"I know what you're thinking. How could I buy a house and not tell you? I wanted it to be a surprise for our engagement. It's beautiful and I know you've always admired it."
"Yes, I've admired it all my life, that's true. But what made you think I would want to move out of the home that's been in my family for generations? And what about the kids and uprooting them?"
Jasper sighed. He had hoped she'd be happy and excited but he should have known this was how she would react. She liked to control things and was always resistant to change. He figured she was right that he should have spoken to her but then it wouldn't have been a surprise.
"Liv," he began, "I want us to have a house of our own. One that we can live in as a married couple with our children. There's nothing wrong with the Baldwin house, of course, but I don't think this is uprooting the children at all. It's not like we're moving out of Riverview. They won't even be changing schools. And there's one more thing you may want to consider."
"Yes?"
"Your brother. He could stop living above the garage and move into the main house with Lacey. He's a Baldwin... it's not like the house would be leaving the family. Honestly, I think he deserves the main house."
Olivia smiled in spite of herself. She had never lived anywhere except the Baldwin house unless she counted the times she'd gone to boarding school and then university.
"It might be a bit of an adventure for the kids," she conceded.
"That's the spirit!" Jasper smiled.
"I'll talk to John and see how he feels about it."
"It might be a bit of an adventure for the kids," she conceded.
"That's the spirit!" Jasper smiled.
"I'll talk to John and see how he feels about it."
"Wow, this place is amazing," John said as he entered the foyer of the Manor House to meet Olivia.
"Isn't it?" she agreed. "I've been looking all around this place and I'm so in love with it."
He gave her a strange look, raising an eyebrow. "What's going on here? You can try to hide it but you know I can tell when you're about to tell me something big."
"Isn't it?" she agreed. "I've been looking all around this place and I'm so in love with it."
He gave her a strange look, raising an eyebrow. "What's going on here? You can try to hide it but you know I can tell when you're about to tell me something big."
She tried to hold back her emotion but it was so difficult. "Jasper asked me to marry him and I said yes."
John smiled widely and gave her a hug. "That's wonderful, Livvy! I'm so happy for you! It's about time you said yes to the guy!"
John smiled widely and gave her a hug. "That's wonderful, Livvy! I'm so happy for you! It's about time you said yes to the guy!"
"There's more."
"More?"
She nodded. "And I hope you'll be pleased."
"I'm sure I will be. I am so happy for you, Sis."
She took a deep breath. "I asked you to meet me here at the Manor because Jasper bought it and we're going to move here."
"You're moving?" John sputtered.
"Yes!" She could barely contain her excitement. "I wasn't keen on the idea at first, but after looking around the place today, I just know that it's where we belong." She took his hand and squeezed it lightly. "John, it's time you took the inheritance that is rightfully yours. You need to move with Lacey into the main house and call it your own."
John was speechless. He made a quick excuse and drove home. The very word 'home' sounded so strange to him now.
"More?"
She nodded. "And I hope you'll be pleased."
"I'm sure I will be. I am so happy for you, Sis."
She took a deep breath. "I asked you to meet me here at the Manor because Jasper bought it and we're going to move here."
"You're moving?" John sputtered.
"Yes!" She could barely contain her excitement. "I wasn't keen on the idea at first, but after looking around the place today, I just know that it's where we belong." She took his hand and squeezed it lightly. "John, it's time you took the inheritance that is rightfully yours. You need to move with Lacey into the main house and call it your own."
John was speechless. He made a quick excuse and drove home. The very word 'home' sounded so strange to him now.
Just after he walked in the door of the main house, his phone rang. It was Constance Shelley. He'd been feeling melancholy since his visit with Olivia at the Manor House, but now he couldn't help but smile when he heard her voice.
John was happy to learn that Constance wanted to see a movie over the weekend and spend some time at the park with him. He immediately agreed to the plans and they worked out the details before she had to hang up.
A whirlwind of confusion enveloped him as he sat on the chaise lounge. The emptiness of the large house didn't help how he was feeling. He looked all around him and wondered at how quiet the place was. The kids were all at school and Olivia was still at her new home. Jasper was at work.
He let out a sigh. So this is what it would be like when his sister's family moved out. He didn't know if he'd be able to bear the dead silence. What if Lacey missed her cousin so much she chose to spend all of her time at Olivia and Jasper's instead of home with him?
He let out a sigh. So this is what it would be like when his sister's family moved out. He didn't know if he'd be able to bear the dead silence. What if Lacey missed her cousin so much she chose to spend all of her time at Olivia and Jasper's instead of home with him?
Maybe this would be his chance to find the love of his life just as Olivia had found hers. Constance could very well be that person but he'd been so hurt recently, he was afraid to hope for a future with a wife and more children.
Everything was about to change, he knew. Whether it was for the best or not, they would all have to find out.
Everything was about to change, he knew. Whether it was for the best or not, they would all have to find out.