And here's another.... With the following prompts given by the dear ladies over at the Fictionista Workshop word prompt: pulse Multimedia Share: Search Google or YouTube for one of the following words, then select a search result at random and write about it: envelope, happy, porch swing

I sat waiting, incessantly rubbing my sweaty palms on my jeans trying anything possible to distract me from the task at hand. Desperate to calm my ragged nerves I picked at the destroyed skin of my fingers. The butterflies in my stomach had me on the verge of being ill and I wasn’t sure I could get through this discussion without losing my lunch all over the porch.

How the hell am I going to do this….I don’t even know where to begin….

The sound of the door opening brought my attention back to the present and my eyes shot to the person stepping out the door. I stood quickly and crossed from the swing to extend my hand in the attempt to shake hands. I hoped the steadiness of my hand didn’t betray my inner turmoil and shake like a leaf on a tree when he took my hand.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Sw-,“ my words cut off immediately as Charlie quirked an eyebrow in silent question of the sudden formality I had reverted to in my nervousness. “Charlie, sorry…..um, it’s good to see you, sir.”

Charlie snorted quietly as he shook my hand and I could see a slight smirk attempting to form under his mustache.

“Good to see you too, son. What’s got you so skittish? Bella isn’t here you know. Gone off with that sister of your’s again somewhere.”
“Oh. Um….yes, sir, I know that. I needed to talk to you, sir. I w-wanted to…um….I needed to….” I stumbled over how to begin this conversation and wasn’t doing a very good job of even remotely covering up my nervousness.

I was well aware that Bella and Alice were currently shopping the afternoon away as my dear sister had helped in my plan. Bella left our apartment early this morning to visit her parents and had planned on spending most of the day with them. Thanks to my pixie-like sister those plans had been shortened and gave me the perfect opportunity to speak with Charlie knowing we wouldn’t be interrupted.

“Edward, what’s got into you, boy? I’ve never known you to be so tongue tied.” Charlie laughed, clapping me on the back and leading me back toward the swing which I had just vacated.

I took a deep breath as we sat back down and tried to gather my thoughts trying to find the words to say what I came here today to do.

Turning to look the man who could quite literally make my life a living hell at this moment I said what I felt in my heart for his daughter and laid out my intentions.

“Charlie, I wanted to ask you a very important question and I’m….well I really don’t know how you will react. I want to tell you how much I love your daughter, sir. I love her more than I can even explain to you. And the miraculous thing is she seems to feel the same way about me. I plan on asking her to be my wife, sir. And well, I would like to do that with your blessing, I think it would mean a great deal to Bella to know that you gave your permission even though she’s very much an adult. I want to make her happy, Charlie, that’s all I’ve ever wanted and getting your blessing is just one step in making that happen for the rest of our lives.”

I did my best to keep eye contact with Charlie although it was exceedingly difficult the longer it seemed to take him to respond to what I said. The second’s drug into minutes as I waited for him to answer in some way, I wasn’t sure he was even breathing at the moment.

That’s when I saw it….and my pulse quickened as I watched the smile spread across Charlie’s face.

“Edward, there is nothing that I would like more than to give my blessing to you.”
He stood and we shook hands briefly before he pulled me into a one armed embrace and slapped me on the back as he laughed.

“Just one thing and I’m only going to say this once so you need to listen and listen close,” the smile he had worn only a moment ago was gone. “You make Bella happy and I’d have to be a complete fool not to see that but if you ever, and I mean ever, hurt her I will hunt you down and they will be looking for you for years to come. Do I make myself clear?”

I swallowed thickly and nodded my head curtly. I wasn’t sure how much truth was laced in that threat but I didn’t plan on ever finding out. Charlie smiled and released my hand.

“Well, son, I do believe this call’s for a celebration. I’ve got beer, beer and let’s see I believe I might have a beer.”
We both laughed as he draped a heavy arm across my shoulders and practically drug me toward t he front door.

Now all I had to do is ask her….and I was sure that would be infinitely more difficult than even this conversation had been.