Let's Make Up

Nature

The days leading up to Friday went by quickly. There were lots of changes implemented at work, including the story bonus being taken away since there were already many freelance writers as well as guest writers, letters, and stories sent in and generally people who weren't bound to a desk to find their sources. Some fun ideas got brought in as well, such as casual Fridays, new template pages that could be used for brainstorming, a celebration budget for holidays and birthdays, horoscope columns, and a new name that would be on the next cover. They decided it would be a good idea to use a 'punny' type name to drum up more interest. Having decided on calling it 'My Magazine', the marketers came up with some fake scenarios and reenactments of people coming up to them to ask what they were reading, and they'd reply with, "Oh, just My Magazine." It was cute and forward thinking; everyone seemed to enjoy most of the fresh thoughts and were contributing more than ever.

John was wearing jeans and a pull over sweater as his casual Friday look and asked Molly why she was still dressed so formally.

"I don't have a lot of casual clothing that wouldn't show my tattoos."

"Well, maybe that was more of an issue before. They're a city company that you even said might've had pictures of you under their old publications. I don't think it would come as too much of a shock." He told her.

"Poor Rosie will hate me if she sees all this ink." Molly laughed.

"She'll live. She actually used to be a therapist, you know? Chances are she already knows that you're covering something up. Besides, I don't want to stop at home again to change. Once work is done we have to head out to get to the city for the hotel check in, right?"

She was surprised to find out about Rosie but agreed to change into something less business-y looking.

"How do you even know that about Rosie?"

"Helen and I went to couples counseling, which was useless, because neither of us were willing to compromise, but she was our therapist. One of my last sessions with her, she actually told and she was getting let go from her position due to her age. So I found out that she had taken plenty business classes in the past, and offered her a job. With Dennis' blessing of course. She's been a good asset to have and could most likely have my job with her coaching background, but she prefers numbers and yelling at people now I guess. Maybe she spent too many years being nice and quiet. Anyway, this is probably boring, do you need help getting dressed?" He asked excitedly.

"You dirty old bear, I think I can manage."

He followed her to her room, sat on her bed and watched as she took off her pants to replace them with black leggings.

"Well, last I checked, I'm the acting manager right now, so I'm not sure you can manage without me." He pestered her flirtatiously.

Molly turned to him and asked what he'd have her wear so he told her to come closer, and closer still, until she was straddling him and he was helping take off her shirt.

"I'd have you wear nothing all day if I could."

John started fiddling with the back of her bra and she laughed at him.

"Good thing this is too difficult for you to figure out. We don't have time, plus I want you to save your strength for the hotel."

He groaned to show he was defeated and let her up.

"You're right. Maybe just put on a sweater or something."

She opted for a loose tank top with a cardigan, to still cover her arms, but was getting a little jittery about people seeing some of the ink on her collarbones.

"Up until now I've made a conscious effort to only wear high collared clothing. Maybe I should grab a scarf?" She asked.

"For someone who barely wears anything while you're at home, you can definitely come off as prudish at work. Your top still covers that beautiful cleavage of yours." He told her, looking down at her chest. "I don't see the issue. I am curious though, how come you don't have anything done between your boobs? Don't get me wrong, I like it, I just see everywhere else on your chest done except for your boobs and right in between them."

Molly shrugged and smiled at him. "I don't know. Just haven't gotten it yet."

He didn't press more on the subject since that simple explanation seemed as reasonable as the placement for any of her other tattoos, and he knew it wasn't for him to understand despite him wanting and trying to.

Rosie wasn't shocked at all when she saw Molly and even told her that while she first thought it was nice that she was always covered up, she did in fact wonder if there was a reason for it. Emily made a big production about it, going on about how much money she must have spent but that she also always wanted tattoos. Donna chimed in and told her she looked 'bad ass' and 'too cool' to be in Lakeway. In Northmount, there were several people covered in body art so it had never been such a big deal before, but for the first time since Molly had ever gotten any tattoos, she felt a pang of regret for letting them consume her skin. She had wanted to be out of the spot light for a reason and the people in town made it hard for her to be carefree without pointing extra attention to the canvas she lived in everyday.

Once John turned off his computer, he told Molly she should go to the bathroom before they would head out and that he'd get some drinks from the vending machine. It wasn't going to be a long drive, but he had promised before to take her out to the lake and felt it was a good time to follow through with it.

"Why don't you drive this truck more often?" She asked while scooting over on the bench seat of the old vehicle to be next to him.

"It's a gas guzzler, but if you have some stuff that you want to bring back with you, then there'll be more room in here." He explained.

"I thought you driving an automatic car was hot but seeing you so comfortable with a standard is even better." She cooed.

John just smiled in amusement at her admiring him for doing a normal task that he thought everyone over the age of 16 could do.

"I learned to drive on a manual. This truck is actually the second vehicle I ever bought. Don't worry though, when you get your license I'll still do the car maintenance for you and will still probably be the one driving most of the time."

"I like the way you make it sound like we're going to be around each other forever. You're making me swoon, baby."

Molly said as she looked around at the truck interior

"I guess this truck must be old then, huh?" She laughed and he grabbed her hand while using it to shift gears.

"Sometimes old things are built better and have a surprisingly strong... stamina." He said in defense of himself and his truck.

"I was just playing. But, honestly, I can't imagine being with you when you were younger."

He looked at her again, a little surprised and disappointed. "What? Why not?"

Her head wagged. "Ugh, I can't imagine how relentless and energetic you were in your 20's, if in your 40's you won't ever let up."

John laughed. "It's a shock for me as well, trust me. But you have a point. If I were still 20 years old... God... you'd need crutches."

He pulled onto a dirt road and followed it to the turn around by the body of water. It was empty and silent and he asked if she wanted to walk around for a bit, the same way he did when they first went out there. Molly got out and he took her hand, walking to the edge of the lake. The evening was calm and the water was too, but every now and then she'd see a ripple from a fish or some type of critter. She'd been a city girl her whole life, and even though there were times she'd left for family trips, she never got the time to appreciate nature as much as she wanted to. Some of the images she chose to put on her body were of trees, flowers, and woodland animals because she wanted to have that connection to the natural world's peacefulness and beauty.

They stared out at the stillness for a bit and enjoyed the fresh air, as well as each other's company.

"Molly?" John asked in a serious voice while squeezing her hand to garner her full attention.

She looked at him brightly, staying quiet so not to disturb her surroundings.

"I don't want to keep pretending."

She gave him a concerned expression.

"What do you mean?"

He lifted her chin with his other hand and got close to kiss her, but didn't follow through.

"I don't want to pretend that you're my wife."

Molly turned her eyes down and away from him while trying to fight the sudden tightening she felt in her throat.

"I'd prefer you to be my actual wife." He paused, making her eyes dart right back up at him again and get wide. "I know that its fast and probably presumptuous but... would you do that for me? Would you take me as your husband?"

She felt the sting from tears that she couldn't control. "Are you asking me to marry you?" She questioned in only a faltered whisper.

He took a step back and pulled out a small square box from his pocket, opening it to reveal an elegant diamond ring with a slim white gold band.

"Yes, I am. If you'll have me."

"Oh my God, Johnny, yes of course, I want that more than anything!" She told him while rushing to throw her arms around him.

He held her close and kissed the top of her head, making her feel secure.

"Thank you. I don't know what you did to me but I love you so much, you know that?"

She told him she loved him back and he pulled back just to slip the ring on her finger and kiss her for the first time as her fiancé.

"I hope you like it. We should get going again though so we don't miss our check in."

"I love it." She told him. "And I love you."

He smiled while remembering how similar her phrasing was to the first time she admitted her love for him and made a slight moan while also recalling what prompted her to say it the first time.

"I love the way you talk. Every little thing about you peaks my interest and keeps it. We're for sure going to get a noise charge on our hotel bill. I can't start getting bland now that we're engaged."