Finding Mrs.Joe Hill

Blessing

2 weeks later
Friday December 9th 2022

"Don't wait up for me." Taylor was putting her coat on ready to go out with some friends. Joe had a cold so he was skipping out this time.

"What time do you think you'll be home?" He asked.

"No clue. That's why I said don't wait up."

"Alright, well call me if you need me or something."

"I know." She leaned in to kiss him.

"Love you." He told her.

"Love you too." She left.

10 minutes later Joe was out the door, headed to his moms.
——

"Hey mom." He said upon opening the door.

"Hey, you sound congested." She says right off the bat.

"You got that from a hey?"

"I'm your mother. Want some soup?" She offers.

"Ha no no, it's just a head cold I'm fine."

"If you say so. What's up?"

"Well I want to talk to you about Taylor and I...get your thoughts." He says.

"Oh no...What happened?" Her face turned to concern.

"It's nothing bad, it's good actually."

"Oh okay...then let's hear it." They sat down in the living room, Paula patiently waited for Joe to start talking.

"I think I'm gonna propose." He said.

"For real?!"

"Ha, yeah."

"That's huge! When!?" She wonders.

"Soon."

"Wow!" She exclaims.

"I take it I have your blessing?"

"...why are you asking me and not...oh. Right..." she looks down.

"I don't have anyone to ask." He shrugged.

"Yeah, makes it nice for you but still."

"I'd like to think by what she tells me about him he'd give me his blessing."

"I'm sure he would too. You're a good guy Joe."

"I'm your son...you have to say that." He points out.

"No I don't." She said smiling.

"Ha whatever-"

"Wait so you have a ring!?" The epiphany hit her.

"Yeah...just got it a couple days ago." He reached in his pocket and showed her.

"Huh! Oh my god. It's beautiful, she's gonna love it." Paula said excited, then gave Joe a hug.

"Hope so."

"Are you nervous?"

"Not yet. I know when the time comes I will be." He says.

"Well make sure you pick a special place to do it, and say her full name!" she says.

"I know mom." He says rolling his eyes but laughing.

"I know I'm annoying, I'm just so excited to have a legit daughter in law! And then grand babies!" She enthuses.

"Well that might not...I don't know." He stammers.

"What?" She turned to concern. Joe always seemed like he wanted to have kids, he's always voiced it to her at least.

"She has fertility issues. So we'll see." He tells her.

"Well whatever the case, there's always other options."

"We know, I think it'll be a journey but I'm ready to take it with her." He looks at his mom and she's got tears in her eyes.

"Mom..." he says laughing and gives her a hug.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so happy for you and you seem so happy with her." She says trying to stop.

"I am mom. We'll come see you first thing after I do it alright?" He tells her.

"I'll be waiting! Do the Reagan's know?" She asks and wipes the tears that are coming to a stop now.

"Not yet. I'll probably keep it that way until the deal is done. Or I might say something to Jamie and Eddie. I've gotten close with them. They are the only ones married so I've been leaning on them a lot with advice and such." He explains.

"That's great. At least you have someone's marriage to look up to." She says. Joe fumbles with his hands thinking about that. It was just him and his mom growing up, with a couple boyfriends every so often thrown in. Never anything worth looking up to. Joe didn't like the guys half the time anyway.

"Yeah. Well I gotta get going, she's out with friends and I'm supposed to be sick in bed. Which isn't a complete lie considering I am sick." He laughs and stands. Paula follows and gives a big hug goodbye and good luck. He leaves feeling good and happy she was so excited and supportive. This was moving fast but it didn't matter, he's wasn't getting any younger and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, what was he waiting for?
——

A couple hours later Joe was still up, laying bed watching tv when he heard Taylor get home. She came in the room quietly thinking Joe would be sleeping but he wasn't.

"Babe why aren't you asleep?! You're sick, it'll make you feel better." She tells him checking the time on her phone, it was almost midnight.

"I know, I wasn't yet. I made the mistake of drinking coffee around 9." He told her.

"Well that's not very smart." She says and starts undressing to get in her pajamas and go to bed.

"I know. How was your night?" He asks watching her.

"Good, they were playing weird ass music though it was like robotic." She says putting her hair up and taking her makeup off with a wipe.

"Strange. Get hit on at all?" He asks, usually he goes with her and doesn't have this problem but he couldn't help but wonder what would happen without him there to oversee.

"No I didn't surprisingly. Serena did twice!" She said shaking her head.

"Why do you seem mad about it?" He asks.

"Because it's like an insult, I looked hot and no one even tried to give me there number." She said and got into bed.

"Taylor!" Joe was frustrated with her, why did she want to get hit on?

"No no no! Oh my god, I'm sorry that sounds bad. I didn't mean it like that." She says with fear.

"I tell you how good you look and how beautiful you are everyday." Joe tells her.

"I know I know. I meant it's kinda a compliment, like I enjoy having to turn them away because I'm with you Joe. It's like a self esteem thing. Trust me. Forget what I even said." She said and snuggled with him.

"Okay...whatever you say Tay." He snuggles back with her and understands what she meant. She was adjusting to a serious relationship, she's used to the party life. And soon she'll be adjusting to wife life.