"You're engaged!?"
Jackson freezes on the spot and cusses under his breath. Damn, why didn't he check the caller ID!? "Hi mom." He says casually. "Vacay is awesome, thanks for as-"
"Jackson Avery, this is not a time for joking!" Catherine yells. "How dare you make such a decision alone!"
Jackson scowls. "Mom, I am basically 40 years old. I can make whatever damn decision I want to." He snaps, moving to an upper deck and away from Mae and Harriet dolphin spotting the other end of the deck.
"Not when you have our family fortune at your disposal! You realise she gets half when this-"
"Back the fuck up, mom." He glares at the deck as he paces. "I just got engaged 2 days ago - how you found out, I don't know - and we haven't even considered a date. We haven't considered the logistics and ins and outs. We want to live in the moment. As 'our' family fortune? I think you mean mine."
Catherine sucks in an angry breath. "I raised you better than this!" She snaps. "You have no respect for me!"
He rubs his face and all at once, the dam that was containing every emotion breaking and spilling it all in the open. "You think you're some Saint don't you? Like everyone has to bow down to you. Well guess what mom, fuck you. As of now, I will be taking the Avery inheritance from the Fox Foundation - my money. I will be doing it alone and so will you. I will not take you bad mouthing my fiance, questioning and dictating my choices, controlling everything I do. I am done. You're done." He snaps and slams the phone onto the deck, his foot smashing it with two hard stomps. His hands shake with anger and he exhales slowly. "Dammit." He mutters as it finally dawns on him what he actually just did.
Mae watches sadly and scoops Harriet up. "I have a plan little bean."
"Pan? Wike pacake?" Harriet asks as she bounces her legs.
Mae smiles. "You're just obsessed huh." She muses and hands her to the nanny. "Dress her in that white summer dress I got earlier." She asks and heads back up top. "Cassy?" She calls.
The ebony stewardess pokes her head out of a closet. "Miss Wigan?"
Mae spins around and heads over. "I need a boat ready to take us to shore. Any chance you've got contacts with a church ashore?"
"Urm..."
Armed with a challenge, Mae leaves Cassy and heads up to find Jackson. He sits watching sunset with a whiskey, the bottle beside him as he gazes off into the distance. He jumps and looks up as Mae rubs his back, sitting on the arm of the chair he sits in. "Hi." He says with a shaky voice.
"Hi... I heard." She says gently. "Are you okay?"
"No." He admits, shaking his head once and downing his drink, refilling it. "Not in the slightest."
She runs her fingers up and down the nape of his neck. "I'm so sorry." She says gently. "There's not a lot I can say or do to help here."
He forces a smile. "It'll be okay. I don't think we'll be getting married anytime soon." He sips his drink again.
She hums. "Well, about that." She muses.
His eyebrow lazily quirks. "Mm?"
"I bought a dress today. Not an overly fancy one but I figured I'd wear it on our engagement party or something." She admits, chewing her cheek. "Or maybe on my wedding day. Today."
He chokes on his sip, wiping his mouth on his hand as he sets the glass down. "I'm s-sorry?" He coughs.
Mae smirks a little but tries to play it cool. "I was just thinking... planning this wedding may be the end of it. Your mom, MJ, Tyson... all would have very strong opinions. But not if we're already married."
Jackson's eyebrows are both raised. "You wanna get married? Now? Like, right now?"
"I do. I really think it is best. We can get a post-nup or whatever after but I want this day to be about us - as it should be. It sounds-"
"Crazy."
They both laugh. "It does." Mae agrees. "But I think you may need it as much as I want it."
Jackson touches her cheek gently. "You make it really hard to convince mother this isn't a money situation." He admits.
"Hey, I offered a post-nup." She giggles.
He smiles gently. "No, screw it. We don't need shit. I don't care if you fleece me."
"Mmm good to know."
"Oh I've given you ideas now huh." He jokes.
Mae giggles. "A few." She teases. "We'll what do you say, Mr Avery? Will you marry me?"
"Didn't I just as you that the other day?" He hums. "Absolutely. Let's do it, let's go."
Within the hour, they're on shore and walking to the church willing to do the hasty ceremony. Harriet sits in her stroller, rarely used but always kept just in case, and Mae pushes as Jackson walks beside them.
"Do you think she'll settle for the ceremony?" Jackson asks as he helps lift the stroller up the steep curb.
Mae smiles. "Maybe. Who cares if she doesn't? I don't care if she shouts to the world."
"That is why I adore you." He hums as he looks at her.
"You're so gross." She smiles sweetly.
He rolls his eyes playfully and takes the stroller, walking on. She giggles and follows, slipping her arm into his. "Still want this?" She asks, looking up at him with small nerves bubbling.
"Without a single doubt in my mind." He hums and quickly kisses her. "Let's go Miss Wigan."
-
April checks her phone again as she waits at the airport, pacing the length of the arrivals lounge. She hasn't seen her sweet girl in 2 weeks and she's edgy now, knowing she's so close to holding her close. She smiles wide as she sees them finally coming, Jackson pushing their cases on a trolley as Mae carries Harriet.
"Momma!" She shrieks energetically.
Mae sets her down and smiles as she watches her run straight to her mom. April scoops her up with a squeal and holds her close. "There's my girl!"
Jackson smiles. "Back in one piece as promised."
April smiles as she moves Harriet to her hip. "Thank you - both of you. Did yall have a nice time? It looked awesome."
"It was... life changing." Jackson smirks as he and Mae glance at each other mischievously. "We wanted to share something with you - you're one of the first to know."
April raises a brow. "I'm sensing an engagement? I bet that went down awesome with your mom." She snickers.
"Better than that." Mae says as she takes Jacksons hand. "We... got married 2 days ago."
April chokes on air and her eyes bulge. "What!?"
"We got engaged about a week ago then thought 'what the hell'." Jackson shrugs as he slips his arm around Mae - his wife.
"Oh please let me be there when you tell Catherine!" April begins to laugh. "Congratulations!" She quickly adds.
Mae smiles and ignores the first remark. "Thank you. And thank you for letting us take H for so long."
"Not a problem. Wow. Married. Wow." April shakes her head and looks at Jackson. "You sure like eloping huh."
"Less drama." He shrugs with a wink. He hands April the medium case containing Hs things. "We still okay to have her Friday for-"
"I said our schedule won't be affected by the vacation and I meant it." April promises gently. She shifts Harriet a little and smiles small. "No swapping days or owing or losing. You get vacations and so do I. Friday is your day so it stays your day. Alright?"
"Perfect. Thanks." He smiles.
Mae smiles and waves as Harriet and April head out, leaving just her and her husband. "We gonna tell everyone or...?"
He takes a deep breath and takes her hand as they head to the car park. "Were gonna go have a nap. Food. Maybe another nap. Then we'll see what the world throws at us." He shrugs. "We gotta get the paper work filed and get a marriage certificate here."
"I can make some calls when you're driving." She promises. "Perhaps we tell everyone when it's official. When it's legal."
"Good idea." He kisses her head.
When they arrive home, they have a court appointment booked for the following morning to officially marry in the eyes of American law. Like love sick teens, they can't help but giggle on the drive there and as they sign the certificates. And just like that, they're married again. Twice in nearly as many days.
"Okay now we can admit this." He says as he watches her excitedly pull her phone out. He crouches a little so he can be in shot and they both hold up their left hands to smile wide as Mae snaps the photo.
She quickly types away and grins as his phone *dings*. He pulls it out and smirks proudly. "'Mr and Mrs, bitches'? Oh with a thousand diamond emoji's, nice. And the added money stack, nice touch." He teases.
Mae smiles. "We have to please our audience." She teases back. They swing their hands as they head back to the car, their phones beginning to ping, ding and ring off the charts. Both ignore them though, soaking up their last moments in their wedding bubble.