"Absolutely Not", exclaimed my fiance's mother. "You are not marrying that woman. You don't know anything about that woman or her family. Just because your older brother went off and married her older "step sister". She said the term with distaste. "Doesn't mean we are going to let you do the same. We dont know anything about their family or what she grew up around".

      She said she didn't know anything about my upbringing, but it was clear in her tone that she had some inclination as to what my childhood looked like.
 I would say I couldn't believe what I was hearing. However, that would taste a lie. I knew about the type of reputation my kind had. It would be some time before I realized the sins of our parents shouldn't stain our own lives. I listened to the commotion while standing in the living room of a very nice two-story house. You would see the kind on a sitcom like "Leave it to Beaver". I already felt very out of place coming from my place of humble beginnings. Faced with this situation I felt like I was in the wrong century. His mother had never even talked to me before, but she seemed to know what kind of family I came from. I looked at my hands and feet barely holding back tears as I realized just how unworthy I was to marry this prince charming of a man.
       It was at this moment that the kitchen door burst open. My 6 foot 7 inch future husband who had just finished a tour in Vietnam was fuming. He grabbed me by the hand and escorted me out of the house. His mother followed berating him. It was only later that I would realize his father was minding his business in his study. Not in an attempt to avoid confrontation, or in laziness. It seemed as though he simply trusted his son to make a good decision. I am eternally grateful to him for that.
       "What's going on"? I gasped as we headed out.
 "We're leaving". He answered looking over his shoulder. His mother had just yelled something. She seemed to be a very well mannered and well spoken women. So whatever it was she exclaimed must have caught her sons attention. He turned around and looked at her. "That is my future wife you are talking about mother". She didn't say anything for a moment. I was completely surprised before. In all my years I never really challenged my own mother, and I had far more reason to do so. I had also never experianced anyone stand up for me like he was doing.

      Prince Charming Indeed
 I was as sure as I'd ever been at this point about anything. I would follow this man to the ends of the Earth at the drop of a hat. Mrs. Holland continued her thought and gave a very curt but genuine response.
 "What size dress do you wear dear"? That was the only sign of approval I ever got from the old woman.
       I couldn't think of a correct answer. "My dress size?" I made my own clothes for most of my life. It was by chance the one I bought for the wedding ended up fitting. I had no idea. She looked ashamed of herself for treating me so terribly. To her I was clearly something of an ignorant girl. Before I could try and expand on my answer John began to lead me to the car.

      All in all it could have gone worse

Most brides to be, spend copious amounts of time planning and then reliving their weddings. I had no time. John was insistent that we get married as soon as possible. Looking back at it. I probably should have been a bit more suspicious, but who am I kidding. I was so happy I didn't really care.

What this did mean was that I would not be working at the magazine in California anymore. I called up my manager and informed him the next day. They understood,

you see kids. In the day even workplace scenarios seemed to value the type of family values you just dont see anymore.
       When I told my step sister and brother. Sue seemed happy for me, but a bit jealous. Apparantly she was already having issues with her new husband Lance. Rick didn't seem surprised at all. When I asked him about it. He said "You've been acting like a love sick school girl since you met him". I didn't get the phrase at the time simply because I had never so much as had a real crush before.
      With that being said,  I couldn't imagine what it must be like for all those teens that fall in love and have their hearts broken. 
 "And like that, I am going to be MRs. Lynne Stuart Holland". I said to myself looking at the mirror at my reflection the night I was proposed to. Little did I know just how little time I would have to prepare. One thing my new Fiancee left out was that he was scheduled to be back at the base in less than one week. 
 It wouldn't have mattered though. At that point I was so hooked I would have hoped on Apollo 11, and gone to the moon with him.

  However tricky the launch was. I was sure it would work out. After all how could it not?