Annie has packed everything Lee could ever need, and our families packed the jet for us last night while we slept so that she doesn’t suspect a thing. I’m not going to lie, I’m really nervous about leaving Davis. We’ve talked extensively about this, and I know I can call him whenever I need to. I can also fly him out whenever, as long as his wife and daughter can tag along. Which, of course they can. Life has come full circle for us, and I can’t help but be excited for what the future holds.
“Quill?” My head snaps to Lee at the sound of my name. “Were you even listening to me?”
“Sorry, baby. I got lost in my head for a minute. What was that?”
She smiles and rolls her eyes at me, “I wassaying,how pretty would it be to live in one of those apartment buildings surrounding here? How lucky that they get to wake up every morning and drink their coffee while looking out over the park.”
“Not as lucky as we are, but that must be pretty cool for them.”
“What do you mean not as lucky as we are?” Confusion clouds her face, and it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Westop and move over to a bench on the side of the path. She’s excited, but I don’t want her pushing herself too much. So, we’ll take a break, and she’ll only pout a minimal amount over it.
“I mean that they may be lucky, but they aren’t as lucky as we are. We get to wake up every day to each other. We get to walk Central Park with our soulmate. I get to thank God every hour of every day that you’re here, you’re healthy, and you’re mine.
I was a complete train wreck when you walked back into my life, Lee. You saw me when I was a broken shell of a man, and you still loved me. You watched me slowly try to kill myself until I was able to admit that I needed help. You stood by me every second of every day, patiently waiting for me to find my footing and become a man worthy of love and acceptance. A man worthy of a scrap of your love.
I’m so sorry for putting you through all of that, Lee. I know I hurt you, worried you, and took pieces that weren’t mine yet to take. I wasn’t honest with you about my drinking, and I’ll never do that again. I’m going to love you and cherish you every single day for the rest of our lives. I’m yours wholly and truly. Until the day we die or you ask me to leave, I’ll be right here, being the man you deserve. I’ll do it without conditions and without abandon. I’ll tell you the truth, always. But I would love to do it all while you have a different last name.”
I move in front of her and kneel, pulling out one of my Ma’s rings. It’s a beautiful two and a half carat emerald cut diamond.
“Will you marry me, Lelonie Dorthea Fischer?”
Tears are flowing down her beautiful emerald eyes when she begins nodding with enthusiasm.
“Yes? Lee, I need the word.” My heart begins hammering against my rib cage, waiting for the word I need.
“Yes. I’ll follow you anywhere.” She throws her arms around me and crashes her lips to mine.
In between kisses I remind her of the conversation we had before we even started dating, “I don’t need you to follow me. I just need your truth.”
“Truth, Always.”
Epilogue
Mac
Thirty-Three years old
My head falls back against the brick wall behind me with an unpleasant thump. My eyes shut and I work to keep my breath even. I feel two bodies move to either side of mine. I don’t need to open my eyes to know one belongs to my oldest brother, Rowan, and the other, my best friend, Davis.
They have these distinct ways about them. I can just feel their presence. Rowan because he’s been my oldest brother my entire life and my father figure for almost half my life. Rowan stepped in like he was made for the role of ‘Da’ after our parents were brutally murdered. He finished raising me and my two youngest brothers and still to this day is a stand in Da to all five of us. We’ve put him through so much hell that at forty I’m surprised he has no gray hairs.
Davis because he’s been my best friend for over ten years. He picks up the phone no matter the time, talks me off the ledge, and takes me in like I’m his actual brother instead of the guy he found ten years ago trying to pick up the pieces of his life and took under his wing. Both men calm the demons in my head just enough for me to think. Neither calms them completely; that’s saved for one person.
I peek my eyes open and look at Davis. “She here?”
He shakes his head, “No brother, she isn’t.”
Nodding, I close my eyes again, “She’ll be here.”
I feel a heavy hand land on my shoulder, and I don’t need to open my eyes to know that the ones staring back at me are going to be identical to mine. I look anyway because he came over here to make sure I’m okay. I’ve never let them be a part of this before, so he has no idea that this is normal for me.
“You okay, Mac?” Rowan’s eyes search my face, looking for any signal that I need to bail out. He’s not going to find it, though.
“Yeah, big brother. I’m good. Are you okay?”
He smirks at me, “You finally letting us be a part of this? Hell yeah, I’m good.” He pulls me in for a bear hug and right before he pulls away, he whispers, “I’m so fucking proud of you, baby brother.”
My other four brothers walk up with their spouses just as I push off the wall to make my way inside. After greeting them and thanking them for coming, we all head inside the old brick building. At the center of the room is an old wooden podium. Walking in, I stare at it like I have thousands of times at this point. I can’t help but think about how odd it is that this podium has definitely been used by a pastor or two in the past. It used to stand proud and tall at the center of the stage. Eventually a new one was bought, and this one was given to me to place here. Where it’s sat for almost ten years. It’s scratched up, beat all to hell, but it’s still here, still standing. The symbolism in that is beautiful.
