The waitress came over, and we placed our orders.
“What made you pick this place?” I asked once the waitress walked away.
“I wanted to do something special for you. You always plan the dates, so I wanted to switch things up. You work hard and deserve to be treated sometimes.”
I reached for her hand across the table and held it.
“I appreciate you for that. I don’t need fancy dinners and shit. As long as I have you around, I’m good. I like it though.” I lifted our hands and kissed the back of hers. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, Onyx.”
I loved the way she said my name every single time she said it.
“Do you think you’ll retire when you’re young? Or wait until they put you out?” Maverick asked after a few seconds had passed.
“I never fully thought about it. I would like to retire while I can enjoy life post-work, but I don’t know. I love what I do, but I know things are changing in my life. I worked so hard to make sure Turquoise has a great life, but now I have to add you and our children to the mix. I do feel like I’d either cut my hours significantly at some point or become a volunteer.”
Being a firefighter was fulfilling, and I loved the adrenaline rush. I felt like it was my calling in life to save people. I knew there would come a time I would have to slow down, and I was okay with that because having a solid relationship and a family was more important to me. I didn’t think I would completely give it up, though. Financially, I was comfortable because I learned how to save money but also make money even when I didn’t work. I’d been putting money into a college fund for Turquoise since the minute she was born, and it was already a nice little nest egg. Bria had a life insurance policy, but all that money sat in a bank account for Turquoise.
“I share those same sentiments,” Maverick shared.
A few moments later, the waitress came back with our food. Once she was assured we were good, she walked away.
I’d gotten the steak au poivre with grilled brussels sprouts and roasted red potatoes, while Maverick had some type of seafood dish I’d never heard of. I just knew she had shrimp and mussels, with some kind of sauce. I believed it had rice or something in it as well.
“This sauce is really good,” I told Maverick as I chewed a piece of the steak. I wasn’t sure what kind of sauce it was, but it was white.
“You want to try mine?” Maverick scooped up some of the shrimp and rice onto her spoon.
When I nodded, she fed some to me.
“That’s good.”
We continued sharing our food until all the food was gone.
“I heard mussels are aphrodisiacs. You might get pregnant tonight,” I said as I pushed my plate to the side.
Maverick got quiet for a second as she pulled something out of her pocketbook.
She placed a small box on the table but hadn’t responded to what I said.
“What’s that?” I nodded toward the box.
“Open it and see.”
Maverick looked nervous as I reached for the box. I slowly pulled off the bow and opened the box. Inside, it was filled with pink and blue tissue paper. I pushed the tissue aside until I found the contents of the box.
I blinked multiple times as I stared at the small piece of paper inside. The corners of my eyes moistened when I noticed Maverick’s name in the corner and the small blob in the middle of the paper.
My eyes shot up to Maverick. “Is this what I think it is?” I choked out. I was filled with so much emotion it was hard for me to speak clearly.
Maverick’s head nodded. “Yes.” She bit the corner of her bottom lip.
I leaped up from my seat and made my way over to her side of the table. I got down on my knees and hugged her around her stomach. I couldn’t help the tears that streamed down my face as I rubbed her stomach.
“Thank you,” I mumbled against her stomach. I was sure people in the restaurant wondered what was going on, but I didn’t care how crazy I looked on my knees.
Maverick rubbed my back and hugged me as I cried. I thought things couldn’t get any better, but her being pregnant made my damn day.
