CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Scarlett
SIX MONTHS LATER
Thinking back through thislast year, it’s funny to think how everything started. I didn’t think twice when I saw the banner go up for the ice cream festival. I’m not sure I’ll be trying anymore “Cold Sweat” ice cream, but maybe we can at least try a few others this year.
“Do you know this is only the second time I’ve gone to this festival since I was a kid?” Austin says.
“What is wrong with you?” I ask him. “It’s ice cream. Who would avoid this?”
“I’ve got a busy life,” he says.
“The hospital is two blocks away, and you have breaks. It’s ice cream, don’t act inhuman.”
We’re making our way up and down the rows, looking for flavors that spark our attention. We agreed not to start a battle of who can be tougher tonight, so I’m curiously looking for something that might actually taste good.
“Mr. Austin,” I hear a young girl’s voice. “Do you remember me?”
Austin turns around, finding a girl who must be around ten years old. “Of course, I remember you. Candace. How is that arm of yours? The burns must have all healed up by now, right?”
“Yes, sir,” she says, smiling shyly. “I saw you over here and I just wanted to thank you for helping me last year.”
“You are very welcome, I tell her. Hopefully, you’ve avoided sneaking out at night since then,” Austin says, smiling at her with a wink.
Her mother places an arm around her daughter’s shoulder. “Oh those windows have been bolted shut,” she says with a laugh. “It’s nice to see you, Austin. Candace talked about you for weeks after the accident.”
“I’m glad she's better now,” he tells her.
“Have a good night,” the mother says.
Once they’re out of hearing range, Austin smiles. “That’s why I love what I do.”
“That’s why I love you,” I tell him. “You’re amazing.”
“I know, I know. It’s hard to compete with me,” he laments.
I roll my eyes and spot a booth with chocolate and strawberry puree. “I think I’ll try that one,” I tell Austin.
Just as I make it up to the booth, all the lights in the square go dark. Uhh. “Austin?”
“I’m here.”
“Is there a power outage?” I ask him.
“It must be. That’s odd. It’s not raining or anything.”
There’s a lot of commotion, but I’m not moving because I literally can’t see a foot in front of me. I reach into my back pocket for my cell phone so I can turn the flashlight on. It takes me a second, but I find it and flip the light on, holding it out in front of me and looking around. “Austin?”
By the time I spot him, my heart is in my throat and I’m not sure I could breathe if I tried. “Scarlett,” he says.
“What are you doing?” I don’t know why I just asked that, but it’s a natural reaction, for me, anyway.
“Scarlett,” he says again. I’m holding the flashlight on him, shaking. “Will you marry me tonight?”
I nod, feeling my throat tighten a little more. Tears fill my eyes, knowing I’ve found someone who understands me and respects my crazy wants and needs. “I will marry you,” I tell him. “For whatever forever means, I will be that with you, and I will walk next to you so you don’t have to ever look back or even look ahead.”
He places a beautiful ring on my finger and leans forward, placing his lips against my ear. “The courthouse over the border in Georgia is waiting for us. There is no waiting period for a marriage license there.”
