Except this year.
This year, I feel a weight in my chest, a dread hanging over me that I can’t seem to shake. The last seven months have been incredible—opening my café, meeting Gabriel, and falling in love with him and his daughter. I’d pictured this moment in my mind, imagined Gabriel and Aura standing beside me in the family photos, a part of this beautiful, messy tribe of mine.
But today? Today feels like a lie.
When I woke up this morning, the thought of going through the motions of smiling for photos, pretending like everything was okay when inside I’m still raw, felt unbearable. It wasn’t about the photo shoot itself—it was about the mess I had created.
When I saw Gabriel at the restaurant, everything I wanted to say to him came out all wrong.
Harsh. I was harsh.
It’s as if I couldn’t control the anger that suddenly bubbledinside me. And I don’t even know why. He’s been nothing but patient, kind, and loving with me, and yet, I took it all out on him.
I wish I’d said something else. I wish I’d told him that I loved him more than I’ve loved anyone—that he and Aura have completely changed my life. I can’t imagine a future without them. But that’s not what came out of my mouth. What I said…it wasn’t fair.
After I left the restaurant, I drove home in a daze, tears blurring my vision the entire way. When I got into bed, I cried some more, letting all the anger and sadness mix into this jumbled mess that made me feel like I was losing my grip on this life I was beginning to build.
I remember going home before I went to my parents house. I stared at the ceiling for hours, the light outside dimmed as the weight in my chest grew heavier. I laid on my bed clutching a t-shirt of Gabriel’s I hadn’t returned yet. His scent still lingered faintly on the fabric. I weeped like a child into the t-shirt. It wasn’t just guilt. It was fear. Fear that I had ruined something beautiful. That I’d become someone who ran when things got hard.
And then I called Kenna.
“I need you to check on Gabriel for me,” I’d whispered through tears. “I…I screwed up, Kenna. I pushed him away, and I don’t want to lose him. But I don’t know if I can fix this.”
Kenna, ever the big sister, didn’t hesitate. She promised she’d go to him, give him the space he needed, and be there for him to listen to what he felt.
Now, here I am, standing in the middle of a park, all those tangled feelings swirling in my chest. And then I see him—Gabriel—down on one knee, holding a ring, looking up at me with a tenderness that takes my breath away.
I freeze, completely unsure if I’m hallucinating or if this is actually happening. My breath catches. I feel everything inside me halt—like my heart is waiting to exhale. The world doesn’t justslow down, it disappears entirely, like a curtain has been pulled back and all that’s left is him and me.
“Gab,” I whisper, the words barely escaping my lips.
He smiles, and the world seems to stop. The sounds of the park fade away, the chatter of family, and all I can focus on is him.
Before I can say anything, he interrupts me gently. “Let me talk, baby.”
I nod, my heart pounding as I take a step closer.
“Bumper,” he begins, his voice steady but filled with emotion. “When we first met, I was a man living only to support his daughter. Then you crashed into me, in more ways than one, and showed me what life was truly worth living for. I knew then that if I got the chance, I would ask you to marry me one day.”
My heart races, and I feel like I’m on the verge of losing myself in him.
“I didn’t do it the right way, though.,” he continues, his voice thick. “What I should’ve said was that I love you more than I ever thought possible. If there was anyone I would want to marry, it would be you. It will always be you. And if the past month has shown me anything, it’s that I don’t want a life without you in it. Marrying you wouldn’t be transactional. It would be real. Millie Feely, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
I don’t even hear the rest of the park anymore. My ears are filled with the rush of my pulse and the electric buzz of emotion running through me. My knees buckle slightly under the weight of the moment, and my vision blurs. This time though, I’m crying tears of joy.
I gasp, my hand flying to my heart. The words come out before I even think about them. “Oh, Gabriel, of course I’ll marry you,” I say, dropping to my knees in front of him.
Before he can say anything else, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. And it’s not a sweet, delicate kiss. It’s a kiss that says everything that I’ve been too afraid to say—everything I’ve been holding back.
The moment our lips meet, everything I thought I’d lostcomes rushing back. It’s forgiveness, it’s promise, it’s home. He tastes like hope and I never want to let go of this moment.
Around us, I can hear the sound of cheering. I pull away from Gabriel just enough to see my family and friends gathered around, clapping and celebrating. Josh steps forward, holding Aura in his arms, and my heart swells at the sight of her.
“Oh, my sweets,” I coo, reaching out to take her from him. “I’ve missed you.”
Gabriel wraps his arms around us, pulling us into a tight embrace. “I’ve got everything I could ever want. My girls,” he whispers against my hair, and in that moment, I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
The rest of the photoshoot is a blur of laughter, love, and joy. We capture these moments of happiness now as a family of three. Gabriel and Aura are mine in every way that matters, and I can’t imagine a life without them.
