147
The apartment glowed with the kind of quiet peace Amanda had come to crave.
Dinner dishes were drying in the rack, the soft clink of the wind outside the window whispering through the city night.
Ericka was sitting up in bed, half-reclined against the headboard, her hair loose now, the curls spilling over her shoulders in a way that made Amanda pause in the doorway.
The tablet in Ericka's hands lit her face with a gentle glow. She was rereading notes from earlier interviews, probably thinking about tomorrow's press cycle, her brow faintly furrowed in that way she always did when she was focused. Amanda could have watched her like that forever.
But the thought that had been circling her mind all evening refused to quiet.
Every glance at Ericka every small smile, every easy laugh only made the idea stronger. The conversation from earlier that night replayed in her head:
"If people knew we were married... maybe it wouldn't be so bad."
Those words had stuck in her chest like a spark waiting for air.
Amanda leaned against the wall for a moment, biting the inside of her cheek, her heart thumping harder the longer she looked at her. She didn't just want to imagine it anymore. She wanted to make it real.
Before she could overthink, she slipped into the guest room, quietly closing the door halfway so the sound wouldn't carry. She took a breath, opened her phone, and typed:
"911. Call me now."
It took less than a minute before her phone buzzed.
"Amanda?" Samantha's voice came through, groggy and half-panicked. "It's ten-thirty at night. What's wrong? Are you okay?"
Amanda smiled nervously, whispering, "I'm fine, I promise. I just— I need your help. And you can't laugh."
There was a pause. "Oh no," Samantha said flatly. "What did you do?"
Amanda hesitated, her heart pounding in her ears. "I want to propose to Ericka."
Silence.
Then, Samantha let out a squeal so sharp that Amanda yanked the phone away from her ear, laughing despite herself.
"Oh my GOD!" Samantha practically shouted. "Finally! Do you know how long I've been waiting for this call? I almost hung up thinking it was an emergency, but THIS— this is so much better!"
Amanda pressed her lips together, laughing softly. "You can't tell anyone, okay? Not a soul. Not even by accident."
"Girl, please," Samantha scoffed. "This is top-secret, CIA-level stuff. I'll take it to the grave. But... wait." Her tone shifted, playful and knowing. "How are you even going to do this? You two are glued at the hip. She's probably timing your bathroom breaks."
Amanda groaned, pacing quietly across the room. "That's the problem! She knows when I'm hiding something. She can read my face like a book. I need a way to plan this without her suspecting anything."
"Okay," Samantha said, her tone instantly shifting to business mode. "You're officially in luck because I love planning romantic chaos."
Amanda rolled her eyes, but her lips curved. "You mean emotional chaos."
"Semantics," Samantha replied, already tapping away in the background. "Here's the deal You're going to send me everything all your ideas, your Pinterest board, your credit card info and I'll do everything. You'll just have to show up and look gorgeous when it's time."
Amanda blinked. "You're just taking full control like that?"
"Of course I am," Samantha said, unbothered. "You're too close to it. If Ericka so much as sees an invoice with 'venue' on it, she'll figure it out before you even get the ring. You need a cover, and I'm your alibi."
Amanda pressed a hand over her mouth, suppressing a laugh. "You realize I'm probably going to owe you for life, right?"
"Oh, you definitely are," Samantha said smugly. "But it's fine. I'll collect later maybe when you two throw your engagement party. I want the good champagne, by the way."
Amanda laughed quietly. "Done."
"Now, when are you thinking of doing this?" Samantha asked.
Amanda hesitated, her heart pounding again as the image formed in her mind Ericka in a simple dress, somewhere quiet, the two of them completely alone. "Two weeks," she said finally. "I want to do it soon. I've waited long enough."
There was a beat of silence before Samantha exhaled softly. "Two weeks. Bold. Ambitious. I like it."
"I just..." Amanda swallowed hard, her voice softening. "I know she's the one, Sam. I knew the second she let me in not just to her company, but her life. I want to show her that I'm all in too."
Samantha's voice turned warm. "You're really in love with her."
Amanda smiled, her throat tightening slightly. "Yeah. Completely."
"Then this is going to be perfect," Samantha said. "I'll start pulling ideas tonight venues, setups, maybe a small getaway location. You'll have options tomorrow afternoon."
Amanda grinned, her pulse fluttering. "You're seriously the best."
"I know," Samantha said with mock arrogance. "But you also need to find a way to go ring shopping without her noticing."
Amanda sighed dramatically. "That's going to be a problem. She'll know something's up if I disappear for more than an hour."
Samantha thought for a moment. Then her tone brightened. "Okay, listen — here's what we'll do. I'll text her later this week and tell her I'm taking you out for brunch. You and I can go ring shopping that morning instead. She won't question it brunch with your best friend? Classic."
Amanda's smile widened. "That's actually genius. Saturday?"
"Saturday," Samantha confirmed confidently. "I'll pick you up at nine. Wear something casual but nice you don't want to look suspiciously overdressed or too chill."
Amanda chuckled, whispering, "Got it. No suspicious fashion choices. Check."
Samantha laughed, the sound bright and proud. "I'm so happy for you, Amanda. Seriously. You deserve this."
Amanda's chest ached with warmth. "Thanks, Sam. For real. I couldn't do this without you."
"Of course you couldn't," Samantha teased. "Now go back to your fiancée-to-be before she starts wondering where you are. I'll text you tomorrow with updates. Operation Mathews Proposal is officially underway."
Amanda grinned. "You're ridiculous."
"And you're in love," Samantha said, her tone fond. "Good night, soon-to-be Mrs. Mathews."
Amanda hung up, staring at her phone with a faint, dazed smile. She felt her heart skip when she looked toward the bedroom door toward the life she was about to step into.
She walked quietly down the hall, slipping back into the room. Ericka was still sitting up, her tablet resting on her lap, her reading glasses slightly askew. She looked up as soon as Amanda entered, the corners of her mouth lifting.
"You disappeared on me," she said softly.
Amanda smiled, crossing the room and sliding into bed beside her. "Had to take a quick call."
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah," Amanda said, tucking a strand of hair behind Ericka's ear and kissing her cheek. "Everything's perfect."
Ericka smiled, setting her tablet aside and leaning against Amanda's shoulder. "Good." She let out a soft sigh. "Stay here. I sleep better when you're next to me."
Amanda's heart melted as she wrapped an arm around her. "Always."
As Ericka drifted off, Amanda lay awake a little longer, staring up at the ceiling, her mind racing.
Two weeks.
Two weeks until the moment she'd been waiting for.
Her phone buzzed once more a message from Samantha:
"It's happening. Get ready, fiancée-in-training."
Amanda smiled down at the screen, her chest tightening with excitement.
Two weeks until forever.