Epilogue
Three months later
The funeral was a somber affair, the air thick with grief as we gathered around Drake”s mother”s grave. Raindrops mingled with tears on the faces of the mourners. Drake stood beside me, his eyes reflecting the pain of loss, and I couldn”t help but reach for his hand, offering silent support.
I had more or less become a part of their family over the past three months, and they had all welcomed me so dearly, especially Aurora, who was now truly like a sister. I can recall now the Sunday lunches, laughter in the air, Aurora”s pregnancy tantrums, and their mother teasing us all. It had seemed as though it was all a fairytale that would go on forever, but now it was over. So suddenly.
It still felt unreal to me. I could still remember Drake getting the call in the middle of the night from his father. I”d never seen him so flustered and out of control. We had driven straight to the hospital, and there it had been confirmed. She had finally passed away from cirrhosis. Aurora had completely broken down. After she found out when she returned from her honeymoon, the cause of her wedding being hijacked, she had been irate, sad, and then happy, vowing to spend every single day with her mom until the end. She had done it, forcing her mother to move into her new apartment with her and David and to accompany her in her studio.
Her mother”s birthday was the next week. Aurora was due the week after. We had planned it to be a celebration. This was supposed to be yet another magical month, and then this had happened. Aurora was clinging to her husband, unable to look. She had stopped crying, and so had her father. They had had ample time to expect it, but still, it had come as a cold and terrifying shock.
Drake, my love, had broken down silently in my arms, in the quiet of the night where no one could see. I had fallen more in love with him then, needing to take his pain away, but there was nothing I could do. So, I held his hand tightly reminding him that I was here and that we would be alright eventually.
Soon enough, her coffin was lowered into the grave, and we walked away. We headed back silently to their townhouse for the reception. There was food, light conversation, and a few smiles here and there. Aurora was nowhere to be found, but I knew she was in her mother”s room. Drake mingled with a few guests and then disappeared up the stairs as well. I gave them all the space they needed, but then eventually, when I couldn”t stand it anymore, I went up to find my love.
I found him in his mother”s room alone, but he seemed a bit lighter. He didn”t look up when I came in, but eventually, he did and smiled. He held out his hand, and I went over to him. Then I sat by his side, and we gazed at her memorial photo together.
“She was really looking forward to her birthday,” he said, and I nodded.
“Yeah.”
“It was going to be your event planning debut, well, after Aurora’s wedding,”
I smiled again. “I”m only event planning for this family. I cannot handle the stress. And it”s for my photos.”
“I know, I know,” he said and squeezed my arm just a bit tighter.
I felt inexplicably sad then as I stared into his mother”s gorgeous eyes because I knew I had to hold on to my secret just a little while longer. I had been so confused and uncertain, wondering whether to tell, but now… I had to wait. It was the wrong time. But by then… it might be too unexpected? Maybe after Aurora had given birth. There would be joy once again. I could wait till then.
Just then, Drake reached into his pocket, and I shifted slightly to let him retrieve his phone.
“During her birthday dinner, we had planned something together,” he said, and I was intrigued.
“Really? How come I wasn’t told?” I smiled then, shaking my head as I looked at her because I knew this was just the kind of mischief that they both frequently got into against the rest of us.
I was going to miss her so dearly, but for Drake”s sake, I kept my emotions at bay. He moved then, and I got up. It was time to return to the guests downstairs. However, to my surprise, he began to lower, and I turned in shock. At first, I was confused, wondering why he was on one knee, but then he produced the box, and my heart stopped. It was gorgeous and emerald and velvet, and I couldn’t move.
He smiled.
“I wanted to do this in her presence,” he said. “We talked about it… I really wish she had waited a bit longer.”
“Oh my God,” I gasped, the tears I had been doing my hardest to hold back then filling my eyes
.
“I love you, Evelyn,” he told me in his soft kind voice. My gorgeous and capable man. There were no words suitable enough for me to reply with. “These three months with you have illuminated my life in a way that I cannot explain. I”ll propose to you again, forgive me, but I need it to be in her presence because she loved you as well. Everyone came to truly love you, and that”s who you are. You are the most gorgeous, kind, smart woman I”ve ever met, and I just... I don”t want to wait a single moment longer. Please marry me?”
I stared at him, and the floodgates opened. The tears poured down my cheeks, and he was slightly alarmed as well as amused and sad all at once. The emotions were just too much to take in.
“Is this a no?” he asked, and I lowered to him as well. But it took a while, and I was eventually able to get myself together, and the moment I did, I told him what I needed to say because I truly couldn”t wait another minute longer.
“Drake,” I called, and he nodded.
“Please don”t say no,” he said, and I laughed out loud.
“I could. I, uh... I just have something else to say first.”
He frowned immensely worried, and I couldn’t torture him any longer. Holding his hand, I placed it on my still flat stomach, and although it took him a little while, it soon dawned on him what I was trying to say.
“Are you?” He went white as a sheet. “Are you fucking serious?”
“Yeah,” I nodded, hoping that this would go the way I hoped.
It did. To my shock, this man whom I loved with my whole heart couldn’t hold his tears back. They rolled down his face, and as I watched, I hated to see them go to waste. They were so precious, so I leaned forward and kissed them.
“Don”t cry, I”m sorry.”
“When were you planning to tell me?” he asked, “Why did you keep it? How long?”
“Just over two months,” I replied, and he gasped.
“In the Hamptons?”
“I think so, yes.”
“Oh my God!” he exclaimed. “That long…”
“I wanted to wait until Aurora had given birth.”
“Jesus fucking Christ, I am tired of all the waiting we’ve been doing in this family. No offense, Mom,” he said, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“I apologize on his behalf, Mom,” I said to her image, and by the time I turned, he had grabbed me and kissed me. I melted completely in his arms, and by the time we broke apart, he asked me the question once again.
“I need a very clear and resounding yes,” he said. “It”s a moment I want to recall over and over for the rest of my life.”
I nodded and did him one better. I gave him a sentence from the very depths of my soul.
“Yes, my love, Drake Moran, I will marry you.”
“I love you, Evelyn,” he said.
I choked on the words but still thankfully managed to say it out. “I love you more.”
The End