24. #2
“Oh, Ziggy, look what you’ve done,” Jewel whispered. I glanced down and saw her eyes filling with tears. When she looked up, they glistened in the last rays of the beautiful sunset behind a yard full of guests. “This is just like . . .”
The band started playing an instrumental version of an old Stevie Wonder song that Petra insisted had to be part of today’s surprise. Hearing Jewel sob, I knew Petra had been right.
“Oh, Ziggy!”
This couldn’t be our song, but it meant more to Jewel than almost any other.
◆◆◆
JEWEL
Girl, wake up! This has to be a dream because there’s no way this is real.
Open your eyes and get on with your regularly scheduled programming.
It’s Friday night. Go see Em and shower Aurora with kisses until she squeals with laughter.
Go laugh at Holly when she gets flustered because of all the noise those kids of hers make.
Go bug Lexi and let her ramble on about whatever artist she’s fawning over lately before you give her a ration of shit for not making her own art.
Plug your nose and go talk to Leia while she grooms horses or births calves or whatever nasty shit she’s doing this evening.
Do anything but have a dream that can never become reality no matter how much you wish for it.
I wanted to pull away from Ziggy and explore this beautiful house, but he insisted on showing me a pizza oven of all things. Yeah, that’s great, babe. You like pizza even more than the next person.
I like closet space and French doors in my bedroom that lead out onto a veranda. I like . . .
Oh. My. God. Is that a six-burner Viking with the grill and double oven? No. It can’t be. This is definitely an out-of-body experience, because it’s even in my favorite brand color–Eucalyptus. There’s no way he’d know that unless he’s been looking at my Pinterest boards.
Why is he rambling on about an outdoor pizza oven when there’s a Viking range in the kitchen?
Fuck the white horse and flowery words. I don’t need a fucking ring. I’ve got a Viking oven worth more than most people pay for their car! And it’s in the kitchen of my dream house!
Holy shit!
When Ziggy moved out of the way and I saw the sight in front of us, I gasped.
“Oh, Ziggy, look what you’ve done.” My eyes filled with tears, and I looked up at him, ready to tell him this was just like the proposal we’d helped Dad plan when he finally asked Mom to marry him.
Before I could speak, music started, and I recognized the same song we’d danced to before Mom accepted Dad’s proposal.
With his hand on my lower back, Ziggy urged me forward toward Zara, who stood on the second step leading down to the brick patio.
As she held out a gorgeous yellow sunflower, she said, “I’m so happy for you and Dad, and I can’t wait for you to join our family.”
After we hugged, Ziva pulled me into her arms and whispered, “And we’re so glad we get to join your family too.” When I pulled back to look at her, I realized she had tears on her face just like I did. I sniffed and brushed one away with my thumb.
“I am so happy to have all of you join our family, and I know everyone else will be too.”
Zara joined our hug and giggled. “Try not to kill him when he does something stupid.”
“It’s a battle sometimes, but you’re strong enough to resist,” Ziva encouraged.
“Hey now!” Ziggy called out from behind me.
“My turn,” Zander said as he eased me out of his sisters’ hug. He smiled at me as he handed me my third sunflower and whispered, “My dad is a very lucky man.”
“I’m the lucky one.”
Zane handed me another sunflower, this one amber and bright yellow. “We’ve never seen him so happy, and that’s all because of you.”
I hugged both boys at the same time and didn’t bother hiding the fact that I was bawling like a baby. I’d never felt so cherished, and it was all because of Ziggy and what he’d brought into my life.
“Come on, Mom. Suck it up before you have people thinking you’re human,” Parker said as Zane helped me down the step to my oldest son. Hugging me tight, he said, “Love you.”
I took another step and hugged Robby. He handed me his sunflower and said, “You picked a good one. Don’t let him escape!”
“Shut it. You know my powers, young man. He’s not going anywhere.”
Max handed me another flower and kissed my cheek. He grimaced and wiped my tears off his lips. “You’re always so emotional. Get a grip, woman!”
“I love you, sweetheart.” I looked back at the kids still standing in line leading up to Ziggy, who waited at the top of the steps. “I love all of you so much it’s hard to put into words.”
“I’m definitely getting an award. This is the second time I’ve made her speechless,” Ziggy said as he came down the steps toward me. When he reached my side, he took my hand and smiled down at me. “Will you dance with me, Kitten?”
“Right now, there’s not a question you could ask that I would say no to,” I told him as we walked down the last few steps to the patio in the middle of the tables and chairs where my family and friends were seated.
“That leaves the door wide open for so many things, but here we are in front of all these people, so I have to keep my mouth shut.”
“It seems like this evening is a night of firsts, isn’t it?” Ziggy pulled me into his arms and the first notes of an old Anne Murray song started. “You picked a country song for our love song?”
“Somehow, after dancing with you that night, I’ve developed a fascination with classic country music.”
“I’m surprised you like this one.”
“Listen to the words, Kitten. Can I have this dance for the rest of my life?” Ziggy asked as he pulled me into a waltz.
“Since the first time we danced, I’ve loved you, even when I didn’t realize it.
Now you’re so much a part of me that if I ever lost you I wouldn’t be able to go on because you hold my heart and will forever. ”
I was openly crying again, and I laid my head on his chest as I said, “I love you too.”
The words to the song had always been beautiful, and I loved the way Ziggy led me around the dance floor, but was distracted as I saw the people I loved around us.
Most of the women were crying, and I could tell that the men with them were almost as emotional, but the sight that really struck me was Mom in Dad’s arms as tears streamed down his cheeks.
I let go of Ziggy’s hand long enough to blow Dad a kiss, which he caught and then returned instantly, and I smiled as he did, knowing this was the beginning of my love story that might just rival that of my parents.
As the song wound down, Ziggy stopped moving and gave me a kiss before he pulled back a few steps with my hands still in his. When he went down on one knee I knew exactly what was happening and yelled, “Yes!”
“You’ve gotta let me ask, Kitten. Good grief, you’re pushy!”
“Do it, Nip! Come on!”
“Jewel Pain-In-My-Ass Parker, will you be my wife?”
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” I shouted as he stood up and pulled me into his arms.
We kissed passionately and even though they were cheering, whistling, and clapping, I almost forgot that we had such a large audience until I heard people rushing around behind me.
Suddenly, Emerald yelled, “Everyone take your places!”
“Is that hag really trying to railroad my proposal?”
“I still don’t understand your relationship,” Ziggy admitted.
“You probably never will, and that’s what tells me you’re more sane than either of us ever claimed to be.”