35. Lauren
35
LAUREN
The kitchen bustled with activity as I burst in the room with one hand on my growing belly and the other on my earring, trying to tighten it. My purse dangled from my arm and my heels clicked on the floor. Back to work for two weeks now at Mercy with a colleague who owed David a favor, I felt settled and more confident in my future career. And the morning sickness was gone too, so that was a bonus.
"There's the most beautiful mommy in the world," David purred, greeting me with a warm hug and a kiss. He stood by the coffee maker with a cup of joe in hand and a smile on his face. As he pulled away, his hand grazed over my rounding belly and then up to my right breast which he squeezed generously as he gave me another hard kiss.
"Enough of that," I chided playfully, swatting his hand away. He'd taken to calling me ‘Mommy’ recently, which showcased how proud he was to be having a baby with me. We'd had some serious talks about our future, and while things were settled—we were a family—I knew he still had apprehensions about his age and ability to parent a toddler.
"Ew, get a room." Jason spoke with his mouth full, but his tone was light and playful. He sat at the table as had become his habit every morning for the past month. After his thirty days in rehab, he'd come home to what was now our new home, David's house. And I was so happy that the two of them got along well.
"Hey… get a house, buddy. This is my place." David grabbed a handful of my butt and snickered like a child, and Jason rolled his eyes. I swatted him again.
"You're both acting like children." My gentle scolding made them both laugh. "Are you ready, Jason?" He was off to his first day of work today, and I was so proud of him. It was just a fast food job, but it was a step in the right direction. We were helping him sign up for classes at community college, and he was taking sobriety seriously for the first time ever.
"Yeah, just finishing my breakfast. Gosh, you're such a mom." I didn't mind the exasperation one bit. I was used to it. I was just glad he was on the straight and narrow now, thanks to David.
"Are you ready for work, mister?" I turned again to David, who leaned against the counter sipping his coffee. His feet were bare, his hair mussed from bed. But he wore a dress shirt and slacks. He had four more months to go on his probation, but things were looking up for him and his interns. And I was humbled that he refused to fill my spot. The board pressured him, but it was a matter of principle and he stuck to his guns. As chair of diagnostics, he wouldn't let them push him around.
"Oh, you know, I still have a few things to do." David set his coffee mug down and turned to reach into the cupboard, then spoke to me as he made me a cup of coffee for the road in a thermos. "Is Dr. Fetters treating you right?"
My job, no longer in emergency or diagnostics, was manageable. "Yeah, he's a great guy. And I sort of like internal medicine focus. We've helped a lot of patients." He handed me the mug-sized thermos and pecked me on the cheek.
"Don't let him push you around. You give him that feisty attitude you gave me the first week. He can take it, and he needs to be put in his place now and then." David winked at me and picked his coffee mug back up. "What do you want for dinner?" he asked as he headed toward the hallway to go to his room and finish getting ready.
"Anything is fine," I called after him, and Jason spoke over my words.
"I won't be here!" Jason grinned at me as he looked up at David, who stopped in the hall and looked back at us.
"Plans?" I asked, and his smile reached his eyes.
"Amber and I are going to dinner." The look on his face was sheer joy. I didn't think I'd seen that in years, not since before Dad's sudden death. The intense outpatient plan coupled with his medications and therapies were doing him wonders. I was so happy to have my brother back, and whole this time.
"Dude, you asked her out?" I couldn’t believe it. "She's five years older than you."
Jason just shrugged at my question and blushed, but David chimed in with, "Ah, an older woman. Score." He waggled his eyebrows and made me shake my head and chuckle.
"Dave's twelve years older than you, Lauren. I think a five-year difference isn't so bad." Jason picked up his glass of juice and downed it, then carried his dirty dishes to the sink. David disappeared into his room, and I nudged my brother toward the door.
"She must see the same potential in you that I do." I hooked my arm around his elbow as I pulled him closer to the exit.
"Or maybe I just have mad flirting skills." He winked at me, and I rolled my eyes. It was good to see him happy and playful, and it was so good to feel hope that our future was bright.
I dropped him at work then headed in to my own job. After a very long day, I returned home alone, having heard from Jason that Amber was picking him up after his shift.
I parked in the drive next to David's SUV and let myself in. The house was dark, lights low and candles lit. I smelled something delicious and savory, and I heard soft music playing.
"What is that delicious smell?" I asked as I dropped my purse and keys by the door and walked into the kitchen.
David hovered over the stove with a spoon in hand and he looked up at me. "Ratatouille… Have a bite." His ladle extended out toward me, and I took a small bite. "Yeah?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Mmm," I hummed, giving a thoughtful look. It was incredible, but I liked picking on him. "It could be better."
His face fell a little and he dropped the ladle into the pot and grimaced. "What's it missing?"
"It'd be better if I were licking it off your lips." I leaned into him, and he captured my lips in a deep kiss. Coming home to this man every day was the stuff of dreams. He was an excellent chef, a wonderful listener. He gave great backrubs and foot rubs, and best of all, he kept a tidy home, unlike Jason, who was still learning how to clean up after himself.
"Better?" he asked as his lips parted with mine.
"Delicious. What's the special occasion? You've gone to a lot of trouble tonight." I unbuttoned the top button of my blouse and kicked my shoes off by the island. When I glanced into the dining room, I noticed roses and more candles. He was up to something.
"What? Can't a guy just be romantic with his lover and not draw suspicion?" He was busy ladling soup into bowls, and I meandered into the dining room to smell the roses and noticed something I didn't think I was supposed to see quite yet.
A bottle of sparkling grape juice sat next to the roses, and two glasses had been set out next to empty charger plates where he'd set the bowls of soup. In one of them was a sparkling diamond ring, waiting to be covered with the juice, or perhaps to draw my attention, which it did right away.
I froze on the spot, not knowing whether I should pretend not to see it or if I should let myself react naturally. Tears started to well up thanks to the stupid pregnancy hormones, or maybe it was because I was so in love with him and the idea that he could be proposing to me tonight filled my heart with so much joy I couldn’t contain it.
I didn't even hear him come up behind me until his hands were on my shoulders and he kissed my cheek from behind. "Go ahead," he whispered, and I glanced at him, blinked out a few tears, and then picked up the glass and dumped the ring onto my palm. As he turned me around and dropped to one knee, he said, "Lauren, I don't need a ring or a ceremony to know that you are my forever. I don't need a fancy home or a huge salary. I'd give up everything just to spend the rest of my life in a little cardboard box under a bridge somewhere with you, forever."
I whimpered as he took the ring from my palm and held it up, showing me the rock perched on the white gold setting. "You have made me the happiest man alive, and I can't fathom a single day without you in it. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife and making my heart whole again?"
I nodded and sobbed, so overwhelmed that I couldn't respond properly. Tears gushed down my cheeks as he put the ring on my finger and stood. I didn't even look at it. It wasn't important what sort of ring I had or what size of diamond was on it. I wrapped my arms around the most important part of the entire equation, the man who had changed my life.
"God, David, I'm so in love with you." The kiss he planted on my lips choked my words and made me weak in the knees, but his firm grip held me up. His lips parted, and his tongue searched my mouth roughly.
"Well, let's seal this with something stronger than a kiss." His body pressed along the length of mine and he ground his hips against my thigh.
"But dinner…"
"It'll simmer for a while and be just as tasty. I want dessert first," he growled into my ear, and goosebumps formed on my arm.
I let him lead me toward the bedroom without even so much as a glance over my shoulder. He could walk me into the flames of Hades and I'd follow. I only wanted to be with him forever. And forever started tonight.