20. Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Mack
Ever since the night that Maisie finally opened up and shared her feelings and told me that she wanted her happy ever after with me, the idea of proposing had been rattling around in this old big head of mine.
Yes, it was soon, we hadn't even known each other a year yet but when you know, you know right?
She still hadn't told me she loved me, but I was praying that she would soon. If I was going to propose to her then I needed to know that she was all in. I knew deep in my heart she was, of course I did. We were two halves of the same coin, drawn together by some invisible thread. She was my person and I was hers.
It had been a few weeks since Hugh and Grace's wedding, they'd had a short honeymoon away in the New Forest and then immediately came back and moved out. Both of their parents helped them out with their deposit and we'd all helped them move in last weekend. The house seemed quieter somehow, even though Hugh was serious and stoic, he was a big presence. I'd miss being around him everyday but he was ready for his happy ever after and I couldn't be more pleased for him.
Even if it gave me delusional ideas like proposing to my first girlfriend, after only around six months together. But, for the very first time in my life I didn't give a shit about what anybody else thought. They could think it was too soon, they could think I should play the field but I knew my little flame was the one.
That's how I found myself sitting at my Mother's dining room table at four o'clock on a Saturday afternoon, trying to find the courage to ask her something I thought would have been such a long way off yet, if it ever happened at all.
"So, sweetie tell me about college."
"All good Mum, I'm doing really well with all my assignments and I love the days at the station." I took a sip of my coffee before placing my mug back down on the table.
"That's good Mack, I'm so happy for you. I told you it would all fall into place one day didn't I?" She stroked a hand down my arm before holding onto one of my hands.
My mother was so incredibly protective of me, and I couldn't say I blamed her. She was just as traumatised by past events as I was.
I was in no way a Mama's Boy but I wasn't ashamed to say that my Mum was the strongest person I'd ever met, she carried me through some of my darkest times and quite frankly stopped me from ending it all. I'd forever be in her debt for saving my life.
"Well, that's kind of why I'm here Mum. The falling into place thing, well … I'm going to ask Maisie to marry me …"
My mother's eyes went wide, her hands clapped against her mouth as she sat stock still and stared at me. This went on for an uncomfortably long time, I couldn't get a read on her. Was she happy? Sad? Relieved? Furious?
Her shoulders began to shake, a whimper left her throat and the tears began to stream down her face. Oh fuck, seeing my mother cry brought a childhood panic to my body. You know those moments when you were a little kid, you'd spent the day being a total little shit and then eventually your Mum would just completely lose her shit and you knew you'd pushed things too far?
This was that feeling. When your Mum cries you know you've fucked up massively.
I wouldn't apologise though, I couldn't. It felt right. Maisie felt right.
"Mum? You okay?" I stood from my chair and pulled her up into my arms, as soon as I made contact she broke. My fifty five year old mother broke down in my arms, sobbing so hard that my Dad came bounding into the room.
He stumbled, smashed an elbow into the door frame and let out a chain of expletives I'd never heard from him. He managed to quickly right himself and came over, pulling my trembling mother into his arms.
"Rose baby, what's wrong? Mack what's wrong? Why's she crying? Did you upset her?" He didn't give me a chance to answer, the questions just kept coming.
"I – I didn't ..."
Mum stopped me with a raise of her hand,
"He hasn't upset me Sam," she hiccupped.
"Our baby is growing up honey, h-he is going to ask M-Maisie to marry him." She let out another sob, at which I still couldn't seem to fathom whether she was onboard or not.
My father turned to me, the same shocked expression on his face. When neither of them said anymore, I decided to bite the bullet and just come out with it.
"Is that okay? I mean, I'm not asking for your permission. Maisie is the one, I know she is. I want forever with her and I won't apologise for that." I ended my rant with a huff and crossed my arms across my chest.
I towered over both my mum and dad, to anyone watching it would look pretty intimidating. My dad left my mum's side and came to stand in front of me.
"Son?"
"Yeah?"
"You don't need to get defensive. It's okay. I know I'm a man of very few words so I may shock the shit out of you here. But, we are so incredibly proud of you," his voice broke on the last word before he gulped down the lump in his throat and continued.
"When you were growing up there were times that we truly thought you may not make it to the next month, the next year. To be stood in front of us all these years later, with strength and determination in your bones. Son, I can't tell you what that means to us."
Both he and mum came close and wrapped their arms around me, holding me close. My dad's next words were the ones that opened the flood gates and caused tears to trickle down all of our cheeks.
"We thought we were going to lose you son, in mind and in body. But you didn't let those bastards win. You have turned into a man of strength and purpose. You are the very best man I know and you deserve the very best woman, we agree that Maisie is the best. Two broken souls that fate has brought together, two broken hearts becoming one. You deserve the whole world my boy. We would be incredibly honoured to welcome Maisie into this family."
I was dumbstruck, I don't think I'd ever heard my dad say so many words at one time, it was true he was a man of few words. But the words he'd just said to me would stick with me forever.
Once we'd all finally calmed down and the tears had dried I asked them the question that I came here to ask,
"I'd like to give her Nanny Daphne's ring, if that's okay?"
Nanny Daphne was my mum's mother, she had been an incredibly special lady who had loved me unconditionally. Growing up she hadn't just seen the broken boy, the traumatised kid, the loner. She had seen me and loved me endlessly. I missed Nanny Daphne every single day. She died about five years ago, thankfully she hadn't been unwell, just old. She died peacefully in her sleep, at home.
My mum was the first to speak, her voice cracking again as she tried to hold back her emotions.
"Nanny Daphne would have been honoured Mack, she would have loved Maisie. She would be so incredibly proud of you." Mum disappeared into her bedroom and retrieved Nanny's ring, it was a light and elegant ring with small diamonds placed into the band itself. In the centre was a beautiful green emerald. I had plans to get it cleaned up and resized if need be. But I knew that it would mean a lot to Maisie, she was a huge lover of family heirlooms. I just wish that I could find and return her own.
I thanked my parents, hugs and kisses all around and they sent me on my way. I had a ring to hide.
Later on that evening, I laid with my big body curled around Maisie's, my face buried in her hair as she slept peacefully in my arms. I don't think I'd ever be able to sleep alone again. Her warmth, her strawberry scent, her little breaths and whimpers, it was the perfect sleep cocktail. Apart from tonight, I couldn't sleep. Mainly because I couldn't stop thinking about proposing to Maisie, I knew exactly how I wanted to do it but I'd need some help from the guys at the station. I made a mental note to chat to them on Monday, I knew they'd have my back. I'd managed to find the very best group of friends. But for now, I willed my mind to shut down so that I could get to sleep.
Just as I felt my body relaxing and was about to drop off, my phone vibrated on my bedside table. Usually I would have just ignored it but something told me that I should look. God if I uncurled from this woman's soft warm body and it turned out to be junk mail then I'd be seriously pissed.
I reached across and snatched up my phone, trying hard not to jostle my sleeping beauty. I swiped open the phone and noticed an email sitting in my inbox from 'JD's Pawn Shop'. My heart immediately began to race, I'd periodically been working my way through all of the pawn shops in the south of the country on the search for Maisie's locket.
A local man had recently been caught mid burglary, it matched all of the other break ins that had happened recently, including Maisie's. We were pretty sure it was the same man, his motive, selling off expensive heirlooms to feed his drug habit. Why he'd gone to such efforts to destroy the place in the process was beyond me.
I opened the email, hoping, wishing. Goddamn praying for some good news after all these months searching. Maisie had no idea I'd been searching for it, the very last thing I needed to do was get her hopes up.
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath before opening them and beginning to read,
J.D's Pawn Shop
5 Fostaire Close
High Street
Devon
DT1 4RF
Dear Mr Richards,
Thank you so much for your email, apologies that it's taken me so long to get back to you, we've been incredibly busy here in the shop.
I also apologise for the late email, but I wanted to just let you know that I think I may have found what you've been looking for. Please find attached a photograph of a silver locket that has recently come into our possession. It was brought into the shop, anonymously. The man refused to give any details.
If you believe this to be the item you have been looking for, please do let me know. I'm willing to hold onto it until you can get here. I know how precious family heirlooms are and I'm so incredibly sorry to hear that the locket had been stolen.
Anyway, let me know. The shop is open seven days a week.
Yours Sincerely,
J.D Wilson.
I clicked on the attachment, pretty sure that I was no longer breathing. Maisie still sleeping peacefully beside me. I'm surprised the whoosh of air that left my lungs didn't wake her.
Right there, on the screen was Maisie's locket. J.D had included photos of the front, back and inside. They matched the photo and description Maisie had given me on the night of the break in. I'd found it.
Profound relief flooded me as I thought about how happy this would make Maisie. Her heart had been broken since the robbery.
I immediately replied to J.D telling him that I was pretty sure that the locket was the one I'd been searching for. I made plans to drive to Devon the very next day. Now I just needed to make an excuse to Maisie as to why I was going and borrow someone's car, there was no way I fancied driving that far on my bike.
I was determined to surprise her, plus there was no way I could get her hopes up if it turned out to not be the right one.
Now, why would I need to drive one hundred and thirty miles to Devon, on a Sunday, on short notice. Hmm … I think I needed Ace for this.