Epilogue
Rolling onto my back, my body stretches out in the cool sheets as I feel a delicious ache in all the right places from the night before.
A cabinet closes in the front of the apartment and I soon smell coffee brewing.
Reluctantly, I pull myself from the covers and grab a robe from a nearby box marked “clothes.”
Shoving my feet into some warm slippers, I start padding my way down the hallway and try not to think about all the boxes I am passing that still need to be unpacked, broken down, and somehow discarded.
I round the corner and see Noah sitting at the little kitchen table we bought earlier in the week and smile.
His eyes break from the newspaper he is reading and he grins at me across the room as he lifts his coffee cup to his mouth.
“Good morning, gorgeous.”
“Hello handsome,” I smile. “You made me coffee?”
He nods to the counter and then looks back at the newspaper in his hand and continues reading.
I walk over to the fridge, pull out the coffee creamer and pour myself a cup.
Walking to the table to sit with him, I grab my phone off the counter and start searching through online sites for a local furniture place where we can buy a few things this weekend.
I am still lost in my Google search when Noah breaks the silence.
“Well hell,” he says. I look up and notice he is still reading the newspaper. Ignoring his comment, I go back to what I was doing as I already know what is in the paper, having written it myself.
“Can you believe that,” he exclaims. Still, I keep my eyes on what I am doing and just sip my coffee in peace. I figure if he really wanted to talk to me about whatever he was reading then he would just come out with it.
“Come on now! That can’t be right! There is no way! Are you serious?”
Now he’s got my attention. Especially since there was nothing in the newspaper that important this last week.
Completely lost, I put down my cup and phone and look straight at him.
He smiles over the top of the newspaper at me, obviously glad he finally caught my attention and then goes back to his reading.
“What?” I ask. “What is so interesting you can’t let me finish my coffee before you start getting all worked up over there?”
“You got to see this,” he says and motions for me to come take a look.
“I look at newspapers all day every day, Noah. I even put together that one, right there,” I say pointing at him. “I don’t think it is something I haven’t seen. Just tell me already.”
He looks defeated but continues insisting. “I’m serious. Just come on. Come look real quick.”
Reluctantly I stand and roll my eyes. Taking a few steps towards him, he pushes his chair back and lays the newspaper on the table, then points to where he wants me to look.
“Just, please. Look at this.”
“This?” I ask him as I come closer. He just nods and I shake my head and try to wrap my brain around what is so important that I have to get up and see it.
It takes a few seconds for me to take a look when it hits me. There, on the bottom right side of page A 4, is an ad. I look at it and then look at Noah. He smiles at me and nods toward the paper.
He sheepishly asks, “What does it say?”
Glancing back down, my heart rate quickens as my brain finally catches up with what I am reading. My name is in an ad, in big bold letters, and right underneath it is four simple words.
Will you marry me?
My hand flies to my mouth and I let out a gasp once my brain has finally registered what is happening. I turn and see Noah bend down on one knee. Shakily, he takes my hand in his and pulls a black box from his pocket.
“Eva,” his voice shakes, his hand trembles around my fingers.
“I’m not a wealthy man, but you make me rich.
I’m not sure where my future leads, but I do know one thing - it needs to have you in it.
I need to wake up next to you every morning and have you be the last voice I hear at night.
With you by my side, I know there is nothing I can’t accomplish.
Not if we fight hard enough. Losing you twice almost ended me.
You’re my lifeline, Eva. Complete me. Marry me.
Stay with me. Be my wife and make me the happiest man to know that you’re mine forever. Please, darlin’, will you marry me?”
Tears stream down my face as I take in the man in front of me on his knees. Even though it should be easy, even though I knew my answer before I finished reading the ad, it takes me a moment to find my voice. I nod my head a few times and finally whisper, “Yes!”
Noah shoots to his feet and grabs my face in his hands. Kissing me gently, he pulls away and looks me in the eye. “This might not be the classiest way I could’ve done this, but Darlin’, after all we’ve been through we could use a little corny.”
I laugh, and he takes my hand in his. Taking the ring out of the box, he slips it on my finger and my heart runs over with joy. Picking my hand up, he kisses where the rock sits and then holds my hand against his heart.
“You and me, Eva. Forever.”
I nod, as he pulls me close and brings his lips to mine. “Forever with you is my favorite place to be, Mr. Stewart.”