Chapter Twenty-Seven #2
Gran laughs. “You two misguided lovebirds, I tell ya,” she says and hands over her gifts: matching sweaters she knitted herself, green with little white snowflakes.
“Couple goals,” she teases. “And this one.” We open it together and it is the same sweater knit in a baby size. “And for your plus one.”
I burst into tears as Marcel is putting his sweater on.
“Woah, what just happened here?” he asks as he pulls me into his chest. “These are gorgeous, Gran,” Marcel gushes to Gran as he holds me. “But let’s ease up on the baby stuff until the little gremlin is here. I don’t want to work up the wife.”
He kisses the top of my head and grins. “Come on, wife, let’s put this on.” He helps me into my sweater and I love it.
“Knitting,” Gran says. “Is something I can do. And she’s just gonna have to get used to baby things ... I have a whole list of stuff I’m knitting.”
“Well, these are amazing,” Marcel says sweetly. ” It’s soft too, I’m never taking it off.”
“Thank you, Gran,” I smile and hand Gran my present.
It is a photo album of pictures of Gran and her husband from their teen years until recently.
I worked hard every night finding pictures in the hall closet and sifting through them to find the best. When Gran was asleep I worked on the album whenever I wasn’t with Marcel.
Gran starts to cry and now we’re even.
Marcel lets go of me to comfort her. “You are so blessed to have had him,” he says and Gran nods. “My girls and the water works—is this the joy of Christmas? Tears? Is that what I’ve been missing all these years?” Marcel is sweet and playful.
“No,” Gran continues to cry. “I just miss him.” Marcel kisses Gran’s hand.
“We’ll make sure that you’re never alone.” Wow ... this man is blowing me away. “Is it alright if I give you my gift now?”
Gran nods, not totally ready for words as she holds the album close to her heart.
Marcel hands her a new smart phone, then opens an app.
“This is for your own driver,” he explains, “to get you around town. And when the baby’s born, I want you to live with us.
If that’s something you want, the driver will take you wherever you need to go so you have your independence.
Just fire up this app, the one with the limo on it, and order your car.
They usually come in about ten minutes or less. ”
“Live with us?”
“My own driver?” Gran says simultaneously. Both of us are shocked by Marcel’s gift.
Marcel sets his cup down, turns toward me. Before I realize what’s happening, he drops to one knee right there in front of the fire.
My breath catches.
“Juliet,” he says, voice low but steady. “This Christmas, I want to promise you forever. There is no other woman in the world that I can see a future with. Trust me. For nearly forty-eight years I’ve tried ... you are the only one.”
In his hands is a black velvet box which he opens to reveal an elegant diamond ring that gleams like an icicle.
I cover my mouth, tears burning my eyes, yet again.
He keeps going, the over-planner in him unable to stop.
“I bought us a house near your college, and one in Eaton, so you’ll never be far from what you love.
You can choose where we make our home. But Juliet, make it with me. ”
“You bought a house?” I whisper.
“I bought houses. I must confess, I did a little digging and found your Pinterest board with ‘dream homes’ on it. I bought two of them. The owners were very happy with my over-asking-price offers. The three story Tudor mansion in Humboldt California is near your college. The gothic estate is in Eaton Shores. It’s not Eaton proper, but close.
And, Gran, you have a room in all of them.
Also, I don’t love this penthouse, and since you didn’t have a say in which of your ‘dream homes’ I purchased, you can pick us a place to live in Manhattan.
I’ll have my realtor connect with you before we return to California to finish your last year of college. ”
Fuck. I’m sobbing.
Gran comes to my rescue and holds me as I lose my shit. “This is a good thing, kiddo. It’s got Gran’s stamp of approval. You deserve every bit of what Marcel is offering, sweetheart.”
I can’t say anything, I just shake and cry.
Marcel is still on his knees and he takes my hand and kisses it. “I know, love. It’s a little overwhelming and if you don’t want to be with me, you can have the houses without me in them.”
“No,” I say, holding his hands, crying still. “I’d live in a tent with you. It’s too much. I can’t ... I can’t ... why?” I am losing my mind.
“Because I have spent my life being a lonely man who has made money my God. And here comes you, a gorgeous, innocent, smart, passionate woman who sees me—the good and the bad and is still here. You haven’t asked for anything.
You don’t expect it and you’re sobbing because you can’t imagine that I’d give you all that I have.
Juliet, you are my world. I want to see you smile and to have dream houses, vacations, restored communities, resurrected buildings for cities to tag as historical ... I want to give you the world.”
“Why?” is all I can ask, again.
“You saw me and you didn’t run. And ...” He leans down and kisses my belly. “You’re giving me your love and a family, two things money cannot buy.”
Gran claps her hands together, beaming as Marcel slips an obnoxiously large diamond ring onto my finger, and as the firelight dances across his face, I realize this isn’t a fairytale anymore. It’s our life and it starts now.