Allee
One Week Later
“You really went all out for this, didn’t you?” I ask with a laugh.
“Of course I did. It’s our first date in months,” Mac tells me. “I wanted it to be special.”
“You didn’t have to go through all this. I would have been fine with something simple.”
“Only the best for the love of my life,” he replies.
I don’t argue.
He reserved a small part of the community yard in our villa and set up a lovely little dinner for us. I know he got takeout for it, but that doesn’t matter. He went to the trouble of getting a nice bottle of champagne and sparkling water so both of us could feel fancy for the occasion.
Even if I can’t drink right now, I don’t want him to have to avoid alcohol in times like this, and I’m perfectly happy with the beverage he brought for me. He scattered rose petals on the table and even brought his portable speaker streaming soft music in the background.
He pours us each a drink, and we sit down.
There are other people present, but they’ve clearly gotten the hint that he and I are doing something special. Everyone is respectful enough to give us the space to enjoy what we are doing by ourselves. We’re not too far from our bungalow, but Camilla knows that we’re having a little date night of our own, and she’s not going to bother us.
Mac lights a candle and puts it in the center of the table. I shake my head.
“Right down to the candle, huh?”
“I did want to have it set up and going for us when you got out here,” he says. “But I also wanted the food to be hot, so work with me here.”
I chuckle. “I’m not complaining. I think it’s sweet how much effort you put into this. Thank you.”
“Anything for you,” he says. “I wanted to make this special after the last one got a bit fucked up.”
“Last one what?”
I’m not sure what he’s talking about, but then, he gives a nod toward our bungalow. My sister opens the door, and Gunner comes bounding out, holding something in his mouth. I’m not sure what it is, but he runs up to Mac and sets it in his outstretched hand, then sits back and wags his tail.
I’m surprised when Mac suddenly rises, then gets down on one knee next to me. Even though I’ve considered us to be engaged this entire time, and he’s already gone through one proposal, my hands still go to my mouth in shock.
“What is this?”
“I think you know,” he says with a smirk. “Allee, I kept things pretty quick last time, but when you went home that night and I almost lost you, I realized something. I knew back when I asked you to marry me that I loved you and wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, but when you almost lost your life, I realized that I needed you.”
“Oh Mac,” I say, my eyes filling with tears. But he doesn’t stop.
“I spent days scared out of my mind that you weren’t ever going to wake up, or that you were going to wake up and not know me. Then, my nightmare got even worse when the day came that I found out you had been taken away from me, and I had no idea where you were. I have never been more devastated in my life than that moment. And I knew I had to find you.”
He takes a breath, then he tells me. “I immediately searched for you, but had it not been for those trackers you insisted on putting in each of our bags, I don’t know if I ever could have found you. But, I promise you this, I would have spent every single day for the rest of my life trying.”
“Mac,” I breathe again, the tears now running freely down my cheeks.
“And now that I’ve found you, I’m telling you that nothing is ever going to take you from me again. I’ve brought this symbol of my promise with me, and I’m asking you for a do-over. Will you marry me again?”
I laugh and cry at the same time, only able to nod as he pulls the ring out of the pouch Gunner had given him.
“I thought I lost it,” I tell him. “Camilla said it was ruined when they had to cut it off me, and I didn’t give it any more thought other than being upset about it.”
“Yeah, it was pretty fucked up,” Mac tells me. “But I made sure to have it fixed for you. I hoped you’d want it again when you came back to me.”
“Of course I do!”
He slides it onto my finger, then I throw my arms around his neck and we kiss. Gunner wags his tail and jumps around the table, happy that we are happy, but not understanding what’s going on. I laugh when he pushes against us, wanting to be let in on the moment.
“Sit boy,” Mac tells him, and both Mac and I return to our seats.
“I’d say we have a wedding to plan,” Mac says with a grin, but I shake my head.
“Let’s get married tomorrow,” I tell him.
“Tomorrow?”
“We can have a wedding and all that later,” I reply. “But I’m tired of not being married to you. We’ve been through hell, I think we deserve to have that peace of mind at least.”
“You know what?” he asks as he takes a sip of his champagne. “I couldn’t agree more.”
I smile and look down at the ring on my finger, doing my best to wrap my mind around what just happened.
Life definitely took an unexpected turn, but now it’s more perfect than I ever imagined it could be. And now, with this ring on my finger again, I’m realizing that it was the last thing that was missing from the equation, and I can finally breathe easily.
I’m ready to start this new chapter in my life. I’m ready to be a wife and a mom. I never thought this would be the direction my life would take, but I’m happy it did.
And I think Mac and I both deserve a happy ever after.