36. Epilogue
Adalie – Eleven months later
I open the front door of Nate’s house—our house now. We’ve been living together for three months, and we’ve changed a few things so it feels like home, but I still stumble every once in a while and have to correct myself.
I step out of my heels and rub my neck. It has been a very long day, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
“Vic made a beautiful bride, didn’t she?” I ask as I move into the bedroom to get ready for bed.
“She did,” Nate agrees. “And now all your friends are married. How are you feeling about that?”
He wraps his arms around my middle, placing his hands over my stomach and kissing my neck.
“I’m fine. We’ll get married eventually, and we have something a little bigger to think about in the next few months, don’t we?” I ask, placing my hands over his. “Do you think anyone noticed I wasn’t drinking tonight?”
Apparently, I’m worse than I thought I was about taking my birth control pills on time each day, and I probably should have talked to my doctor about getting that IUD. Last month I’d gone a whole four days without taking them and only noticed when Nate asked about it after finding the pills in the bathroom drawer. We found out last week that I’m pregnant and he’d been so excited he’d actually cried. But I hadn’t wanted to take anything from Vic’s wedding, especially since she’s still not certain how she feels about the whole thing, so we decided to wait to tell anyone. I’m so excited to tell my friends, especially Lis, who is already four months along in her pregnancy.
“I don’t think anyone noticed,” Nate says. “But now that the wedding is over, can we tell Dani and Taylor on Monday?”
I’m also excited to tell Dani. She’s been a big sister for about five months now and has loved every second of it, telling me each week about the new things her baby brother Oliver has been doing. I’ve loved every second of getting to be here with her, watching her grow into new hobbies and interests. Of course, art has remained her first love and we’ve continued to bond over it. We’ve gone to the Vancouver Art Gallery a few times together and have plans to go to the newest exhibit next week.
“Yes. I want to tell Dani. Will you tell Katie as well?”
“I will when I pick Dani up, but we can tell Dani together when I bring her home.”
“Good.” I sigh. “I’m kind of tired.”
That’s been the biggest pregnancy symptom for me so far. The nausea hasn’t been horrible, but I’m tired all the time.
He kisses my neck again and lets me go. “There is just one more thing I wanted to ask you.”
I turn, about to ask him what it is when I see he’s on one knee, a small box in his hands.
“Before I open this box,” he says. “I want you to know I bought it a month ago, before I even knew you could be pregnant. Though you possibly were. You can ask Taylor, because he came with me to get it. I’m not asking because you’re going to have my baby. I’m asking because I love you, Adalie. More than I ever thought possible. I want to spend the rest of my life making you smile, teaching you hockey, learning about painting, and taking you for rides on my motorcycle. I don’t ever want to be without you. So.” He opens the box revealing a beautiful white gold ring with a square diamond, two purple amethysts on each side of it. “Adalie Murphy. Will you marry me?”
I reach my hand toward him, touching his cheek as though not quite sure this is real. My vision is blurry from the tears spilling down my face. I can’t seem to force my voice to work, so I nod and Nate smiles, taking the ring from the box and sliding it onto my finger. It fits perfectly.
I wrap my arms around him, squeezing tightly, staring at the ring for a second before I burst into sobs.
“Hey,” he says, gently. “Princess? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I wail. “I’m just hormonal.”
Nate chuckles, kissing my temple and drying my face even as fresh tears fall.
“Maybe we should wait to get married,” I say. “Until after the baby comes. So I’m not a huge mess walking down the aisle.”
“Whatever you want. We can get married a year from now or ten years from now or tomorrow. It’s up to you. I just want you to be my wife.”
Of course, his sweet words bring even more tears. Stupid pregnancy hormones. It’s a good thing my mascara is waterproof. It sure got a workout today.
He wipes away the new moisture and kisses my cheekbones, my nose, my lips. “When we met, I was attracted to you, but I figured we were so different it would never work. But the more I got to know you, I realized we’re different in all the right ways. I love you, princess. Why not us?”
The End