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When we finally knock on Ana’s door and open it, everyone is already there. I recognize several of David’s friends from their school as well as both Ana and David’s parents. Ana greets us with hugs and a knowing smile at me, and I’m guessing Mads has been texting her. I feel my face flush slightly.
We wish David a happy birthday before making our rounds to say hello to everyone.After a while, Mads excuses herself to the bathroom and Ana walks over to my side. “So,” She starts, taking a sip of her wine.
“What?” I glare at her.
“Mads has been keeping me updated with your progress,” Ana says casually.
“Oh, has she?” I ask innocently. “What has she said?”
“Oh no, hermano. Hoes before bros,” Ana laughs and I jokingly hang my head in defeat. “But I will say, she is saying all good things.”
“How good?” I press.
“I have a feeling you know how good, buddy.” Ana gives me a pointed look and I chuckle. Mads comes back to my side and puts her arm around my waist. I smileat that small bit of contact, that she feels comfortable enough to touch me like thisagain. I put my arm around her neck and bring her head to my lips, kissing her temple.
“Don’t mess up my hair!” She giggles, swatting me away. But then she turns to me and lifts herself on her tippy toes for a real kiss. I lower my head to her to capture her lips in mine. I am expecting a peck but she lingers long enough for Ana to clear her throat.
“Okay, okay. Save it for later, love birds.” Mads flushes but kisses me once more before settling with my arm around her shoulders.
I feel like I am floating. Once again, part of me feels like this is too good to be true. I look down at Mads, who is talking to Ana now and smiling.Every time I see her, I’m always filled with unending gratitude. I’m so undeserving of her love, no matter how much she tells me that’s not true. I can’t look away from her, watching as she smiles and laughs chatting with Ana.
She eventually catches me staring and looks at me questioningly. “You okay?”
“I’m way more than okay,” I answer honestly. She smiles, catching my free hand with hers, and brings it to her mouth to press a quick kiss against my knuckles.
“What do you want to do later, when we leave?” I ask. Wondering if she wants to go out to a movie or something.
She holds my eyes for a moment before dragging her eyes down my body slowly before looking back up and meeting my eyes. She winks before looking away.
Holy hell. I groan quietly against her hair and she chuckles.
At that moment, David stands up with his glass and clears his throat to get everyone’s attention. “Thank you all for coming. I’m a blessed man to be surrounded by so many loved ones,” David says. “Thank you to my heart, Ana, for organizing all of this even though I told you it wasn’t necessary.” Everyone chuckles and Ana shrugsher shoulders, smiling at him.
“It has been an incredible year, for many reasons,” David continues. He puts his arm around Ana, and she leans into him, still smiling. “I have so many reasons to be thankful and grateful in my life, but nothing compares to sharing my every day with this woman.” He motions to Ana who tries to hide her face in his chest. “If this past year has taught us anything, it’s that you can’t take anything for granted and nothing is guaranteed.”
I pull Mads close, holding her tight.
“Ana, you are the love of my life,” He goes on. Mads suddenly grips my arm. Hard. I look at her questioningly, but her eyes are glued on Ana and David. “You make me a better man and I don’t want to spend a single second without you in my life.” Ana looks up at him, eyes wide, expectant. “So, I would like to ask you, beg you, in front of our friends and family.” He takes a box out of his pocket and kneels on one knee. “Will you marry me, Ana?”
Mads squeals. Ana starts crying, speechless for probably the first time ever as she nods her head almost violently. Everyone erupts in cheers as David slides a ring on her finger and stands to hug her and lift her off the ground. Ana’s mother iscrying and hugging David’s mom tight.
When he finally sets her down, his parents come over to hug them and Ana extracts herself and runs straight to Mads who is already standing and jumping up and down with her arms wide open.
“Did you know?” Ana cries.
“No, I swear!” Mads says in tears. They hug and cry together, and eventually I put my arms around both of them and hug them tight.
So thankful.
THIRTY-SEVEN
MADELINE, THEN
Two days pass and I still haven’t heard from Elliot. I am full blown panicking, ready to report him as a missing person.
I stayed with my parents the first night, but I drive back to St. James the next morning in case he shows up at our apartment looking for me.I stop calling his phone only when it immediately starts going to voicemail which tells me it is dead.I am terrified.
I can’t help but think of the worst possible scenarios; him drunk somewhere, dead on the side of the road, in prison for finding his dad again and killing him. Stuff like that.
