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“I was quite taken with you, actually. Even though you teased me about lighting the fire myself and running away like a crazy lady.”
“Ah yes. But you’re so cute when you’re mad.”
We turn the corner into Bristol Lane and walk past the neighborhood houses. When we get to my house, Cam stops on the sidewalk.
“Molly. I want to ask you something.”
“Alright. What is it?”
Cam leads me up my path where the porch is festooned with flowers. A huge bouquet of roses and daisies sits on my doormat and colorful blooms create an archway around the door.
“Cam. What’s going on?” I say although I’m smiling at the wonderful fragrant creations adoring my porch. Cam slowly kneels in front of me and takes my hand.
“Molly Ryan. I adore you. I don’t care where we live, here in Oak River or anywhere. As long as we are together. I am a better person because of you.” Cam reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small blue velvet box. “You light me up.” He opens the box to reveal an exquisite solitaire diamond ring. “Please do me the honor of being my wife.” Cam breathes deeply and gazes up at me. “Molly, will you marry me?”
Cam removes the ring from the white satin cushion and pushes it gently onto my finger. It fits perfectly. I’m so overwhelmed I forget to speak. And when I do eventually say yes, it’s more of a squeal than a word. Cam stands and wraps me in his arms. We kiss as if we are the only people in the whole world.
But it turns out that we’re not the only people in the whole world because suddenly we’re surrounded on all sides by our friends, who shower us with party-popper string, confetti, petals, and more flowers. They all shout, “Surprise!” and “Congratulations!” The happy well-wishers had been hiding, out of sight, around the sides of my house, and hearing me squeal was the signal to jump out with bottles of bubbly wine, balloons, and a whole lot of noise. Sinatra got so excited by the mayhem he ran around chasing his tail for a full five minutes.
“I’m so pleased you said yes,” says Cam, still holding me tight, while people dance around, yahooing. “Otherwise, all this could have been awkward.”
Chapter 22
Cam
When I hang up the call to my grandad at the fire department office in Richmond, I’m fired up with determination. I am all set to let Molly know how I feel. Grandad said that life was short, and I should go get that woman who has made such an impression on me. I told him about how she had got mad, saying that I was selfish and arrogant. And how her words got to me. No one’s opinion has ever mattered to me more. Her words hit hard. Grandad laughed and said that Molly wasn’t afraid of speaking her mind, a quality he admired most about my grandma.
“So, you’d better get this done soon, Campbell,” Grandad says gruffly. “Because I want to be there when you walk down the aisle.” Then he chuckles on the line. “And why have you not called sooner? It’s been the longest time.” His tone changes and he’s telling me off like I’m a teenager as I fully expected. “We’re due a visit. I know that much. Your mom and dad won’t pressure you but… you’d better come home… It’s time, Campbell. And bring your lovely lady so we can meet her, okay?”
That was last year. Of course, my family fell in love with Molly almost as much as I did. My mom was so happy I thought she was going to squeeze me to death at the door when we said goodbye. My dad was more stoic and shook my hand, but I could tell that he was getting emotional, so Molly and I left quickly.
I met Molly’s folks, who were so warm and welcoming. They live near Oak River, so we go over for lunch or dinner sometimes. I was a little nervous when I asked her dad for his permission to marry his daughter. I felt that I needed to be traditional, and I think Molly’s parents appreciated the consideration.
So, with Molly’s parents’ blessing, I enlisted the help of Lydia, before I proposed. I called in to see Lydia at Blossoms in Bloom to ask her, as Molly’s best friend, if she could give me an idea of Molly’s reaction if I were to ask her to be my wife.
“Are you crazy?” The words explode from Lydia like machine gun fire. “Cam. Don’t you know how much Molly adores you? Go. Do it now.” She ushers me out of her store. Then, she stops for a minute and grabs my arm. “No, wait. What do you think about this idea?” Lydia tells me her plan for a surprise engagement party at Molly’s house. “Leave it to me. I’ll get everyone organized. We’ll decorate her porch with flowers and make it beautiful. It’ll be the most romantic, wonderful moment that you and Molly will treasure forever.” Her eyes sparkle as she claps her hands enthusiastically. “Just make sure you turn up with Molly and the ring.”
“Lydia. I don’t know what to say.” I hug her. “You are amazing. Thank you.”
Lydia was right, of course. The surprise engagement party was magic. When I saw the flowers on Molly’s porch, I knew that the time had come for me to ask her to marry me. It felt right. But even though I was one hundred percent sure Molly wasn’t going to turn me down, I was still nervous about saying the words. It was like stepping through a portal to the next stage of being us. I knelt down in front of my beautiful future bride with serious sincerity and pulled out the blue velvet box from my pocket. I knew the ring would fit because Lydia suggested that she test out some sizes. I’m not sure how this was achieved without giving the game away. But when Molly accepted the ring and said yes, I was the happiest man in the world. Knowing that we were going to be married and be together for the rest of our lives filled me with a deep warm contentment that is hard to explain.
Molly and I decide to get married here in Oak River in the summertime. Dex is my best man.
“Finally!” Dex says when I tell him we have a date for our wedding. “What took you so long?” He laughs before he continues. “I suppose you’ll need a best man?”
“Yes. You’re right. Who do we know?”
“Haha, Wickham. Very funny.”
Standing at the altar with Reverand Manvers, butterflies are charging around my insides. Dex is beside me and I ask him, for the millionth time, if he has the wedding bands.
“Yes. Again Cam. Calm down buddy,” Dex says in a loud whisper just audible above the organ music.
I look out across the heads of our guests who are chatting together in Oak River’s little white weatherboard church. The music changes announcing the bride’s arrival, and everyone stands and turns to look at the door. Framed in the light from outside, Molly begins to walk sedately down the aisle. My heart leaps. She is so beautiful. My beautiful bride. She walks like a princess with her hand linked into the crook of her father’s arm. He is so proud to be her dad. You can see that straight away. Meryl and Lydia follow behind.
Molly arrives at the altar by my side. She hands over her bouquet of yellow roses to Lydia. Her father lifts her veil and offers Molly’s hand to me.
“You are beautiful,” I say quietly.
