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“What’s going on?” John asks.
“I have an announcement to make,” Andrew grins.
We get to the living room. Everybody already heard Andrew speak about the announcement and is ready to hear it, except for the kids still avidly playing on the video game console.
“Boys,” Andrew begs them. “Would you please pause the video game for a second?”
When everybody is finally seated, I go to sit down as well, but Andrew stops me. “Nope. You are staying right here with me.”
Something odd is going on, and I’m not sure I like it. One way or another, I let Andrew have his way. What’s the worst that could come from it, anyway?
“Well…” he breathes a heavy sigh, turning around to face the whole family. “Are you guys aware that when Emily and I met she was only nine and I was twelve?”
“Where are you going with this, man?” Dan asks, still not over it all.
“I mean, that’s a heck of a lot of time,” he says, then turns to me to touch my face. “She was the little sister I never had, at first. Then, the idea of her became…”
Words turn difficult. He looks me deep into the eye while holding my hand, and his other hand is inside his pant pocket.
“Something forbidden. Something that was wrong to nurture.”
He then turns back to Dan. “Dan, I know you think I owe you an apology for loving your sister way before I knew what love was, but I will not apologize for anything.”
General laughter ensues, and Dan, raising his hands, says “fair” under his breath and lightens up.
Andrew continues, “Because that’s not how love works.” He turns to me, “I took you to my prom, just to see if what I felt was real. Then I came back to take you to your prom to prove to you that what I felt was real.”
He then looks at Alissa and puts his arm around my shoulders. His other hand continues in his pocket. “We conceived this little princess that night. And even though I wasn’t here to see her grow, I still love her as if I had met her on day one. Now…”
He takes his hand out of his pocket. A little velvet box comes along. “I asked Emily this question before, but I hope this time her answer is positive.”
Andrew gets down on one knee. All the women in the room lean forward with big eyes, and all the men lean back with a sideways gaze toward him.
“Will you let me take care of you and Ali, Emily?” He opens the box, showing the ring. “Forever?”
I look at that man, the man of my dreams, the man I wished so badly to have by my side all those years but couldn’t. This feels surreal, like a dream I never thought would come true and I can hardly believe it is actually happening.
“Yes, Andrew,” I shake my head emphatically, tears already falling down my cheeks. “I will marry you!”
His trembling hand removes the ring from the box and puts it on my finger. After that, he stands up and kisses me with a dip that causes applause in our little audience.
"Better late than never, right, boy?" Dad quips.
"Can I start calling you Dad now, Dave?" Andrew retorts, joining in the banter.
Mom comes to greet me, wraps her arms around my neck, and whispers in my ear. “I know how much you wanted this, dear. I’m so happy for you.”
“Thank you, mom,” I say, crying. “Thank you.”
Epilogue One
ANDREW
Carla came up with the idea of having Alissa and some kids from her church serve as mini bridesmaids and groomsmen. They're absolutely adorable, but they're full of energy and are bouncing around like popcorn.
I’m seated with Emily in a pew inside the church, as we all wait for Carla to arrive. The afternoon sunlight filters through stained glass windows, casting colorful patterns across the wooden pews.
However, the peaceful atmosphere keeps getting interrupted by the shuffling and giggles from the kids at the front. Among them, Alissa’s laughter is clearly heard.
