Page 95 of Midlife Crisis

“Just ask me already,” I tease, sounding desperate and decide to stop the game. He’ll ask me when he’s ready. He lowers to place another kiss on my neck, lingering another moment before standing to his full height. His hands come to my hip, and I lean forward to fix my lipstick. Bending at the waist, I stroke my backside against him. I’m opening the cap and leaning forward, reveling in the feel of him behind me as I do the mundane and apply lipstick. I pause to ask, “Where are we—”

“Will you marry me?” His eyes shift from silver to steel as he watches my reaction in the mirror. I’m still leaning, lipstick in one hand, as I stare back at him in the reflection.

Is he serious? Is he teasing?

“Yes,” I whisper to his image, and I straighten, wanting to turn and look at him. He’s kidding, right? Still watching me, he slips one hand in his pocket and pulls out another ring. He wraps an arm around me from behind, and I no longer make eye contact in the reflective glass. Instead, I glance down at the three-carat before me. Simple. Stunning. Solitaire.

“Hank,” I whisper, his name lingering in the air.

“This isn’t exactly how I wanted it to happen, but you’re right. This is how it started, and I knew the moment you caught my eye in that mirror that you would be mine one day. Those eyes whispered to mine for more, and I’ll never look away from you.”

I watch our reflection as he slips the ring on my finger to join the other one. The promise of one day is here.

“I love you,” he mouths.

“I love you, too. And more.” He spins me, taking my cheeks in his hands and staring directly into my eyes.

“More,” he says, before kissing me, and I know every day with Hank will be a discovery…and more.

Epilogue

Forty-one years old

Three months later

[Midge]

I wake alone in the bed, but not alone in my heart. I hear the noise of a new school year beginning downstairs. Today will be a day of a several fresh starts. I look down at my left hand as I often do and marvel at how lucky I am. A beautiful single diamond stands above the tiny-cut diamond band and a solid silver one. Stacking rings signify my marriage to Hank.

“How long you two been together?” Lily once asked.

“Not long enough,” Hank told her. “And I’ve been waiting too long for her.”

Once Hank asked me to marry him—the official question—he decided he had waited long enough for me. We married a week later at the local courthouse. We didn’t want to keep playing games of hide-and-seek—meaning hide in the bathroom for sex or have Hank sneak out during the night. It might seem fast to some, but my boys and I were ready for Hank to officially be part of our family.

I slip from bed, tug on my robe, and head down the staircase. My stomach flutters with all this day will bring.

“Big day for your mom today,” I hear Hank say from the kitchen.

“She’s gonna be great,” Liam says. I’ve paused on the stairs, listening to the general morning chatter between my boys and the man I love. He’s making lunches and checking schedules. I smile with a shake of my head. Who knew how great forty-one would turn out to be?

“I love her office,” Ronin adds. My office. I like the sound of that. I decided to work from home in a space above my garage. The boys helped me clean out the clutter over the summer and Hank fixed up the walls. Today, I’m pitching Starlight Farms, in Montana of all places. It’s a video-chat conference. After all my designs for Pendelton, I want this account to take my suggestions and make them come to fruition. Not to mention, I think it will add to their company…and mine. I’m taking the risk to go out on my own.

“Ronin, seven o’clock. Practice.” Ronin groans but I hear the smile in his voice. He’s thrilled Hank is his new drum instructor. Hank broke out his old kit and moved it into our garage. He makes Ronin practice under his tutelage each night and then takes a turn himself. He admits he doesn’t want to go back to his old rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, but drumming seems to be a part of him. I like to watch as he bangs away, getting lost in his head and worked up. I worry at times he’s projected back to some memory, some image of him and her on stage, but then he looks up at me. He always catches me watching him as if he knows I’m there.

“It’s your eyes,” he says. “I’ll never look away.”

“I have a date tonight,” Elston announces. His girlfriend is cute, although a little shy around the noise of men. She’ll learn, if she sticks. Then again, Elston is too young to be so seriously involved. He’s only a senior in high school.

“Not tonight,” Hank warns. “Bring Eliza here.”

I chuckle. With summer over, Elston can no longer date on a week night as we return to school days and he knows it, but he’s always pushing just a little. Thank goodness Hank is made of strong stuff. He rolls with the punches from my oldest. It’s been a summer of learning and loving with a few lessons in parenthood in between.

“What’s tonight?” Elston asks.

“We celebrate.” This man. Such confidence in me.

“What are we celebrating?” Ronin asks.