Page 125 of Rigid

Eddie looked at Smokey. “At the same time?”

He cocked his head to the side. “Sounds good.”

“On three?” she asked.

“I like four better,” he said.

I was lost. And scared. They were acting weird, and neither of them seemed overly happy.

Smokey lifted my chin until my eyes met his. “Pay attention,” he demanded.

“I’m trying to,” I said.

Eddie hopped off the edge of the bed and stepped beside Smokey.

“Ready?” he asked.

She nodded and slipped her arm around him.

Simultaneously, they spoke. “One.”

“Two.”

“Three.”

“Four.”

Smokey’s eyes widened. “I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?”

Eddie grinned. “Will you be my mom?”

My face went flush. I stumbled, and almost fell, but Smokey caught me.

I looked at Eddie.

A tear rolled down her cheek. “Please?”

I nodded eagerly. “I uhhm.” I looked at Smokey and wiped my cheek. My dream was now a reality. “Yes, I’d love to be your wife.”

I looked at Eddie and opened my arms. “And, yes. I’d be honored to be your mother.”

The three of us embraced in a hug.

After a long embrace, Eddie leaned away, reached inside her cast, and pulled something out. “You almost forgot this, dork.”

Smokey coughed out a laugh and reached for her hand. “Sorry, it’s my first time.”

He lowered himself to one knee. “Sandy, know this first. I love you dearly. If you’ll honor me in being my wife, I’d like to give you this ring, as a token of my promise to you to be your husband.”

I truly loved them both will all my heart. Although my initial belief was that things needed to happen in a particular order, I now realized there wasn’t a recipe when it came to love. Love simply either happened or it didn’t.

For us, it did.

“I will,” I said.

After those two spoken words, he slipped the ring on my finger.

And, my fairy tale was complete.