Page 109 of A New Chapter

“Go ahead and open it,” he urged.

Gracie bounced up and down while Emma tore open the paper to reveal a musical jewelry box decorated with pink hearts. “It’s for my baby sister,” Gracie said, which caused tears to spring into Emma’s eyes.

“Gracie picked it out herself,” Zack explained.

“Daddy said if I get a brother instead, I get to keep the jewelry box!”

Emma giggled and swiped a tear away. She was just about to open the lid of the jewelry box when Zack placed his hand on her arm. “The second gift is from me,” he said gruffly.

“What? What… second… gift?”

“Open the lid.”

Gracie had suddenly gone quiet. She had picked Duchess up and was busy petting her when Emma opened the jewelry box. Inside was another smaller box, which looked like it had been professionally wrapped, with crisp corners and a neatly tied white bow.

Oh my God. It can’t be. Could it be?

Zack took out the smaller box and handed the jewelry box to Gracie, which was just as well because Emma’s hands were shaking and tears clouded her vision.

“Emma,” Zack began.

Oh my God. I think it is.

“First of all, I want you to know how much I love you…”

“I do too, Daddy!”

“How much we love you,” he corrected.

Oh my God. I’m going to pass out. No, don’t!

“Second, we want you to know how much we’re going to love this baby—whether it’s a girl or a boy, right Gracie?” he asked pointedly, but his smile was warm and wide.

Just as Zack had found his stride, Emma fell apart. Her face was a crumpled-up, teary mess, and she was sure she sported lovely racoon eyes by now.

“So, I was wondering… well, we were wondering…”

“Will you marry us?” Gracie finished, springing off the couch to stand in front of Emma.

Emma’s hands flew up to her tear-stained cheeks while Zack unwrapped the box and opened the lid.

She launched into full-fledged sobs then. Her vision was so blurry that she couldn’t see the details on the sparkling diamond ring, but she knew it had to be extraordinary because it had come from them. Her family. Zack and Gracie.

Gracie had run out of the room, and now she returned with a tissue box.

“Thank you, sweetie,” Emma somehow managed to say while she hurriedly wiped her eyes.

“Um, Em? We’re still waiting for your answer,” Zack said with a mixture of impatience and hopefulness.

Finally, her vision cleared, and she could actually see him, and the ring, and Gracie in vivid detail. Her heart was bursting with love and joy, and she prayed that she wouldn’t pass out before she gave them her answer.

“Yes,” Emma said, and she would have said more, but she was suddenly enveloped in a tight, three-person hug, and the wind had been knocked out of her.

This is love, she thought. This is family.