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If I’d had it with me then, I may well have asked. But now’s the time. I feel it.
“Steve, you’re scaring me,” Holly says, touching the side of my face and moving it up to my forehead as if I have a fever.
I put my hand over hers, kissing her fingers and holding them out in front of her gently as I reach for the box in my pocket.
“Holly… I know it’s only been a few days. But I love you more than anything, I couldn’t live another day without you,” I say, my own breath catching when I see her own quickening.
Her clear blue eyes misting with tears. Her hand starting to shake a little.
Whether Madison did a good job or not, this is the one and only time in my life I have to ask this question. And Holly’s the only one I’ll ever ask, no matter what the reply.
Keeping her hand in mine, I thumb open the little red box, almost startling myself by the size of the shimmering, multi-cut diamond on a tiny white gold band.
“I wanted you the second I saw you, and now that I have you, I won’t let you go. Not for a minute. Just say yes, Holly,” I hear my voice rasp.
“Just say you’ll be my wife… Mother of our children… Teammates for life?”
It’s the lamest proposal I’ve ever heard, and if it was a business pitch, I’d be walking.
But Holly trembles some more, mouthing the only word I need to hear before I slip the ring on her finger.
Before she can say it aloud.
It fits perfectly. It is perfect, just like her.
“Yes,” she whispers, the rays of light from the stone dancing in her eyes as they fill with tears of joy, love, and everything neither of us have a word for.
“Yes. Yes. Yes!”
The silent snow outside falls a little heavier, lit by the muted fireworks plumes over the city skyline.
And I say a silent prayer of thanks, realizing that not only is heaven a real place we can experience in life, but it’s sometimes only as high up as the penthouse apartment of our building or the distance between two souls who’ve finally found each other.
Two souls who’ve come home for good.
EPILOGUE
THREE MONTHS LATER
Holly
My little chat with Sister O’Halloran a few months back started out as an apology for running out on her. For running out on Steve over a stupid misunderstanding.
But after we got talking, like girls of all ages do, it got down to the nitty gritty about Steve.
She wasn’t surprised one bit and didn’t even blink when I told her we’d been together already.
If anything, I’m sure a coy little smile played across her lips.
I remember she crossed herself and murmured, “About time.”
I wasn’t sure what she meant exactly, but she only pressed her finger to her lips when I was about to ask if I was the only girl Steve had ever been with.
My real problem though, was trying to figure out what to get him for Christmas.
The man who has everything.
Sounds silly now, but a few months back, I was tearing my hair out, eventually pleading with Steve’s closest and oldest confidant to advise me what to do.
