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They picked at the leftovers and laughed, enjoying life, a feat I didn’t think possible a little over a year ago. The fact we were still here, physically intact—mentally being a different story—was truly a gift.
A moment later, I looked for my fiancée. Simply thinking the word made me smile. I never thought this day would arrive. Turned out, if I’d only asked sooner, I could’ve saved myself a lot of anxiety. Never in a million years did I contemplate she was waiting for me to ask again. The thought never entered my mind, perhaps because of how adamant she’d been the last time she shot me down.
Edana exited the kitchen, chatting with two of the ol’ ladies before glancing around, hopefully looking for me. When she saw me, her face lit up. My heart swelled with how much I loved her. I hadn’t always realized it. I took her for granted once upon a time, but thankfully those days were long behind me. Behind us.
My eyes tracked her as she crossed the room, praying I could make her as happy as I was in this very moment.
“Wanna get outta here?” she asked, opening my knees so she could step in between. “They’re relentless in asking me when the big day is, and I don’t want to think about that.” Her grin belied her words. Was she having second thoughts already? Before I could ask, she shook her head, as if she was privy to my inner thoughts. “That came out wrong. What I mean is that I wanna live in the moment. There’s plenty of time for planning.”
My breath rushed from my lungs in relief.
“I agree.” I pulled her closer, resting my hands just below her waist, wanting nothing more than to rip off this dress and have my way with her. “And to answer your question, yes, I wanna get outta here. Let’s go home and celebrate.”
After saying goodbye to whomever lingered around, I led my woman toward the exit, the warmth of her palm in mine eliciting the need to claim her, to prove how much I loved her like I’d done thousands of times before. Only this time, the urge was different.
This time, we were engaged.
Edana had finally agreed to spend the rest of her life by my side. I was sure some people would tell me a piece of paper wouldn’t make a difference because of how long we’d been together, but there would be a whole other sense of satisfaction when I would be able to refer to her as my wife.
Edana Barnes, soon to be Cavanaugh, had made me the happiest man alive, and I’d forever cherish her, and remind her she made the right choice in choosing me as well.
Would our relationship suddenly become different? A bed of roses? Would she miraculously start listening to me when I voiced my opinion about the time she spent with her sister? Or change her outfit every time I didn’t approve?
Fuck no. But that wasn’t the point.
I didn’t want to control Edana, although I hoped she’d go easier on me as we grew old together and give me slack for the tendencies I possessed that she admitted drove her crazy. I wanted us to be partners, more so than we were now. Would a piece of paper and a ceremony do that? I doubted, but there was a peace that came over me knowing she’d be mine forever.
And after all we’d been through, together and separately, Edana was the woman I dreamed of spending the rest of my life with.
Perhaps Christmas was my favorite holiday after all.
