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Utter sadness filled me. “Oh.” It’s all I could say.
“There is an entire world out there, many different cultures to experience. I was thinking that it would be amazing to explore them all together. What do you think? Want to fill that passport up with a lot of stamps from around the world?”
“You’re taking me?” I asked, shocked.
“I have no plans on leaving you behind. As you said, you can live without a lot, but not your heart. And you have mine too. So, is that a yes?”
“It’s a yes a million times over.”
“Good. Now, are you ready to go and talk to your father?” he asked.
“Aren’t you coming?” I asked.
He shook his head. “This is your time with him. We have the rest of our lives to talk.”
Niko was right. Me and my father had things that we needed to say to each other, privately. But no matter why he had left, I knew that he loved me. I was just happy to have him back. And elated at what the future was going to bring for us all.
“The rest of our lives. I like the sound of that,” I sighed, joyfully.
“Good, because I want to grow old with you. Have a dozen children and someday sit on our porch watching our grandchildren play.”
We’ve talked about many things, but one was missing. “I think there is something that you’re forgetting. We must get married first.”
“Are you asking me?” he asked.
I thought about it for a moment and then decided nothing else had gone the way things should. Why couldn’t I be the one to ask him?
“Yes. I am asking you, Mr. Niko Rio. Will you make me the happiest woman on earth and be my husband? Will you give me a dozen children and two dozen grandchildren? Will you grow old with me?”
He pulled me in his arms and kissed me. “Yes, sweetheart. I’ll marry you, because I love you, and it will make me the happiest man alive.”
There was a knock on the door jam and my father peeked his head in. “I wasn’t sure if you two forgot I was here.”
We both laughed. “No. We were just negotiating terms,” Niko said.
“Terms of what?” he asked.
I smiled. “Our engagement.”
My father beamed, and said, “Congratulations. I’m happy for you both. Now I will see myself out and leave you both to celebrate.”
“But I thought you wanted to talk to me?” I reminded him.
He kissed my forehead and said, “That is what tomorrow is for.”
“You’ll be here tomorrow?” I asked, worried he’d leave again.
“Yes, Ovi. I am here to stay.”
I no longer cared where he had been. He was home. He was staying. And he was happy for me and Niko. Niko had said youcan’t forget the past but that doesn’t mean you can’t let it go and move forward for a happier future.
When my father left, I looked up at Niko. “Is this all a dream? Am I still sleeping? Can everything be this perfect?”
“If it is a dream, then let neither of us wake because you’re everything I dream of.” He kicked the bedroom door closed and said, “Now, why don’t we take your father’s advice and celebrate the start of the rest of our lives.”
“I thought you’d never ask,” I said as he scooped me up in his arms and brought me back to bed.
There was no need to run from Tabiq any longer. It no longer was filled with pain and sadness. I will always love and miss my mother, but she would want me to be happy, just like my father. Since Niko came into my life, this house was once again filled with love and laughter, as it was before. I wasn’t sure about it holding a dozen children, but I knew it could handle at least four.
I love you Niko, but we’ll need to negotiate the numbers later.
As he kissed me again, I got a flutter in the pit of my stomach. Who knew, maybe we were already working on number one.
