While my session progressed, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Tara said. She wanted today to be her day of happiness, just one day of blissful peace. I wanted to give her that. I wanted to make this day perfect in every way because she was right, it might be the last truly happy day she had for a while. Once her chemo started, everything would be harder.
I stared at her while she wiped down the weight bench. No one else was in the PT building. It was just us.
Tara looked amazing, just like always. Her blonde hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, falling halfway down her back. Every time she moved, it caught the light and mesmerized me. When she lifted her eyes to mine, they overwhelmed me. I could have stared into their blue depths for the rest of my life.
“What are you looking at?” Tara asked, smiling lightly.
“I’ve been thinking,” I said.
“Yeah?” she asked.
I cleared my throat and walked over to her. I kissed her slowly, wanting the moment to last forever. She sighed and pressed herself against me. When we pulled apart, I blinked at her, trying to remember how to speak.
“What were you thinking?” she asked.
“Everything that happened between us feels like fate, doesn’t it?” I asked. “I mean, we met years ago and fell in love. We weren’t supposed to be together, but we couldn’t fight it. Then, like idiots, we let each other go. I hated myself for ten years and then, suddenly, you’re back in my life. It felt like fate.”
“It did,” Tara said, smiling.
“And I think that’s too strong to ignore,” I said. “We found our way back to each other after a lot of shit went down. That has to mean something.”
“What are you saying?” Tara asked with a confused chuckle.
“I’m saying that I love you,” I said. “I love you, Tara.”
“I l
ove you too.” She smiled and leaned forward, ready for another kiss.
“And I want to marry you,” I finished.
She froze. Her eyes met mine, and she looked at me in shock. She took a step back, stumbling slightly. Her head moved side to side as if she wasn’t quite sure what to do.
“Tara,” I said softly. “I’m serious. This isn’t a joke. I want you. I’ll always want you.”
“Is this because I’m dying?” she asked bluntly.
I laughed and shook my head. “No,” I said. “What the hell kind of question is that?”
“A valid one!” she said, her voice frantic. “You can’t be serious about this.”
I smiled and walked over to her. I grabbed her hands and then slowly lowered myself down to one knee. She stared at me with her mouth hanging open.
“I don’t have a ring,” I said. “But who cares? We’ve waited ten years for this, I’m not waiting another second. Tara, baby, will you marry me?”
“Are you sure this isn’t just because I’m sick?”
“Will you just say yes!” I said, laughing and swaying on my bad leg.
“Yes,” she said. “Yes, of course. You’re insane, but yes!”
I got to my feet and wrapped my arms around her waist. I kissed her softly, picking her up off the ground and spinning her in a circle. She clung to my shoulders, kissing me back and laughing against my lips.
When I put her down, we both heard the door open behind us. We spun around to see my mom walking inside. She smiled and waved, hurrying over to us.
“Should we tell her?” Tara asked.
“You do it,” I said, nudging her forward.