Gavriil (Stepanov Mafia)

I tried to tell everyone thank you, but the words felt meaningless in the face of such wonderful, thoughtful gifts. The party had been so beautiful that I spent most of the morning on the verge of tears, and when Gavril stood up in front of our families to give a final speech of thanks and end the party, I was relieved. I was emotionally spent and needed a long nap.

“Thanks so much to everyone for coming out,” he said, panging a tiny fork against his crystal glass to get everybody’s attention. “And thanks to Sam’s mom for putting this whole party together.”

Everyone clapped for her, and she stood up to take a bow.

“But there is one more surprise,” Gavril said, turning his attention solely to me and extending his hand for me to join him. “I have one more gift for Sam and the baby.”

I grabbed his hand and stood up, smiling the entire time, my eyes narrowed. “What is this about?”

A few of the guests laughed at my suspicion.

Gavril squeezed my hand. “I am so excited to have a baby with this beautiful woman. She came into my life in a very unexpected way, and then this little girl,” he said, rubbing my stomach, “was also very unexpected.”

Everyone laughed, and I beamed up at him, adoring the way he could command a room and still make me swoon after everything we’d been through.

“But through all of this, I’ve learned that the curveballs life throws are opportunities to duck and hide or to take a swing and see how things play. And Sam,” he said, turning to me and squeezing my fingers, “you never miss an opportunity to swing. You live life to the fullest, and you make me a better man.”

Tears were welling up in my eyes, and I made a big show of wiping them away, still having no clue where he was headed with this speech.

“So, I’m going to take a page out of your book and take a swing.” He let go of my hand, grabbed something out of his back pocket, and knelt down in front of me. “I love you, Samantha Conway. I love our baby, and I want us to be a family forever. Will you marry me?”

I knew I was supposed to smile and cry and be shocked, but I was too happy to do anything other than throwing myself at him, nearly knocking us both over.

He laughed. “Is that a yes?”

I pulled away from him, ugly tears running down my cheeks, no doubt taking my mascara with it. I nodded. “Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes.”

Gavril grinned at me, grabbed my hand, and slipped the biggest diamond I’d ever seen onto my finger. I stared at it in awe.

“Sorry it took me so long,” he whispered as our guests continued to cheer.

I shook my head and kissed him.

It was perfect.

THE END