“Yeah, Dad? I want to make sure Bruce doesn’t fall,” he says, and I bite back a laugh. Nathaniel pulls something out of his coat pocket and hands it to Micah, and the two exchange what can only be described as a giddy smile.
Micah waddles over to me, grinning, and thrusts something at me, then goes back onto the ice. I laugh and look down at my hands. He’s handed me a little black box. I glance at Nathaniel, who’s watching me, a small smile on his lips.
I open it, and there’s a key inside. I recognize it as the key to Nathaniel's penthouse. I look up at him in shock, then look back at the key, noticing something shiny dangling from the keychain.
“Oh my God,” I say, tears springing to my eyes. A penthouse key… and a diamond ring. I stare at Nathaniel, and he gives me one of his gorgeous, lazy, mouthwatering grins.
“I told you I was never letting you go again.” A few tears are streaming down my face, and then he makes me cry harder by getting down on one knee and taking my hands into his.
“I love you with everything I am, Poppy. I want forever with you, and I promise we’ll make it beautiful. Would you do me the honor of being my wife?”
“Yes,” I cry, getting on my knees and throwing my arms around him. “Yes, Nathaniel. I can’t wait to marry you.”
He kisses me, my joyful tears mirrored with tears of his own. He holds me close, making love to my lips.
“I love you,” he murmurs against my mouth.
“I love you, too. Forever.”
“All mine?”
“All yours.”
When we finally break apart, we settle against the back of the bench, steering our eyes upward to the sky. It’s a clear night, with billions of silver stars winking at us, and the occasional laugh from Micah, out on the rink, each time Dad almost slips on the ice face-first.
There’s a phrase for what I’m feeling; a perfect sentence that I know not many people can often say in their lifetime.
Peace of mind. Yes, that’s the phrase.
Nothing will ever beat this moment, and nothing will ever tear us apart.
THE END