Thankful For Her

Feeling confident and at peace with my decision, I reach out and ring the doorbell. There are two gigantic wreaths on the door. It’s funny because I don’t remember my mom decorating much for Christmas, so I assumed Neil wouldn’t do much either. Guess I was wrong. There aren’t any cars in the driveway, so I guess he isn’t having one of her big lavish parties either.

I hear footsteps approaching, and then the door is flung open. Neil is standing there and I only get to look at him for half a second before he wraps me in his arms in a giant bear hug.

“We’ve missed you so much, Autumn,” he says, and I can’t help but think he’s probably the only one who missed me. I laugh as he lets me go and then shakes Ben’s hand. “Thank you so much for bringing her. Come in, come in.”

He ushers all of us inside then takes our coats and hangs them up. I look around at all the decorations in awe. There are garlands and more wreaths, with lights and ornaments on everything. There are even snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, and the twins ooh and ah over them.

“Wow, Neil, you really overdid it,” I say, smiling widely. He’s even wearing a light-up sweater.

“It wasn’t me,” he says. He looks behind me and nods, and I turn around to follow his gaze.

From where I’m standing I can see the living room full of presents, lights, and a Christmas tree that belongs in Rockefeller Center. The place looks like Buddy the Elf got a hold of it, and when I see Hunter in the middle of the room, I gasp.

“Autumn, come here, angel.”

I don’t know how, but I manage to make my legs move and I walk over to him.

When I’m within a few feet of him, he reaches out, pulling me into his arms like he can’t stand the wait any longer.

“Do you have any idea how difficult it was to stand there?” he says right before he holds my face with both of his hands and gives me the most intense kiss of my life.

My legs turn to Jell-O, but he grabs me around the waist and holds me up while he kisses me so deeply I feel it in my soul. The world moves around us, and I feel, for the second time in my life, that my heart is where it’s supposed to be. That this is the man I’m bound to, and finally, finally I’m in his arms.

He breaks the kiss and presses his forehead to mine. “I thought I dreamed you up. I didn’t think you were real. God, this doesn’t even feel real now, but here you stand. My angel.”

For a second I think he’s falling and I reach out, grabbing his arms. But instead he goes down on one knee and opens up a green velvet box with a rock inside that’s almost as big as my hand.

“Oh shit,” I whisper, and the twins giggle.

I turn to look at my family and Neil all standing there with smiles on their faces. Neil looks smug, like he knew this all along, and my dad looks like he could burst with pride. My god, is this real?

“Autumn, I know this is sudden, but I know the truth in my bones. You are the one for me, and I want to marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side. It’s crazy, but I love you. I know it just as I know my heart will always belong to you. You’re the one. Will you marry me?”

“I’m pregnant,” I blurt out, wanting him to know everything. I need him to know the truth so he doesn’t somehow think this is why I’m here. “I came here to tell you that I’m pregnant, and it’s yours and if you don’t want to be in our life—”

He cuts me off by pulling me down into his lap and kissing me again. Sweet lord, I thought the first kiss was possessive. This one is pure ownership, and I have no control over it. It’s so much deeper than anything I’ve ever felt.

“You’re mine forever,” he vows, and I see tears in his eyes. He places his hand on my belly and smiles at me. “I’m not asking you again. This time I’m telling you. Marry me.”

I nod, unable to speak through the lump in my throat. I throw my arms around him and he holds me in his lap as I cry. He tells me over and over again how much he loves me while Christmas carols play on the sound system behind us. This could possibly be the most romantic thing that’s ever happened in the history of the world.

Glancing behind me, I see Neil and my dad hugging and crying like babies. I can’t help it and I start to laugh. This is the greatest day ever.