“I have been thinking sentence for weeks.”
“I kept waiting until it felt less terrifying.”
“It doesn’t.”
Sophia’s eyes filled.
Jake laughed nervously.
“I love you.”
“I am still scared you’ll leave.”
“I’m scared I’ll lose you even if you stay.”
“I’m scared Avery will get hurt.”
“I’m scared Claire disappears more every year and loving you speeds it up, even though I know that makes no sense.”
“It makes some sense.”
Sophia whispered.
Jake shook head.
“I’m tired of waiting until fear agrees.”
She smiled through tears.
“I love you too.”
Jake stopped breathing.
Sophia laughed.
“I thought you knew.”
“I absolutely did not.”
“You fix machines faster.”
“Machines have manuals.”
She stepped close.
“No proposal.”
“What?”
“You have look.”
“I don’t.”
“You do.”
Jake laughed.
“Okay.”
“No proposal.”
Sophia kissed him.
Snow blew across porch.
No audience.
No music.
No limousines.
Just two people who had spent too much of their lives believing control could prevent loss.
It could not.
They chose anyway.
Jake did not propose for another eleven months.
When he did, it was at Evergreen Café.
Maya had closed one hour early.
Avery knew.
Leah knew.
Everyone knew except Sophia, which required coordination so elaborate Jake nearly canceled on principle.
Sophia arrived expecting dinner.
She saw Avery at booth.
Leah.
Maya.
Then Jake.
She stopped.
“No.”
Jake laughed.
“I haven’t done anything.”
“You have proposal face.”
Avery shouted:
“I told him not to kneel until you get closer!”
Sophia covered face.
Jake glared.
“Secrecy.”
Avery shrugged.
Sophia approached.
Jake did kneel.
Then stopped.
He looked up.
“I had speech.”
Sophia laughed through tears.
“Of course.”
“I forgot.”
“Good.”
Jake held ring.
“I don’t want to promise nothing bad happens.”
“I know better.”
“I don’t want to promise I’ll never be scared.”
“Also impossible.”
“I can promise I’ll tell you when I am.”
“I can promise I won’t make your choices for you because I’m afraid of them.”
“I can promise Avery is not something you need to earn.”
“I can promise Claire’s memory will never be used as wall between us.”
His voice broke.
“And I can promise if your car dies in a snowstorm, I will complain while fixing it.”
Sophia cried and laughed.
“Jake.”
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes.”
Avery screamed before ring reached finger.
Maya cried openly.
Leah pretended not.
Sophia pulled Jake up.
Kissed him.
Then whispered:
“You know my car has roadside assistance now.”
“Marriage canceled.”
They married the following summer at Lauron Lodge.