Now cradled in his arms and facing the group, I watched in tears as everyone began to clap their hands.
I had never heard of anyone proposing to their wife in front of a group, but that sure didn’t make it wrong. Having his parents, my parents, and everyone we knew witness the occasion made it that much more special and memorable.
I gazed out at the crowd hoping that somehow the event could bring us all together as a family. After Wilson kissed me a few times in celebration, I felt better and nodded my head.
“You can put me down now,” I whispered.
As Wilson lowered me to the floor, Riley came running toward me full speed. She barely got stopped in time to keep from knocking me to the floor.
“Damn, girl. Excited much?” I asked.
“This is so fucking exciting. We’re both engaged,” she blurted.
“Congratulations,” she said.
“Thank you,” Wilson and I both responded.
Wilson’s father, who completely and wholly looked just like Wilson, only older, walked up and shook Wilson’s hand.
“Couldn’t be more proud of you,” he said as he shook Wilson’s hand.
“And to have the most beautiful woman in the world as my daughter?” he said as he turned and gave me a hug. “A dream come true, congratulations.”
“Oh, thank you,” I said.
“I’ll count the days,” he said.
“Me too,” I said with a smile.
As Wilson’s mother slowly began walking toward us, he and his father turned away with their arms around each other talking. I realized I would need to talk to her, but felt about half ill thinking about it. Although she had apologized since our arrival back in town, I still had ill feelings toward her, and suspected I always would. As I bit my lips and tried to force myself to forgive her, she held out her hand.
“I’d like to introduce myself,” she said as she reached for my hand. “I’m Constance, Asher’s mother. I’m so proud to have you become a member of the family, and to be able to call you my daughter.”
As she spoke, a tear escaped her eye and slowly rolled down her cheek.
“Thank you,” I said. “And I’m Stevie. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“So proud,” she said as she released my hand.
I nodded my head and wiped my eyes.
You’re forgiven…
As she walked away, my father slowly walked in my direction. At his side, my mother followed.
“Congratulations,” my mother said.
“Thank you. I hate that you had to meet him this way, but…”
She shook her head. “I met him some time ago, dear. He came to the house and asked permission to marry you. He asked your father and me both. Such a nice man.”
My father nodded in acknowledgement. “Sixty days, Pumpkin.”
“So I heard. How do you feel?” I asked.
He lowered his head, paused, and slowly raised it. “Never better.”
“And you?” I asked my mother.
“Fifty-eight days,” she said. “I’d say I’m the same as your father, never better. For once in my life I feel clean inside. We’ll see I suppose, but I hope I can continue. If desire has anything to do with it, I can tell you I sure will.”
I shifted my eyes around the room, hoping I could keep from just losing it completely. My life, as fucked up as it had been at times, sure changed for the better; and all because I gave an unconventional man a chance at being what I was sure he didn’t have the capacity to be.
He proved me wrong.
Meeting Asher Wilson convinced me the perfect man is out there waiting for each and every one of us. He may be the exact opposite of what we’ve spent a lifetime looking for, but…
To find out for sure, all we have to do is give him a chance.
Pretty In Ink Page 18