Page 109 of Broken Bonds

Kentucky is a beautiful state, full of magical corners. We have spent our weekends walking alongside rivers, hiking in the mountains, exploring waterfalls and streams.

That’s why I thought this place would be fitting.

We reached the bottom of the canyon and we both look up. I had seen photos of this place, but none of them do it justice. This place is magical.

“Lionel,” she murmurs, her blue eyes wide, as she turns around taking in all the surroundings around us. “This is beautiful.”

She’s beautiful, with rosy cheeks from the cold and showing off her little belly. Under the thick coat she’s wearing, our daughter is growing. We decided to wait until she was born to find out the sex, but I’m sure it’s a girl.

I take advantage of the distraction to drop to one knee, taking the small box from the inside pocket of my jacket.

It’s December, and with the humidity it’s quite cold. But my hands are not shaking. This is an important moment, and I am sure of what I want.

“Lionel?” she gasps as she realizes what I’m doing.

“Stella,” I start to say as I lift the lid of the box to let her see the ring I chose for her. Instead of a traditional ring, and because I know Stella’s taste, I decided to go for something less traditional. With the help of a jeweler in Louisville, I designed a round diamond eternity band. The jeweler also had the great idea that she wears a thinner one for her wedding band.

“You came into my life like lightning, when I wasn’t expecting it. When I wasn’t looking for you. Now I know I was wrong, because you are what I’ve wanted all my life, my home is not in a house I built hoping to feel complete, my home is you. You are my forever. Tell me that you’re going to make me the happiest man in the world, tell me that you’re going to marry me.”

“That isn’t a question, Mr. Kral,” she replies with a laugh, fire lighting those blue eyes like a flare.

Her cheeky answer makes me laugh. My naughty girl, you’ll pay for that later.

“Stella Lambert, will you marry me?”

“We’re already married,” she says, but thick tears fall from her eyes as her head moves up and down, accepting.

Hormones, they’re playing with her emotions. One moment, Stella’s laughing out loud, and the next, she’s ready to rip someone’s head off. But let’s focus on the important things.

“This time for real,” I add. “And in a white dress.”

She doesn’t say anything, just takes my face in her soft hands to give me a slow and intoxicating kiss.

“That means yes?” I want to hear the words.

“I would marry you a thousand times,” she replies.

I get up and take her in my arms, spinning with her, giggling like crazy with my head thrown back.

I kiss her like I’ve been waiting all my life to do.

My fiancée, my wife, the mother of my daughter.

Then I remember…

“She said yes,” I yell, my voice echoing through space.

Stella looks at me with her mouth open. I had taken it upon myself to make this special for both of us. A moment that she would proudly tell our grandchildren.

“Thank God,” a woman’s voice responds as she looks at us both smiling.

“What?” Stella asks as if coming out of a trance. “We’re not alone?”

“No.” I point my hand to the other side of the small canyon into which the water that falls from the suspended stone falls off a hill a few meters above.

Stella gasps when she realizes some familiar faces are there, watching us without missing a beat.

Lorraine, Felicia, Valerie, Ethan, and Alexandra with their two beautiful daughters. And closing the group, my mother. Incredible but true.

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