Page 27 of Make It Without You

James is my partner in the good and bad times. He sees me at my best and sees me at my worst. And through it all, our endless trust and love for the other, has made being with each other easier than taking the next breath.

Emily

2015

“Ican’t see a thing.” I note as my hands wave around in front of me as James leads me somewhere.

It’s our eight-year anniversary and the year I’m graduating. I managed to take summer classes a couple of times, so it put me ahead by a semester. James has been working at a local news station with the sports department and I’ve been student teaching. He’s practically moved in with me at my parent’s house, but it still feels like we’re both guests.

“Keep your eyes closed, I have to unlock a door.” I feel the immediate loss of his body heat, but hear the telltale sign of a key being inserted into a lock. “Okay, give me your hand.” I do as he says all the while keeping my eyes closed. He pulls me inside and the door behind us closes and I wait with bated breath.

“You can open your eyes now.”

I do what he instructs and suck in a breath. “Oh my god. James, what is this? Where are we?”

“Well, this is my, hopefully, our, apartment.”

My head whips to him. “Are you asking me to move in with you?”

That boyish smile that makes me fall in love with him every day makes its appearance. “Yeah. If you want to. I mean it’s beengreat living at your parent’s house and we’ve both saved a ton of money living there. But I want us to take the next step. Plus Gloria deserves to spend time with her grandbabies.”

“Yes.” I tell him instantly and jump into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist. This is the next big step for us. Although living at my parent’s place has been convenient, it's also not ours.

“Hold that reaction. I have one more thing to show you.” My body slides down his and he waits until my feet are solidly planted, then holds his hand out to me again.

I’m all off balance so the confusion is ever-present. But I lay my hand in his and let him lead me down the short hallway. James pushes open the door to what I’m assuming is the bedroom and I stop short a few feet inside of the room.

Rose petals and flameless candles surround the space. I turn around to ask him what this is, but the gasp that comes out is cut short when I see James on one knee.

James

“Emily Marie Bailey, it’s been eight years since you came into my life. You made it better. You made my life more vibrant. I won’t do a big speech because it’s our actions that do the talking. But I will ask you one big question. Will you marry me and make me the happiest man in the world?”

A watery, “Yes” comes out of her mouth. I barely see anything, except for the sliding of the ring on her finger. Emily is my first everything. First kiss, first time, and my first and only love.

She leans down to kiss me, and I stand up to my full height, lifting her and wrapping her legs around my waist. Without breaking stride, I walk us over to the only piece of furniture I had the foresight to have in the apartment. I kneel on the bed and gently lay her down in the center.

“Are you about to make love to your fiancé?” Emily’s eyes are glassy as she asks me a question that sends goosebumps over my body.

“I am. Are you okay with that Ms. Bailey soon-to-be Hayes?” Her arms go up with a silent request to take her shirt off, so I do. When it’s off, I reach behind her and unclasp her bra, letting her breasts spill free. Rolling a nipple between my thumb and middle finger, Emily’s breath hitches.

Her hands tangle in the sheets, too consumed with pleasure to say anything right away. “I’m more than okay with that my soon-to-be-husband.”

Who makes the next move, I don’t remember. We love each other until the sun starts to set.

After the pizzaI ordered following our love-making, we lay in bed as Emily looks at her ring. Does it make me a caveman if I want to beat on my chest that she’s wearing my ring?

“If something ever happens to me, I want you to be happy. I want you to move on with your life.”

I’m ruining our celebratory night with sad thoughts. But it needs to be said before I forget about this.

Emily sits up and I hate the cool air that hits me. “Where is this coming from?”

“I don’t know,” I confess to her. “Actually, that’s a lie. I do know. My parents sat me down to talk about their Will ifanything were to happen to them. And it got me thinking about us and the future I want us to have.”

“But why are you bringing it up tonight of all nights?”

I take her left hand in mine and fiddle with the ring I put there. “Our relationship has been as easy as breathing. And I thank my lucky stars that we work so seamlessly together. But the real world is so unfair to those who’ve never done anything wrong. When my parents were talking about their Will it got me thinking hard about us. And what would happen if one of us if the other left too soon.”

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