Page 29 of The Gift Rarely Given

“Here, why don’t you put this shirt on and sit the balcony with me?” he offers, handing me one of his shirts and opening up a blanket for me to step right into. I do as he says and when he wraps me up with the blanket, he leads the way to the balcony right outside of his room.

The balcony faces the vast greenery of his farm and some of the oaks, too. It’s beautiful and peaceful out here. I can imagine myself sitting on this comfy chair, wrapped in a blanket with a book in hand.

Alex sits on the chair first, pulling me onto his lap and kissing my cheek gently. God, I’m going to miss these sweet kisses.

“Liv, I’ve been trying to tell you this for the past four days and it has been near impossible. So I do really need you to let me say it. If when I’m done you think I’m crazy, we can add that to the list of names you’ve called me. Is that okay?” he asks. Even though I want to ask so many questions, all I do is nod.

“I know we only met twelve days ago. I know that for most people, and on most occasions, that’s not enough time to say someone has changed their lives. But I think that might not be the case here. You see, Livie, these past twelve days… I’ve laughed more than I have in years. I’ve smiled more, too. I know it may sound dumb but I’ve been trying to find how to give more meaning to my life, and I thought volunteering and fundraising events might give me that. And I’m sure they will, but to be honest, what has shown me that life is more than the daily grind and whatever other lies I’ve told myself… is you. I’ve enjoyed every single second I got to know you. I’ve more than enjoyed it. I don’t know how I’m supposed to wake up tomorrow and not see you or talk to you. God, I don’t even know how to say this other than I think I might love you, Liv. And I know it may sound crazy, but I do, and I would love nothing more than to show you for the rest of your days how much that’s true.”

I stay quiet,. letting this moment sink in. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. “Alex,” I start.

He shakes his head, looking away from me. “It’s okay, Livie. I just needed to let it out. The deal was until today, so I understand.”

I can barely contain my grin. “No, you dummy! That wasn’t a sadAlex, that was anI can’t believe this is happening, Alex. What if I told you I love you, too, you big grumpy, closeted hippie, dork? I thought I was crazy, but apparentlyI’m not. And we’re both just two fools who fell in love with each other.”

Alex lifts me up, pulling me closer to him and hugging me tight, spilling the coffee all over the floor. “God, I love you so much. Thank you,” he says.

“Thank you for what?” I ask.

“Thank you for being you. Thank you for being the gift rarely given this Christmas and thank you for letting me love you, Liv. I promise I will show you how you deserved to be loved every day for as long as you let me.”

“I can’t wait to showyouhow you deserve to be loved, too. Merry Christmas, Alexander James Haddock.”

“Merry Christmas, my little elf.”

EPILOGUE

MARRY YOU, BRUNO MARS

April

Livie

“The monster’s coming,”I growl, lifting my hands up, holding them like claws and chasing the kids into the lounge. This was a hard week for all of us as we lost one of our nurses. More often than not, it’s the children who either leave or sometimes unavoidably pass away. The latter is the saddest part of this career but we know that it will happen. Losing one of our nurses in a freak accident is not. I’ve tried my hardest to be present for the kids. Not only present, but happily present. Playing and reading to them every chance I get to try to alleviate some of the sad feelings floating around.

“Where are the children? I’m going to eat the children!” I call in a Scooby Doo villain’s voice, but when I turn thecorner and into the lounge, all the children are sitting or standing in a line. They’re all looking at me with big smiles on their faces and holding pieces of paper.

“Mmm, what are you guys doing?” I question as I stand there confused. I look around and see some of the nurses, Cassie, Mateo and Hailey looking my way, all smiling too. “Okay, is someone going to explain to me what’s going on?”

All the children start saying nonsense sounds but together it sounds like a funny melody. Almost as if they’re trying to sing acapella for me. I clap on the beats of their voices, smiling at them because I will always be their greatest cheerleader. But this rhythm, this melody, is awfully familiar.

Zack, one of the boys, steps forward singing the first line of ‘Marry Me’ by Train. As he finishes it, he looks to the side and then Laurie, our resident grump, steps forward and sings the following line.

“What’s going on?” I ask as Lilly sings the next line, followed by her index finger going up to her mouth signaling me to be quiet. They keep going all the way to the end of the line. Riley, the last kiddo standing in the formation, turns his face to Zack at the same the song is about to go to the chorus. I would know, because this is one of my favorite songs in the world.

As the chorus starts, all the children, one by one, start flipping the papers.

“Will…”I whisper.

“You? Will you?” They start smiling bigger and Cassie’s nowcrying.What on earth?

“Mare? Will you mar—” Oh my God. As soon as I try to read the last bit of the message, the last kids flip their papers, completing the questionWill you marry me?They move to the side of the room, continuing their singing. There, in the middle of the hospital lounge, wearing the emerald green suit I love, is Alex on one knee.

I let out a sob, covering my mouth as I walk to him. He’s flashing me his million-dollar smile, warming everyone in this cold room with it. He’s singing the rest of the song, with his completely out of pitch tone that I love so much. He holds my hand with his left as his right hand is holding the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen. It’s a princess cut solitaire diamond in a delicate gold band.Classy and simple is all I want,I told him in passing the other day when we were talking about celebrity rings. The sneaky, sneaky boy was probably asking for this purpose because this is exactly what I pictured when I said that.

“Alex, what are you doing?” I ask in between sobs.

“Asking the most beautiful girl, my best friend, my best comfort, and my best goodnight to make me the happiest man in the world and spend the rest of her life with me,” he replies.

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