Page 55 of Treasured
We crossed the gates of the park, and she closed her eyes and held my hands and said, “Listen, birds are singing, and we need to talk.”
Adrenaline rushed in my veins. Something was wrong. “We do?”
She trembled a little and held my chest like she needed me to balance. I cupped her hips but then I saw a tear fall down her cheek as she said, “Yeah. When I met you, I was certain I’d never fall in love with another man.”
A tear leaked off her face, and I ignored the ice I felt in my veins. “Mary, I’m glad you took a chance with me.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, and for one second, I thought this was horrible. “Me too, and I need to tell you something.”
“What’s going on, Mary?”
She wiped her face and held her stomach again as she said, “This morning when you went to tour the gun company, I wasn’t feeling good.”
Oh. I pointed to the street and said, “We can reschedule everything if you want to go home. I need five minutes to get the limo.”
She reached out and took my hand in hers. “No. That’s not it. I need to tell you something.”
Maybe she knew already what was wrong. I widened my stance, unsure how to fight off disease for her but asked, “What? Is it bad? Are you sick?”
She turned away from me. “No. Last time, I didn’t know… but let me spit this out.”
Her face was white and I kept my voice low. “You’re scaring me.”
She clutched me tighter as she said, “I hope not. I’m pregnant, Dwayne.”
For a moment I couldn’t think. I couldn’t breathe. I’d never once thought… I’d be a father, though with Bruce I hoped I was doing well.
But Mary’s womb growing because of me made my chest swell like I’d won something. I hugged her and said, “You are!”
Her face regained its color as she nodded and said, “Yeah.”
I tugged her closer and smiled. “Come here.”
Then I kissed her, and her lips were sweet, like cream cake.
For a second, my kiss hardened, like I’d walk her to a tree and fuck her there, but I let her go.
Her cheeks were red as she asked, “You’re happy?”
I went down on one knee and held her hand. “Will you marry me, Mary?”
She pressed her hand to her heart. “You don’t have to ask because I’m pregnant.”
I squeezed her hand and found the ring box in my pocket. Then I showed it to her as I said, “I’m not… look. I had a plan to give it to you during dessert.”
She tugged me up and squeezed my shoulders as she said, “If you’re talking ice cream, that sounds great.”
I traced her smooth skin and said, “That’s not an answer.”
She let out a small sob, and her eyes were misting. “Dwayne. I just didn’t want you to see me crying again.”
Too late for that, but I kept that to myself. I kissed her thumbs and said, “I don’t want to ever make you cry.”
She took out the colorless princess-cut diamond and slipped the platinum ring on her finger. “These are happy tears. I love you and want to marry you more than anything.”
I hugged her and said, “Good. I love you, too, and we’re going to be a family.”
Mary and Bruce made my heart grow. I was blessed she was in my life, and I would treasure her forever because that epitomized who Mary was to me. She was better than gold or the company. She had my heart, always and forever.
