Page 75 of Falling Again
Anthony had heard theexpression ‘out of body experience’ so many times it had lost all meaning. But now, standing in the diner’s employee parking lot with the woman he loved, he understood. He didn’t feel like a participant in this faux proposal, he felt like a spectator. Just like inA Christmas Carol, he was Scrooge floating around himself hoping that this time he’d make the right choice. This time he’d make the choices that kept love in his life.
“Marry me, Nat.” This time he didn’t frame it as a question. It was a statement.
Slowly his wife’s deep brown gaze grew watery with unshed tears. Anthony pulled a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and carefully dabbed at her eyes. He’d been around Natalie and her expansive makeup collection long enough to know that running mascara was a mood killer. Natalie owned so many of those ridiculous, colorful tubes of face paint that she could open her own Sephora.
When her tears had dried, Anthony exchanged the handkerchief for a ring box. “What’s this?” she asked, looking at the box like it contained all the answers to life’s questions.
Anthony had bought the ring over two years ago, right after Otis was born. He and Natalie had been at the jewelry store on Main Street, and she’d commented on how much she loved the setting. A white gold band supported two diamonds and a pair of rubies. It was not only hers and Anthony’s birthstones, but the children’s as well. The very next day he marched into the shop and bought the ring, ready to give it to her on their tenth anniversary. Now the time had arrived, and as he opened the box Anthony could only hope that she still loved the ring.
“Oh my God,” Natalie gasped as she saw the sparkling stones, and her eyes brimmed with fresh tears. “Anthony, how did you—”
“I went back and got it the day after you saw it. I could tell you loved it, and I knew it belonged on your finger.” Not wasting another second, Anthony tugged the ring from its velvet cushion and slid it onto her right hand. It fit perfectly, thank God.
Natalie wiggled her hand in the fading sunlight, smiling as the ring sparkled. “It’s perfect.” Looking up to meet his eye she amended, “Everything is perfect.”
Anthony let out the longest exhale of his life. “Does this mean you’ll marry me?”
Natalie giggled and shook her head. “We’re already married. But I’ll go party with you if that’s what this is.” She looped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss.
Anthony savored the taste of her on his tongue a moment before stepping back. “Um, it’s more than a party.”
“What do you mean?”
“I pulled in some favors around town, and we’re getting married in—” He made a show of checking his watch. “Four and a half minutes. If you’ll have me.”
Natalie shook her head, but she was still smiling. “Did you hit your head or something?”
Anthony chuckled. “Quite possibly. I called Pastor Rawlings. He’s inside, along with thirty of our closest family and friends. Will you renew your vows with me, Nat? I promise this time not to muck this up. You and the kids are my priority, and I’ll never plan another surprise party as long as I live.”
This time Anthony wasn’t fast enough with the handkerchief. Tears of joy spilled down Natalie’s cheeks, but thankfully her mascara held firm. “Of course,” Natalie managed through her tears. “I would love to marry you.”
Anthony pulled her close and he couldn’t stop himself from tearing up. This moment was too perfect, having Natalie back in his arms and a smile on her lips. “I love you so much, Nat.”
“I love you too.”
Before he could kiss her again, a commotion erupted behind them. “Did she say yes, or do we need to toss all this food?” Trudy asked, her expression only slightly concerned.
Natalie snorted and pulled back, blotting her wet cheeks with her hands. “No one is tossing anything. We’re getting remarried.”
“Thank God for that,” Trudy said and gave Anthony the thumbs up. “Can I send out the kids?”
Anthony straightened his suit jacket and nodded. “Send them out.”
“Mommy! Daddy!” Madeline shouted as she bounded down the backstairs of the diner. She was clad in her flower girl dress from Max and Ginny’s wedding, which thankfully still fit her growing frame. Otis waddled out in his church suit, which somehow already had a chocolate stain on the front. But Anthony didn’t care; they both looked perfect to him.
Madeline ran up to Natalie but stopped short. “Why is Mommy crying?”
Natalie kissed her daughter’s cheek. “These are happy tears, Maddie. Sometimes grownups cry happy tears when they are really, really happy.”
Madeline’s little nose wrinkled as she thought the idea through. “Kind of like when I got to build my own American Girl doll?”
“Exactly like that,” Anthony agreed.
Seeming satisfied with the line of reasoning, Madeline took Otis’s hand in hers. “Then we need to move. Aunt Alice said she’s hungry.”
“Well we can’t keep her waiting.” Natalie winked and took Anthony’s hand. Together the four of them marched into the diner’s back door and through the kitchen.
On the counter was a creation CeCe had spent the last three hours making. It was a cake with her famous snickerdoodle frosting, their initials piped on top, and sugar art spun all around. “How did CeCe manage to get this ready so soon?” Anthony asked a waiting Evan.
