Page 197 of Destined Lovers

Agnes rubs my legs in an approving way, as I turn towards her.

“Why did you have to tell me today, of all days? I’ve been looking forward to getting engaged my whole life, and now this is what I’ll remember.” I look down at my ring again. I can’t get over that I’m engaged and wearing my mam’s ring.

“Well, this wasn’t the plan,” she leans over and playfully punches Declan in the arm.

“This one messed it up because he couldn’t wait to be your fiancé a second longer.”

Fiancé.

I can’t help the huge smile that spreads across my face. “We’re getting married,” I whisper and look over in his direction, and he has the same goofy smile on his face.

“We are Pip. Finally.”

I turn back to Agnes, “What plan?” I ask and can feel the shift in the air. “What now?”

She takes a deep breath and says, “The next part is up to you. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. However, your parents made you videos.”

I instantly sit up on full alert, “Videos?”

“The first one is a greeting for after the court case. Then, there are videos for your wedding day, when you give birth. All the monumental moments in your life. So that brings us to today. In order to see your celebratory video, you need to see the first video. That’s why we had to tell you now.” She narrows her eyes again at Declan, and this makes sense now. She was supposed to have me watch the first video and then eventually the others. Not all together.

Part of me is happy that I’ll see my parents again via video, even if it’s not in person. Although, the other part of me is sad that they aren’t here for this.

The days without my parents are challenging, but I’m finally starting to cope. The nightmares aren’t as frequent, and after the visit from my mam in my dreams, I think it may be nice to see their face again. I miss them.

“It’s up to you whether you watch them or not. There is no pressure.” She mutters.

“I want to watch them. If they wanted me to see them, I want to see them.” I say without a doubt in my mind.

After a bit of silence and reflection, I lean back on the couch and rest my head on Declan’s shoulder with a sigh.

“What’s wrong, Pip?”

I shake my head. It’s stupid.

“Tell me.”

“I don’t want to be engaged. I only want to be married to you, and I don’t want to wait anymore. It’s our time, Dec. It’s finally our time. I don’t need anything big or fancy, just you, Maeve, and Agnes by my side. When can we get married?”

He chuckles at my candor, “Right now.” He deadpans.

“What’s right now?” I ask, and he wiggles papers in front of me, so I take them out of his hand and read them over.

“What!” I shriek and jump off the couch. When he saidright now, he meantright now, and he has the marriage license to prove it.

“Holy hell, Declan. Is this seriously happening?”

Oh. My. God.

I’m going to get married to Declan…today!

He stands, so I fling myself in his arms, and he twirls me around…thisisbliss. Maeve's squeals of happiness echo through the house. I see her and Penny there, full of happiness, while bacon barks along at all the madness. Because that’s what it is—pure madness. ‘Tis our life now, not one dull moment, and I’m entirely okay with that.

“This is why you have to show me the videos today because I’m getting married?”

“Yes, exactly,” Agnes replies.

I’m excited to see the videos now. It’s going to be okay, and I know it’s normal to be sad, because this is a different type of sadness, and I have my favorite people by my side.

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