Page 71 of Shielding Maya

She laughed. "So, you'll have a toilet, sink, and shower in here?"

He nodded. "And, a place for a refrigerator, stove, and more counter space. Where the table is now in front of the fireplace, we'll buy a sofa like you have down below. We don't have anything like that now, so we can sit on the sofa in front of the fire."

Emotion clogged her throat and her nose tingled. Her eyes watered and the side of the cabin wavered from the tears in her eyes. "That's beautiful, Jasiah."

"I want you to have everything. It's going to be loud and messy for a couple of days, but before Thanksgiving, we'll have a larger cabin."

She turned and faced him. "That's wonderful, Jasiah."

He grinned. "And, I have one more thing."

He took her hand and led her to the woods. He turned and followed a path into the woods. "Do you recognize this place?"

She glanced around the area, then noticed the thicket of brush in front of her. "This is where we hid from Malibu Man when he killed the senator."

"This is where I met the woman of my dreams. She came to me through that entrance over there. I waved you over and took your hand urging you to kneel down. And I watched you chase him and couldn't have been more impressed by you. Tiny little woman with big confidence and bravery."

Her heart began to race. Pride blossomed again as she watched his face. Staring into his eyes, her love grew stronger than she believed it could. She swallowed emotion, she focused on breathing evenly. She was failing at even breathing.

He knelt down on one knee. "Maya Sager. Helen of Troy. Baby. Will you marry me?"

A sob tore from her throat, it came deep from inside her chest. She opened her mouth but words wouldn't come. She finally swallowed and took in a deep breath. "Yes." It came out as a whisper, but she'd say it louder as soon as she could speak again.

He pulled a ring from his shirt pocket. A thick gold band glinted in the light that shown through the trees. Both edges of the band looked like lace, a thin shiny gold ring circled the center. He slipped it on her finger and she stared at it. It was exquisite. And perfect.

"My mother has made jewelry for years. She'd been working on this one for a long time and hoped one day I'd give it to the woman of my dreams. She gave it to me yesterday. I see it fits perfectly, so I believe, it was meant to be. On the day we marry, a thin gold band will fit tightly with the lace and have a ring of diamonds in the center."

"Oh my god. Jasiah." She was breathless. "It's simply perfect."

He stood and she threw her arms around his shoulders and planted her lips against his. His arms circled her body and held her closely. When they parted for air, she tucked her nose into the crook of his neck and kissed him. Her eyes closed tightly and they stood together for a long time. Her life changed the second she'd entered these woods not long ago. She never would have guessed.

41

Jasiah woke early. Today was the day. Actually, today was many days. Thanksgiving. Election Day. And, the day his life would be completed by making Maya his wife. He wanted to marry today because he couldn't ever be more thankful than he'd be on the day he married. At long last, he was going to be married.

Maya's mom insisted she spend the night in Glen Hollow last night citing some bad luck wives’ tale about seeing the bride before the wedding. He spent the night finishing up the shower. A plumber came from town the past couple of days and worked on the installation of the sink, toilet, and shower. He hooked up the kitchen sink, and the refrigerator had a water spigot in the door, which he hooked up. He laughed when he walked around the cabin. The size had doubled, the conveniences were amazing. The only thing they needed was a sofa. He wanted Maya to pick it out.

A knock on the door called his attention, and he opened it up to find his mom standing before him.

He reached down and hugged her close. "Good morning. Would you like to try a cup of coffee?"

She smiled. "I would."

He spent a bit of time explaining the coffee pot to her, then handed her a fresh cup of coffee. "If it's bitter, you can add cream or sugar or both."

She sipped and winced. He chuckled. "Creamer?"

She nodded and he pulled the powdered creamer from a cabinet and sprinkled it in her coffee, it disappeared and turned her coffee a lighter shade of brown. She sipped again and smiled. "That's pretty good."

He chuckled. "Let me show you around."

“Watch this." He pulled a glass from the cupboard and held it against the water dispenser in the refrigerator door. Water poured out and she gasped. "Well, I'll be."

He laughed. "It's pretty great."

He showed her the stove and she whispered, "Wow."

Then he showed her the bathroom. She was filled with wonder at it all and he saw pride in her face. "You've done a beautiful job with all of this Jasiah."

---