CHAPTER583
The park is not that cold and as we wander around hand in hand eating hot dogs, feeling a hundred times better than I have in months. Arrick is on good form tonight, as the sun goes down and New York is still bustling with dog walkers and people strolling the park. He has been making jokes, laughing along with me, attentive as ever. He seems happy to be here in the city again, a lot happier than we are in France and I wonder if he too hates being there as much as I do. He has never said he doesn’t like the place, but knowing him, he wouldn’t want to put that kind of pressure on me either. I can feel it though. In how much more relaxed we are, how much we are smiling and fooling around, and I feel younger and more carefree than I have in months.
“I don’t know how the hell you can eat so much and still weigh nothing.” Arry watches me put away my second hot dog after two corn dogs we had on the way here and I grin while stuffing the last of it in my mouth.
“You can talk… you eat a lot more than me and yet look like you do.” I poke him in the ab, and he pulls me in for a hug that brings us to a standstill in the middle of the walkway.
“Want to go to the fountain and make a wish?” He grins at me, something really boyish about him tonight and I giggle.
“Thought you said that was a dumb tradition and you are sick of giving me truckloads of quarters for every visit.” I remind him of our last trip here where I made three hundred wishes for the most random of things, just so I could keep splashing coins in the water.
“Yeah but, you know, it’s our tradition and I think it’ll be nice to go there and complete our routine of a Central Park walk. It’s a clear night tonight, we can head out of the city after and star gaze if you like.” He kisses me on the nose and despite the chilly air his face and lips are still warm, whereas my nose is numb. I snuggle in against him and wrap myself tight into his body as he rests his chin on my head.
“Take me to the fountain… Better hope I am not wishing for a new boyfriend though, or you may be doomed.” I giggle when he tickles me through my clothes and scoot away when he attempts to pick me up off my feet in a playful way.
“Never. You wouldn’t ever find anyone with my patience and skill at dealing with you.” Arry follows me as I lead the way and even though I say nothing I know it’s true. I sometimes don’t see how good for me he really is. I should appreciate him more and give him less of a hard time.
The fountain is not too crowded, couples milling around looking exactly like us tonight and I pull my gloves off in eager anticipation as I pick a spot at the edge where I can stand on the stone ledge.
“Here, I came prepared.” Arry nudges me and I turn to accept the handful of coins he dumps in my palm for me to throw, getting a huge smile in response as he shakes his head at me, unable to stop smiling either.
I love this. Our impromptu walk like old times and the fact he even brought me some coins for the fountain. Some people love crazy extravagant outings, but one of my favorite places in the world has always been central park fountain. It was one of the first places in the city that Arry ever brought me, a long time ago, in my first ever real outing here with him. I never forgot the fun we had or how much closer that day brought us. We did exactly this same thing as we are doing now. We ate hot dogs, walked to the fountain where he handed me a crap load of quarters and let me make my wishes. He told me back then that if I made enough of the same wish then it would surely come true and even after all these years… it did.
I have him.
Arrick helps me climb on the edge of my usually optimum throwing spot before he steps back to give me arm launching room. I like to throw them expertly.
I stand and start rhyming off my list of juvenile wishes in my head as I throw coin after coin; the usual ones like make my mom happier, give Leila a break with her hyper twins, make Jake and Emma stay in love forever and other juvenile nonsense. Crazily mesmerized by the way they slosh and sink so gracefully in the clear water, leaving tiny ripples which grow as they reach the edge. I’ve always been calmed by water and love playing in it. Watching the waves and the splashes and how shiny even the older coins look as they flutter gracefully below the surface. There’s something so pretty about it, so clean and refreshing and it makes everything magical.
I hold up the last coin, squeeze it tight in my palm before making a wish that I always leave until last.
I wish that we will always be this happy, always be together. Arry will never leave me.
I throw it in and watch it as it makes an extra big splosh, before flipping and turning delicately, dancing almost, as it sinks to the bottom and turn with glee to smile at Arry. Except he’s not there at eye level when I turn around. I have a moment of panic, my chest constricting that he has off and left me, before my eyes are dragged down instinctively and realize he is there, right behind me, just not up where he should be.
He’s crouching down to tie his lace or something and when I hop off the ledge happily, to get down beside him I realize he’s not tying his lace at all. My stomach tightens and my heart somersaults simultaneously.… Arrick is on bended knee as he tilts his chin up to me and holds out a black leather ring box with a look of complete pale fear on his face, trying so hard for a genuine smile, while my heart stops beating.
He can’t be… We talked about this… He wouldn’t spring it on me.
My breath catches in my throat, and I instantly feel faint with the realization that he is on the ground about to do the one thing we agreed to not do for a few years and I suddenly have no clue how to feel. This is the last thing I ever expected, especially after the last forty-eight hours between us.
I’m in shock, crazily surprised and aware of the gathering crowd of nosey romantic New Yorkers pushing in to see what’s happening. I swallow hard, throat drying with nerves and I cannot tear my eyes off his. Like a deer in the headlights I am rooted to my spot and aware of everyone staring at us. I always hated being the center of attention and this right here is overwhelming me.
Arry eyes me warily, he looks nervous as hell and it melts my heart as his eyes meet mine so unsurely. So green as he’s clearly emotional, and it calms my crazy turmoil. Grounding me with just a look from him. My boy looks scared and I feel for him.
“I know we said we would wait…” He begins, and I automatically sit down on the edge of the fountain, so I am closer to his height, face to face with only a foot or two between us. I don’t want him to have to speak up for them, this is for my ears only and I need the seat to steady my Jell-O legs right now. My nerves are a mess. “I know lately life has been going to hell, that it seems like we keep arguing and getting upset with each other over dumb shit, but there is one thing that never changes, Sophs… and that’s how I feel about you. If anything, it gets stronger every day. I love you, more than life.” He shifts closer and takes my hand in his with the box still between us. It’s not open yet; he’s waiting to see how I react, I guess. My heart is in my mouth and my insides are churning with fear, excitement, nerves. I have no clue how to react.
“This morning only served to remind me of what I have to lose; seeing you fall apart when you thought I… It really got to me, Sophs. You love me as much as I love you and seeing how easily I can break you… It drove it home. I don’t want to waste any more time. You can tell me to wait the five years to actually plan the wedding, but I want to ask you to be my wife. I want to marry you and make you feel secure and adored, because I do adore you. I’m crazy about you. I want the happy ever after I know we can have together. I know we can be happy, because you make my life so much more.” He shifts from one knee to the other, oblivious of the silent ring of people pretending they are not listening in. I guess trying to still his own nerves and my heart is so full to bursting. I think I may self-implode with all the feels he is giving me right now. I love him so much and I never saw this coming at all. I can barely conceal the tears filling my eyes or the way I have started trembling. My whole body wracked with crazy emotion and my eyes are misting with the lump in my throat.
“Marry me, baby, make my life complete. Make me the happiest guy on the planet and let me prove to you once and for all, it’s only ever going to be you for me. You’re my missing piece. You’re the only thing in this world that makes me complete.” He looks me dead in the eye, so much genuine emotion in that face I love so much, and I break inside. Tears set loose as I start to nod impulsively. Insides overwhelmed with a million crazy tingles, yet I have no doubts. I feel that way about him too."
