In Harmony(121)

I glanced down at her, then back to the audience. Intermission was almost over. The two of us stood behind a curtain, waiting to take the stage together.

This was the perfect place. The perfect time.

There was no other.

Sorry, Marty, I thought. I can’t wait another minute.

As I mentally went over my prepared words, Willow moved closer. Her shoulder warm along my shoulder, her hand slipping into mine. “Isaac?”

“Mm.”

“There’s something I need to tell you. I was going to wait but I can’t. Not one more second.” Her lips brushed against my ear. “I’m pregnant.”

Every thought in my head evaporated as I stared at her. “What?”

She was radiant, joy coming out of her pores, shining in the blue topaz of her eyes. “I’m pregnant. I’m going to have a baby. Your baby.”

“My baby…”

My heart. God my fucking heart was going to explode out of my chest with happiness when I already thought it couldn’t contain a single ounce more.

She bit her lip, watching my dumbstruck reaction. “Are you happy? Or are you worried it’s too soon? Or…?”

“You really are?”

She nodded.

“Holy shit.” A shocked laugh burst out of me. “Holy shit, for real?”

“For real.”

I laughed again and ran a hand through my hair. “Fuck. I can’t remember any of my lines.” I took hold of her face, falling into the bright blue of her eyes. “You’re going to have a baby?”

She nodded, tears slipping down her cheek. “Yes, honey. I am.” She took my hand and put it over her stomach. “We are. I suspected I was pregnant a few weeks ago, and I took a test this morning.” She grinned. “I passed.”

“Oh my God.” I staggered away, then came back to kiss her again and again. “Is this my life?”

Her head nodded under my chin. “It is,” she whispered, and then her shoulders heaved a tremendous sigh. “I’m so glad you’re happy. I didn’t know how you’d react. I mean, we’re not even married.”

Another happy, disbelieving laugh burst out of me, and I reached into my pocket. “No, we’re not married,” I said, bringing out the box. “It’s lucky I happen to have this lying around.”

I held it up for her to see.

Willow’s eyes widened and her hands flew to her mouth. “Isaac…”

“I figured we might need it in case you ever wanted to make an honest man of me. I guess that day is today.”

“Oh my God.”

I dropped to one knee, my hands shaking as I opened the box. “Willow…I had so much to tell you. I had a whole speech… God, I can’t think.”

She stroked my cheek, shaking her head. “I hear it, Isaac. I hear it in every look, every touch. I hear you. The words of your heart.”

“I need to say it,” I swallowed hard. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” she whispered, sinking to her knees. “Of course I will. Yes.”

I slipped the ring on her finger. Still kneeling in the tent, we kissed through tears until Martin called places.

“Oh God,” she said. “I can’t remember any of my lines now either.”

“We’ll just wing it,” I said.

“Wing Shakespeare?”

Willow stood up and I kissed her stomach, where my child was growing. Our child. A boy or girl who would know more love and happiness from their parents than we ever had. A child who would never, ever doubt that we loved.

On the circular stage, under a blaring sun, Willow, as Rosalind pretending to be someone else, smiled coyly at me.

“What would you say to me now, an I were your very, very Rosalind?”

“I would kiss before I spoke,” I said, and we looked through the characters to each other, and I knew she heard my unspoken words.

And tell you I love you.