When August Ends(78)
“Oh my God, yes. That’s a great idea. It’s so wonderful he remembered that.”
Noah looped my fingers in with his as we continued walking. “Back when I told you the story of my Cuba trip, I didn’t mention that it came very soon after the letter from Opal, during the height of my depression. Meeting Daniel really helped me to stop feeling sorry for myself—seeing how strong he was and how he persevered despite the odds against him. Everything feels more connected than it ever has right now—the way you and I met, being here with you, and running into him on the last full day of our trip. It feels like everything has come full circle.”
He stopped walking and faced me. “When we were in Paris, you were napping at the apartment and I took a walk. I passed a jewelry store. I had no intention of buying anything that day, but then I happened to see a ring in the window. I couldn’t believe how perfect it was for you. I knew I had to at least inquire about it. To be honest, I didn’t really care how much it cost—I knew I wasn’t walking out of there without it.”
My heart raced as he continued.
“I told myself I wasn’t going to give it to you for a very long time, that I was going to wait until you were done with school. But every single day since I bought it, I’ve had to stop myself from getting down on one knee. This morning I asked the universe to give me a sign that my gut was right—that I should keep the ring in my pocket and do it before this trip was over. I’m pretty sure running into Daniel was the sign I was waiting for.”
“Oh my God.”
“Traveling the world with you showed me even more clearly what I already knew, that you and I make the best team, that you’re my partner. There’s no one else I would rather continue the journey of life with. It doesn’t matter where we are as long as I have you by my side. I believe everything that has happened to me thus far—the good and the bad— happened to get me to this moment. Heather and Noah Do the World might be ending when we get back to Pennsylvania, but I’m wondering if you’d start another kind of adventure with me—one that’s forever. I know this isn’t my first rodeo. I may not be perfect, and I may fuck up at times, but I have to put aside those fears and take the risk. I love you too much not to, and I just can’t wait any longer to ask.”
My big man got down on one knee and looked up at me with his beautiful brown eyes, the color of Cuban coffee. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a velvet pouch. When he opened it, I knew instantly why he’d had to buy this ring.
“Heather Louise Chadwick, will you do me the honor of being my wife? Will you marry me?”
The sparkling round diamond was adorned on each side by a beautiful opal—my sister, the fallen angel who’d brought us together. I normally shunned thoughts of her, but in this moment, I let myself feel her presence. It warmed me as the sunlight illuminated the stones. My sister was here with me now, shining through their brightness. I knew she was looking down and blessing this.
With my hand on my chest, I did my best to form words. “From the moment you walked into my life, nothing else seemed to matter. That feeling has only grown. I’ve wanted to marry you for a very long time, longer than I should probably admit. Heck, I would have said yes if you’d asked me in New Hampshire. I am crazy about you. So, yes—the answer is yes! I will take this adventure with you today, tomorrow, and forever.”
EPILOGUE
* * *
NOAH
THREE-AND-A-HALF YEARS LATER
Today we were ringing in Heather’s twenty-fifth birthday. I won’t mention the fact that I was now pushing thirty-nine and flirting with forty. It seemed like just yesterday we’d celebrated her twenty-first. We still had the Poltergeist cake top in our freezer, right next to the ice trays. It had traveled from New Hampshire to Pennsylvania in a cooler. Pretty sure that thing would outlast all of us.
Heather was a little over halfway finished with her nursing degree. She’d enrolled at West Chester University near our house shortly after we returned from our travels. When she wasn’t studying, she was either bartending at a restaurant down the road or helping me with admin stuff at my studio.
The biggest recent change was that Heather’s mother had come to live with us in Pennsylvania. After a few years of watching over Alice, Katy had had enough of living with her sister. She’d said she really missed Boston and wanted to move back to the city. Just before Katy left, Heather and her mother sold the New Hampshire house. While Alice had been doing better mentally than in years past, Heather still worried about her living alone. I knew she didn’t want to ask me if Alice could move in with us. So I saved her the trouble and suggested it first, making it seem like it was my idea.
That meant Fathead now lived with us, too. Between the dog, the almost-mother-in-law, and the guinea pigs, it was a full house. But I knew Heather felt more complete with her mom here. She no longer had to worry about her from afar. So that made Alice’s occasional meddling worth it. The long-term plan was to buy a bigger house with an in-law apartment.
I should probably get on that soon.
Still engaged, Heather and I hadn’t yet tied the knot. We wanted to plan a wedding after she finished her undergraduate degree. Right now she worked hard to balance school and work.
I wanted to make her twenty-fifth a special birthday, so I’d surprised her with a trip up to Burlington, Vermont, to visit her best friend, Ming. Heather hadn’t had many chances to spend quality time with her over the past few years. Ming lived with a boyfriend now, and the four of us had a blast just chilling at their house and barbecuing. It made me happy to watch Heather and Ming reminisce about the short time they’d lived together. Ming was a forever friend. Don’t think I didn’t arrive at her place without a case of baby powder, either. Luckily, she has a great sense of humor.