Without You

Chapter 60

"Girl time" caroline screeches as she comes down the stairs and into the kitchen "you boys have to leave" she says pointing to josh and Ashton 

"sorry" I turn and say to Ashton 

"it's fine you need this tell her the news" he says to me with a smile 

"what? what news I need to know right now" 

"wait I'll tell you when we're alone" 

"okay fine" she says calming down 

"bye" I say to Ashton 

"bye I love you" he says kissing me before walking away 

"ew" josh grumbles 

"get a room" caroline says 

"what you both know it's not that big of a deal" I tell them 

"doesn't mean we want to see it" Josh says as he leaves the kitchen 

as soon as their out of earshot caroline turns to me "what is it what's the news I need to know right now" 

"your gonna have to wait till after we make snacks" I say holding her off for as long as I can 

"your not pregnant are you" she says excitement turning into concern 

"oh god no" 

"thank the lord" 

"I told you we haven't even you know yet" 

"yes but things could have changed" 

"in 3 hours?" 

"yeah" she says I roll my eyes at her and continue to make my smorgasbord of snacks. When we were done picking out and making snacks we carried all our things into the den, setting them on the coffee table and picking out a show to watch 

"how about Riverdale?" she asks me 

"naw not today" I say shoving a handful of popcorn into my mouth 

"Ooo how about stranger things" 

"no" caroline says 

"okay um" we then make eye contact and basically read each other's minds "euphoria" we say together laughing about the coincidence I press play on the show as we settle in me on the lazy boy and caroline sprawled out on the couch passing snacks back and forth trading when the other requested or when we got tired of what we were munching on until about three episodes in when I couldn't handle holding it in any longer my finger feeling empty and my heart betrayed by not wearing it 

"I have to tell you I can't wait any longer" 

"finally that's all I've been thinking about for the past two hours" 

"Why didn't you say anything" 

"I knew you'd crack but that's not important what's the news" I then reach into my pocket and pull out a small box the same box Ashton had pulled out earlier and slide it over to her 

"Is this what I think it is" 

"kind of" I say she pops open the box and I see her visible gasp 

"did he propose" 

"kind of" I say taking the box from her and getting the ring out slipping it on my finger "it's a promise ring" 

"wow" she says taking hold of my hand to inspect it closer "a star?" she questions 

"yeah" 

"why" 

"it's Ashton's symbol because he's my star" 

"that's cute" 

"yes but it's crazy we've been officially dating for well 3? 4 weeks" 

"well when you know you know and Ashton knows" 

"But how so soon" 

"Blake this man has been in love with you for the entirety of at least your adult lives and clearly you feel the same or else you wouldn't be wearing it right now you wouldn't have kissed him in the kitchen" 

"I guess you're right" 

"you're lucky only if Josh could be the same I mean we have two kids together and no ring on this finger not even a promise ring" 

"yeah but josh isn't like that he doesn't see value in something that's just eventually going to get replaced but I know that he's going to get you the real thing soon" 

"how soon though" 

"fairly soon" we then keep talking about our boys changing the subject to past boys failed relationships and hookups that ended in disaster till we pass out fast asleep