Toxic - Rudy Pankow

Seventy Six <3

||Josette's POV||

My mind is absolutely fucking spinning it's like I'm on some theme park ride and my body is shaking like it never has before. The tears from my eyes are like a fucking waterfall.

The man I love, the man who I'm having a baby with is currently down on one knee in front of me with the most gorgeous ring I've ever seen presented in my face and my words are frozen. He is asking me to marry him.

Marriage. Did I want marriage? How do I even feel about marriage? Truth be told, marriage was something that I never wanted, I was never the type of girl who would fantasise about her wedding day. A family was something I wanted no doubt about it but getting married? It wasn't for me. Everyone that I was surrounded by who was married had a relationship that was far from perfect. Take my parents for example, in this very moment they were getting a divorce after 20 odd years. Everything that I've heard about marriage was negative and was posed as something that trapped you.

Rudy and I have never actually had the conversation about marriage before. We had discussed being together forever as such but never marriage, I just assumed that he was on the same wave length as I was and didn't want it. But fuck I now see how wrong I was.

He is still on one knee in front of me and I take time to fully digest it all, he looks hot and it distracts me for a long minute. He's wearing black dress pants with a white shirt, the sleeves are rolled up and the buttons are undone revealing a slight amount of chest. His normally messy blonde hair was perfectly positioned and his whole attire made me swoon. The light from the sunset shon on his face illuminating it so perfectly and it made his crystal blue eyes all the more perfect and I found myself lost in them. How could a man possibly be so fucking perfect without even trying?

There were multiple small tealight candles in a circle around us on the stand and I didn't even realise that we were perfectly positioned in the middle of them all. This entire gesture was on a whole new level of romantic, Rudy and I had romance in our lives but this, this was different. Dylan was no longer with me and I figured that he had disappeared in order to give us some privacy. Was he in on this? Dylan knew that marriage wasn't something that I had wanted, did he not give Rudy any advice at all? It was clear that Rudy had put so much thought and care into this entire plan and it warmed my heart but the feeling of this being far from what I wanted was still prominent.

The sound of the waved crashing behind me pulled me from my thoughts and admiration of the entire set up. I still hadn't sent anything to Rudy and I can only imagine the feeling that he was getting right now awaiting my reply. But truth was I didn't even know what my reply was going to be. I was so torn by this whole situation.

"Ru...." My voice is broken, and my tears have no desire in stopping. The expecting smile on his face falters slightly as he recomposes himself staying firmly in his position.

"Josie baby I know this might not be how you pictured your life going but heck I didn't imagine ever falling in love so deeply and having a child this young. But with you it's all I've ever wanted. We always make things work baby no matter what shit the universe throws at us we always have each other. I know marriage is just a title and doesn't necessarily change much between us but I want, no I NEED to show you that I am yours and I am devoted to you forever Josie because I love you" a tear now slips from his eye and the lump settled in my throat grows. A sob leaves my mouth as I become so overwhelmed my this all. Rudy looks to the ground before looking back up to me and speaking up again. "I love you Josie so much. So please, please baby. Will you marry me?" The hope and love in his eyes is so captivating.

I don't want marriage, I don't want to be tied down. I don't want some ring and some meaningless piece of paper to verify my relationship. The whole thing was a bunch of bullshit and as cheesy and coincidental as it was, marriage was something that kooks did.

But fuck it, Rudy was undoubtedly my forever. So if that meant letting a piece of paper and a ring verify my relationship and love to him then so be it.

"Yes, yes I will" my words shock both me and him and he stares at me momentarily processing the words through his mind before he jumps up pulling me into such an excitable hug that he almost bowls me over in the process. As I stand there in his embrace my crying doesn't subside but instead changes from cries of fear and guilt to tears and cried of happiness and joy.

"Holy fuck holy fuck" Rudy mumbles these words to me many of times before pulling away placing both hands on either sides of my face and crashing his lips to my own. I'm sure the kiss must taste purely of my salty tears but it doesn't stop him. He quickly pulls away taking my hand and slides the ring onto my finger to which it fits perfectly.

"Yes yes yes, a million times yes Ru" I laugh in disbelief through my tears as I look from the ring to his face. He pulls me into yet another his before breaking away jumping around cheering.

"I'm fucking engaged!!!!" His yells and cheers make me laugh before the sounds of many other people cheering and clapping behind us pulls me to turn towards the sounds. Behind us is all of our friends, cast, crew the whole lot and it only makes the moment so much more emotional. Rudy stands beside me and pulls me into him.

"You really had all of this planned out didn't you?" I wipe my face in attempt to look more presentable and he gives me a signature cheeky grin.

"What can I say baby, I'm a romantic man" I giggle at his silliness shoving him lightly. His eyes flicker up towards everyone before he quickly turns me so that I'm facing away from them and can only see him.

"What are you doing? I feel rude ignoring everyone" he playfully rolls his eyes and as I attempt to turn around he holds me in place so I can't move. He dips his head slightly so that our eyes are aligned.

"I have one more surprise for you my queen" his smile is light yet full. I stare at him questioningly, he just asked me to marry him. What more could he possibly do to surprise me? His eyes flicker upwards towards the people again before he gently releases his grip on me and encourages me to turn around.

I reluctantly do so slowly turning in the sand and when my eyes fall upon my 'surprise' my breathing hitches in my throat and my knees almost give out. The tears that I had finally got to stop instantly start again and my crying returns. I can hardly believe my eyes right now and I genuinely think I might die from how overwhelmed and happy I feel. Through my sobs and tears I choke out words to the person I least expected to see in front of me.

"Dad?"

A/N
Hellooo my loves, honestly this relationship kinda made me really emotional. I also hit 6k reads today and I genuinely don't know how to show my absolute love and gratitude to every single one of you. I wouldn't be here if it want for you all. I love you. I just finished 'It Ends With Us' and I highly recommend it.
Please continue to share, comment and vote <3

- J x