We Meet Again | e.d

N I N E T E E N

Xylie's P.O.V

It's around 6:30 PM, and there's no sign of Ethan. I'm beginning to worry. The last time he disappeared without a word, I was broken when I discovered why. I just hope this time is different, it has to be different, we're older now. I'm not the scared little girl I was when I first got pregnant, and I hope he's not still the scared little boy he was either.

I'm in the kitchen cooking dinner for the four of us while the kids are in the living room watching Marvel movies when Ethan arrives home.

"Hi my love," he kisses me on the cheek, "Sorry I'm late, I had a last-minute errand to run."

"What kind of errand?" I crossed my arms.

"You'll see." He smiled. "Just wait and see."

I shrugged and began to dish out rice onto four plates, followed by jerk chicken and a Jamaican curry. I cooked this because it reminded me of my upbringing with my Jamaican mom, but also because I remember Ethan always used to love dinners at my house when we were younger, and we would always be eating Jamaican food. I called the boys in for dinner and we all sat down at the dining table to eat.

"Xy, you've outdone yourself once again. I can't tell you enough how much I've missed Jamaican food." Ethan spoke, partially stuffing his face, which made Elijah laugh. I smiled, seeing the boy in him, the boy I fell in love with.

"Get ready for a lifetime of this, if you behave." I joked, but he took me seriously and looked at me worriedly.

"I'm joking, you big baby. I know you'll behave. But I still want to know what almost made you late for dinner."

"And you'll know soon enough. I know you're not good at it but please have a bit of patience, you won't regret it." He smirked at me, knowing he had a point and I had to trust him.

Dinner went really well, I loved how happy Xavier and Elijah were to have their dad here with them every day, and I knew they loved dinner times with him too. I started to feel a twinge of guilt for taking them from him, but I was only sixteen. I was hurt and I didn't know better, but I'm happy we're all here together now. Ethan pulled a face which made Xavier giggle, I couldn't help but smile at how much they loved him already. I'm so glad we're a family again, I could get used to dinners like this every day.

As it got later, Ethan decided to finish up some editing for next Tuesday's video with Grayson on their YouTube channel. I decided to give the boys a bath before bed. At around 9 PM, I called Ethan upstairs to tuck them into bed, he loves tucking them in just as much as I love watching him do it.

"I love you, daddy!" Xavier called out.

"I love you too!" Elijah joined in.

"I love you both more than life," Ethan responded, kissing them on the forehead.

And my heart melted.

As we closed their bedroom door, we walked hand in hand downstairs, and I had the surprise of my life when we reached the living room.

Candles everywhere, red lighting, slow r&b jams on lowly, and old pictures of us everywhere. Pictures of us before the kids, before my fifteenth birthday, as friends, in love, when I was pregnant and after I'd given birth. It was overwhelming, I couldn't believe how much he'd saved, and how quickly he'd set it all up.

"What? How?" Was all I could manage to say as Ethan guided me to the couch to sit, while he kneeled in front of me.

Our eyes met, and suddenly I was travelling back in time. Suddenly I was freshly fifteen and in love with my best friend, with no knowledge of what he was feeling or thinking or what he was about to say. But everything was the way it was before, I knew I was in love with him and I didn't know how to express what I was feeling, because once again this was a situation I hadn't foreseen. And I didn't even understand the nature of his gesture. But then he began to speak.

"Xy, for as long as I've known you, you've been the most caring and supportive person I've ever known. You've been dealt some evil cards in life, some even by me and I hate that I've caused you pain, but I never want to do that to you ever again. You have a way of lighting up any room entirely, no matter how dark it appears to be. I know I'll never know anyone else and love them the way I love you, and I want to be with you forever."

His words rendered me speechless, he linked our hands and I just stared at him, unresponsive. And, with uncertainty and nervousness in his voice, he continued.

"You don't have to say yes right now, I understand if this is too soon for you. But- but I know what I want and what I want is you by my side for the rest of my life, and so I want to ask you something." He pulled out a small box from underneath the couch and opened it to reveal the most beautiful ring I'd ever seen.

"Will you marry me?"

And there it was. I exhaled. I broke into a smile so big I thought it would fall from my face.

"Yes," Was all I said.

Ethan's hazel eyes began to water, as he slid the ring onto my finger. Then it all hit me like a hurricane, all that we'd been through and how we'd done it. And here we were once again, having made it through the storm. And now we're engaged.

Tears threatened my eyes and won. I imagine it was awful to see, but the happiness I was experiencing was overwhelming. I grabbed his face and pulled him in to kiss me, and our lips collided with passion and heat, and love. For a moment, I forgot where we were, and how old we were. It felt like my fifteenth birthday all over again. I found myself lost in Ethan, but somehow I'd never felt more confident about navigating his world. Because I knew that it was mine too. If this is what it's like to be 'lost', I never want to be found.