THEN I FOUND YOU [mcd]

chapter twenty three

I've said many times before that I've always wanted to be a mother. It was something that seemed logical to me as a child. I played with the baby dolls with the other girls and watched from a distance as Laurance played with the other boys his age of imaginary tales. My playing seemed more realistic by keeping house, but Laurance's playing just seemed magical to me.

Using sticks as swords and granting each other titles and rankings as they ran along the lawn crazily. I admired Laurance for his extreme dreams of the future. I didn't realize until he went to the guard academy and became head guard for Meteli that his dreams would be a reality.

Within my early twenties, I questioned if my dreams would be a reality.

I've traveled around with Aphmau and Laurance on their adventures. I've seen parts of the world I didn't think I'd see, living in a small village. I've experienced events and situations I wouldn't have thought of going through.

There was never a desire to run a village. I couldn't bear to kill someone with my own two hands. I'd cry when a fish would die, so I can only be thankful that I wasn't forced to fight during the war. I was there, but it was to heal those who were wounded.

That's the difference between Garroth and me. He says he wasn't meant to be a lord. Being a guard is his calling. He places others' lives before his own, even if it means losing it. He'll place others above him and watch from the sidelines. He doesn't kill for fun. He defends. I feel as though I'm selfish in that case because I don't think I could put myself in his shoes. In his role.

It's fall once again. The amount of picnics has decreased and slowly started becoming me watching over the children as they played. Dimitri had his seventh birthday in early September. Things started to become hectic with building up the island and Phoenix Drop that I wasn't always there to watch the children. Sometimes others would do it instead. It was like a rotation.

Garroth ended up building us our house, and it's been like a dream. He sat me down one day with a piece of paper and pencil in hand and insisted we spoke of our future. I remember the blood rushing to my cheeks at the mention of a future. Our future. He insisted on thinking further beyond the two of us now and possibly years ahead. My mind went to children, and it was Garroth's turn to blush from that.

He ended with the result of having a three-bedroom house on two stories. Garroth planned it out to a tee, and the pure awe I felt walking through it when it was finished was something I could never forget. It was like I could see my future play out in front of me. I never admitted that to Garroth. I was speechless, but it was evident that I was grateful.

He told me stories of how he was helped. The idea of Travis with a hammer continues to haunt me to this day. I still find myself being cautious when I'm paired with him to hold his nails.

Today isn't my day to watch over the children. I had gone from watching over three children, to two, and then somehow to seven. Three of which, must I remind, are babies. It takes a toll on a person for doing it for so long. But by the children being all in one place like that, improvement was allowed to be made with our advancements.

I'm on my way during my short break to see if a letter has come in to Logan from Cadenza. Her son was born only two weeks ago, and I can only wish for updates on what's been happening. Zack has sometimes written to me as well regarding her pregnancy process or shortly after the birth when Cadenza was tired. He placed it amongst the lord duties Cadenza couldn't do at the time that he took over.

Logan tells me that there still isn't anything for me, and I'm left to leave with a bit of hurt within me. I want to see my nephew, but I'm going to have to schedule a time to do that. It shouldn't be very hard, but Cadenza is busy as a new mother and as a lord. I wouldn't want to intrude.

Travis walks by casually with a bag in his hand. He perks up when he sees me and holds out what I can only assume to be a bag filled by nails. "Alex! My favorite building buddy."

I feel my stomach drop at the sight as the nails are practically forced into my hands. I look down at the little bag before looking back at him. "Who told you where I was?"

"I have connections. C'mon, I need your help."

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We walk for a little while until we reach an old house that needs repairs. I could've sworn I've seen the boys work on it earlier today, but they must've taken a lunch break. But then again, all of these houses are starting to look the same to me.

Travis instructs me to meet him on the top floor as he needs to get his hammer. I roll my eyes as I hurry up the ladder in pure annoyance. I don't like being paired up with Travis as his nail buddy. His 50/50 hit-and-miss with the hammer to the nail is in no way to my liking.

Footsteps sound from the ladder, and I make a mental note to insist it is replaced with a set of stairs. My back is to Travis as I go to open up each of the windows for better light.

"Well, I couldn't find the hammer."

I turn around to tilt my head to the side. "Garroth? What on Earth are you doing here? Where's Travis?"

He chuckles as he walks closer to me, taking the bag of nails out of my hands and placing it on the nearby window sill. I laugh as he acts silly and twirls me around and holds onto my waist.

"I figured you'd be more comfortable with me hammering rather than Travis."

I smile and nod my head. I take a small step away from Garroth in order to get a word in. Turning around, I look for the hammer I saw on the floor when I was opening the windows. "I could've sworn I saw a hammer a few seconds ago. Ah! There it is." My feet turn themselves around with the hammer in my hand. "Gar?"

Garroth smiles warmly up at me, on one knee. I slowly place the hammer next to the nails before slowly walking over to him. My hand is taken into his, and I can't stop the smile from appearing on my face. I know exactly what is happening, but past me didn't think it would happen.

He lets out a little chuckle before becoming a little shy. There's a ring in his grasp that he holds up to me. "I suppose you're starting to figure out my little tricks like this," he says. "I can't guarantee you that they'll stop, but. . . Alex, will you marry me?"

It was at that moment that my future seemed like a reality. I would be a wife, and the ring on my finger was only a symbol of that. I've never been happier than I am at this moment, and I wouldn't trade this memory for anything in the world.