Unrequited? A Lie Told-A Promise Broken

76. -Fiat-

-Fiat-

His beautiful brown eyes grow to the size of saucers.
"You won't marry her? You won't sign papers?" He asks quickly and I ache inside.

I wipe away his tears as they run down his face.

"No baby. No marriage, no papers. I will only marry you."

His chin quivers.
"What about your fathers wishes? You won't change your mind?"

I gently place my hand behind his ear as I lean in to place my head against his.

"I will never change my mind. My dad is happy. You helped make it so and I will forever be grateful. So I want to be selfish. I want to marry my Art. Can I?"

He wraps his arms around my neck and holds me tightly.

"You can't take it back. You can't change your mind. Only marry me, only love me, be only mine." He demands.

I chuckle as my heart aches. "I can do that. Will you let me actually propose to you now?"

I'm drowning in his love and I ache to tell him everything.

He quickly releases me and sits back in his seat as he wipes at his face.

He looks like a little boy.

"You ready?" I ask him.

"Please continue." He says quickly and I can't help but smile at how adorable he is.

I lower myself to sit on my legs as I peer up at him trying not to get overtaken completely by the tidal wave of love I see in his saucer eyes.

I part his legs and place the ring box on the seat.

At this point I almost regret inviting everyone to see this. I just want to talk to my Art.

I take a deep breath as I wrap my arms around his waist, resting my head against him as I gather myself.

But I'm losing it as tears burn my eyes. So many moments flash in my mind and I can't help but cry.

He gently rubs my back as I try to recall where I'm meant to start. I spent so many hours talking to myself. I practiced the perfect speech just to freeze when I'm actually in the moment.

After a few minutes in silence I force myself to take a deep breath. I can't remember how to start so I decide to just start at the beginning.

"I had so many things to say to you....beautiful things...but I know now there are no words.
No words that will ever be enough to tell you just how much I love you."

I urge myself to have the courage to look at him.

I don't let go of his waist as I look up to meet his gaze.

He smiles at me as he gently combs my hair with his fingers. The moment my gaze finds him the words find me.

"Art, it wasn't a mistake that day.....The day I hit you with my ball. I didn't know it then but that was the single most important moment in my life... The moment my prayer was answered."

My chest tightens and it's hard to speak but I urge myself once again to keep going.

"Every single time I felt alone I begged for you way before I could understand what I was asking for. I couldn't name you. I didn't know how to but I'm grateful that you still found me."

"You found me and in a instant I belonged to you. I am humbled by the kindness you have shown me.....Thank you for being my best friend, my brother, my teacher, and my guiding star.....I couldn't fathom that you would grow to be my heartbeat, my soul, and the very spark of my joy."

"Anything I have that means anything you gifted me because you taught me how to value it. You taught me how to love. I couldn't understand the word until you showed me."

"To this day.....everyday you do something that reminds me to thank whatever god sent you. I realized long ago I couldn't live without you but this year proved to me that's its unbearable to even take a single breath if we aren't together. I struggle to take a single step if you aren't beside me. So never force me to...please love me as you always have for the rest of my life and in every life. Choose me, Marry me please."

I watch as fat tears rush down his face that match my own. We stare back at each other almost breathless from the tension. After a few minutes he speaks.

"Fiat.....Fuck. I fucking love you.....From the moment I laid eyes on you I was yours. I don't want to live a single day not being yours. I'll marry you in every fucking lifetime. Don't you dare ever think to marry anyone else in any life this or the next."

As his words settle over my skin like a warm embrace he kisses me. Drowning me in more love and yearning than I can ever hope to escape. Why would I ever want to?

The moment I feel myself drifting, falling forward into the inviting pool that is him I pull away.

I pick up the ring box and look to him. His eyes urge me without words.

I take a moment to clear my vision before opening the box and turning it for him to view.

I thought his eyes were big before they double in shock.

Suddenly there is a flash of light. Both Art and I look up at Benz who is taking pictures of us.

He laughs from behind his camera, "Don't mind me, continue."

Art looks at me for a moment then back down at the ring.

His eyes dart from the ring to my face for a whole minute.

"Are all those diamonds real?" He asks with furrowed brows.

I try not to laugh as I read every thought in his head.
I shrug, "What do you think?"

Yes.

And Yes I went all out. My mission when I picked his ring was to make him forget the moment he saw Mints. Which vastly pails in comparison.

Hers was expensive but Arts makes hers look like a ring pop by comparison.

"All three tiers?" He asks. His hand shakes as his fingers reach for the ring. He halts before actually touching it.

I roll my eyes, "No, only the first tier is real." I say dryly but he must of missed my sarcasm.

"Really?" He asks looking to me.

I blink at him and his eyebrow furrow deepens.

He gulps. "Is it insured?"

I laugh at him then. Why is he so adorable? Of course it's insured it costs more than our house and cars.

"Stop thinking about it because every single diamond is not enough. No matter what I do it will never be enough. You deserve so much more."

"No. This is way enough." He says.

I take his hand in mine and I realize he is trembling. I bring his ring finger into my mouth fitting my teeth beneath the ring I gave him so long ago.

He watches my every move with giant eyes as I switch it to his opposite hand.

I then lift the ring box remove the ring and slide it onto his finger.

His eyes dart from me to the ring.

I take hold of his chin to stop his ping ponging gaze.

"You won't take it off?" I ask him.

"Never baby." He says as he takes hold of my tie for comfort I think.

"Good boy."

Everyone erupts in applause but I hardly notice as I lean in and kiss my fiancé.