Twins

6: Emma

Time had passed so quickly. Luke and Emma were both 25, and each of them had risen through the ranks of Broadway. Now Luke played Simba in The Lion King, and Emma played Eponine. They had dropped out of Julliard when their respective plays became a complete source of income.

They had moved out of the Upper West Side and into the Village, in a small apartment above a book store. It was an adorable apartment with a small kitchen, a bedroom with a little bathroom off of it, and a tiny sitting room where they ate all their meals. They could afford more, but didn't want it.

Luke's dad was over for lunch. They were all sitting on the floor around their coffee table, eating fajitas that Luke had made.

"Have you visited your mom recently?" his dad asked, and Luke shook his head in regret.

"I've hardly had the time. I think about her every time I pass a flower stand though."

"The cemetery dug up the tree we planted for her," his dad said sadly, ripping off a piece of tortilla and dipping it in some salsa. His eyes watered a little, but no tears spilled over. "They said they needed room for another grave."

"Did you fight for the tree?"

"They didn't even tell me until I noticed it was gone. Torn right out of the ground."

"Sorry dad," Luke said, rubbing his arm.

"Yeah, I'm really sorry to hear that David," Emma shook her head sympathetically.

"You be careful, okay?" David said to Emma. "When you two have kids, they're going to tell you that you need to test your blood and all that nonsense, but, you know, I think that's what got her! She was doing just fine before they started prodding her."

"She had eclampsia, dad. It wasn't the doctors' fault."

"Just be careful."

After another few hours, David left, passing a small package to Luke as he went out the door. Emma gave her boyfriend a hug, kissing him lightly.

"What was that your dad gave you?" she asked, rubbing his arm.

"Oh, nothing," Luke said, smiling slightly, his ears turning pink on the tips.

Emma smiled suspiciously. "Okay," she said offhandedly, dropping the subject. "So, when we have kids, huh?"

"You know my dad wants grandchildren."

"And I want children too, but, I mean, not yet, right?"

"Right."

"You've got a funny look on your face. What's up?" Emma asked.

"Nothing. You're just beautiful."

Emma laughed, tucking herself into his arms. "I love you."

***

"What's the rush?" Emma asked as Luke pulled her along the path to Strawberry Fields.

"I want to get there before sunset."

"Okay, I'm going as fast as I can!"

They entered onto the Imagine memorial, their favourite place to go, and, shockingly, it was completely empty, but flowers were scattered around the tile mosaic.

"What's going on?" Emma asked, her heart pounding. "Where is everybody?"

"Not here. We're completely alone."

"I don't understand."

"I'll explain," Luke said. "I love you, and I can't imagine my life without you. And I could make a whole big long speech about my feelings, but, because it's you, I know you already know what's happening and what I'm thinking so if I droned on and on, you'd just want me to get down on my stupid knee already."

Emma bit her lip, tears leaking down her face as Luke got down on one knee. "So, Emma, my Maria, my Cosette, my Juliet... will you marry me?" He held out his mother's ring, beautiful silver with a diamond perfectly set in the shimmering band.

"Hell yes," Emma laughed, launching herself at him, her head nestling into his shoulder, her tears wetting his shirt, and his tears wetting hers.

***

A month had passed since the proposal, and the wedding was the next day. It wasn't really a proper wedding, but it was exactly what Luke and Emma wanted. Exactly four people were attending, other than the bride and groom. David, Christine, Lin, and Jasmine.

The morning of, Emma woke up in Luke's arms, and needed to throw up. She ran to the bathroom and hurled into the toilet for a few minutes.

"Please God don't let me be sick," she said quietly. Luke appeared in the doorway.

"Well that's not a good sign," he laughed before hugging her.

"Actually, I'm feeling fine now. Let's do this."

After breakfast, Luke put on a nice pair of jeans and a white short sleeve collared shirt. Emma put on a white sundress with white sandals and put on a white flower crown.

They took the subway dressed like this and went to Central Park, the Imagine memorial. Jasmine had flown in the day before, and their guests were lined up on a bench facing the memorial.

The tiny area was full of people, and several of them took notice when Emma and Luke held hands and stood on top of the word "Imagine."

They began to say their vows to each other, and everyone else in the garden stopped talking and turned to look. A few pulled out their phones to film the ceremony.

The vows were beautifully written and heartfelt, but short. They exchanged rings, then kissed, and everyone at the memorial started clapping. Lin ran up to give them the marriage contract, and they each signed it quickly, before kissing each other again.

It was the perfect ceremony.

***

The throwing-up didn't stop. It was a week before Emma took a pregnancy test, and got the news. They were on their honeymoon in Hawaii, and Luke had been out getting some dinner when she took it.

She took the time alone to package the test in a pretty parcel and get into a nice sundress. She waited with bated breath for him to return.

"Hi," she said, kissing him when he came in the door.

"I got us some dinner!" he grinned. "Take-out vegetarian wrap-thingies."

"Sounds perfect," she said, kissing him again. "But, actually, before we get started on dinner... I have something for you."

"You do?" he asked, sitting down with her on the couch in their hotel room.

"Um... it's a present. It kind of speaks for itself." She passed him the little gift bag.

"Thanks, babe!" he grinned. He pulled out the blue tissue paper until he found the little wrapped parcel at the bottom. He pulled it out and carefully unwrapped it, taking care not to rip the paper.

Emma's heart pounded with anticipation, smiling nervously and biting her lip.

He pulled out the pregnancy test and his mouth popped open. "Are you serious?" he gasped, his face breaking into a huge smile.

She nodded, grinning. He attacked her with a hug, showering her with kisses.

"I have no idea how," she shrugged. "We're always so careful with birth control, but... I'm really happy. Are you?"

"Over the moon," he laughed, kissing her again.