A Sokeefe Engagement

Chapter 8 - Keefe

AlI could do was nod like a dummy and follow her to the patio. Once there I took several deep breaths, gulped down some youth and forced my brain to restart. Romance. Proposals needed romance. So I grabbed a bunch of blankets and pillows, then tapped on the fire pit. Quickly settling on our swing with the blankets surrounding me, I motioned for her to sit beside me.

Sophie curled up in my arms and I wrapped the blankets around us. She sighed contentedly. "This is so nice and cozy."

I dropped a kiss on her forehead as she rested her head on my chest. I set the swing in motion and listened to her chat about work and a book that she'd found that she used to read all the time when she lived in the Forbidden Cities. She told me about a girls lunch she'd had with Biana where Dex had 'just happened' to be in the area and decided to join them. I told her about how completely obvious they'd been at dinner, conveniently skipping over their chosen topic of conversation. Then I gave her the rundown of a recent report I'd written on the importance of arts in elven education and the surprisingly positive feedback I'd received from Brontë, of all people. Eventually our conversation slowed until we had both settled into a comfortable, sleepy silence. She was so still and quiet, I started to think she'd fallen asleep. That's when I realized I'd been so engrossed in talking with her, I'd forgotten to find a way to slip the proposal in. I started to panic. How long would I have to wait before we'd have another quiet evening together?

"Sophie?" I whispered, desperately hoping that she was still awake. "Sophie?"

She stirred and looked up at me with sleep filled eyes. I smiled, "I wasn't sure if you were asleep. Would you like to go inside? There's something I want to show you."

She was clearly groggy, but still got to her feet and followed me back to my bedroom. I patted the bed for her to sit, then walked over to my desk. It was time.

My hands were shaking when I reached for the journal, so I kept them and the book behind me when I turned back to face her.

"Do you remember the journals I kept back in the day when we thought drawing might help with my memories?"

Her face lit up. "Of course. That was the first time I got to see what an amazing artist you are."

I smiled and continued. "I had them color coded for different types of memories. Green for hard, brown for happy, silver for important. Remember?"

Sophie nodded. "I think there was a fourth color, too. But you never let us see that one." she teased.

I brought the gold journal out from behind my back. "Yeah. Well, I think it's time that I share this one with you."

Sophie's eyes widened and she sat up straight. "Really??"

I sat beside her. "This is where I'd draw really personal things. Hopes, dreams, wishes." I paused, feeling a blush spread across my face. "You, um, you're in here a lot."

It was Sophie's turn to blush. But instead of grabbing the journal, she placed her hands over mine. "You don't need to share this if it makes you uncomfortable."

I shook my head. "No, it's time. I'm not afraid to share these with you. I want you to see them."

I pressed the journal into her hands, and tried to slow my heart rate as she leaned in to place a soft kiss on cheek. I watched her gently turn the pages. The way she enjoyed my art was one of the main reasons I'd started drawing and painting again. To have someone you love, love something you've created, well, I'm not sure there's a more rewarding scenario.

She smiled at a drawing that showed the two of us on the porch swing. "This could have been tonight."

I smiled, but my nerves were getting on edge. Sophie stopped and stared at another page, one where I'd imagined us as parents. "Was this in Havenfield when the baby murcats arrived?" she wondered out loud.

I gulped. "No. Remember, these are hopes and dreams. Stuff that hasn't happened yet. Or at least hadn't happened at the time I was drawing it." I needed to get her to turn the page, before I lost my nerve, so I nodded at the journal. "Keep going."

She smiled and laughed at a slew of scenes I'd imagined us in. Mostly fun and light hearted scenarios I'd drawn during the times when not much fun was happening in my life. But she must have realized that I drew a lot of them when I was hiding in the Forbidden Cities, because she was sniffling by the time she reached the end. "These are amazing, Keefe. Thank you for sharing them with me."

I nodded, gathering my courage, and feeling for the reassuring outline of the box in my cape. "There's one more if you skip to the end. I drew it just the other day."

Sophie turned to the very last page of the journal and let out a little gasp as she took in the scene I'd created. She was completely absorbed in studying the details and didn't notice me carefully dropping to one knee and pulling the box out of its hiding place. But realization was spreading over her face, this was it.

She looked at me, sucking in a breath when she saw me kneeling in front of her. Then her eyes focused on the box in my hand and her hands flew to her face. "What?" she gasped.

I smiled, relieved I was able to pull off the surprise, and hoping like crazy that words wouldn't fail me now.

"From the first day we met, I knew my life wouldn't be the same. You were - and are - incredible. Smart, talented, kind, brave, and beautiful. There are way too many words I could use to describe you and what you mean to me." I paused to take a breath. "The fact that so many of my dreams have come true because you chose to love me; I know how lucky I am. It has been the greatest honor of my life to call you my girlfriend. But for a long time now, what I really wanted to be able to call you was one, simple word." With this I opened the box, revealing a delicate ring sparkling with jewels in nearly every shade of the rainbow. "My wife."

Sophie choked back a sob, and I felt tears gather in my eyes as I finally asked the most important question of my life. "Sophie Elizabeth Foster, would you make all of my dreams come true and marry me?"

Her eyes were spilling over with tears, but she smiled through them and managed a firm, "Yes. Yes, I would love to marry you, Keefe."

My heart was beating so hard it made my hands shake. But I still managed to slide the ring over her finger. She leaned forward and pulled me into a kiss.

"I love you." she whispered.

"I love you." I replied.

I'm wearing kraken pajamas." She giggled.

Happiness felt like it would explode out of my chest as I told her, "Somehow, that makes this even more perfect."