Forever Yours, Elliot

Chapter 36 - Epilogue - Forever Yours, Elliot

"Dorian!" Matt laughed. "Get off my back." Dorian giggled and held on to Matt's shoulders tighter.

"Make me Daddy!"

"Make you?" Matt laughed as he grabbed Dorians hands and pulled him over the front of his body.

"Why you little monster!"

"Rawr!" Dorian laughed.

Merida tugged at my hand. "Mommy. They're being really silly." She sighed.

"I know."

"We should leave them to it and go eat a chocolate cookie." She offered.

"Is that right?"

"Maybe a chocolate milk to wash it down." She added

I chuckled and then took her hand in mine.

"Matt, Dorian? We've got the picnic in the park." I called out. "The others will already be there. As per usual we're running on kid time."

The four year olds instantly started jumping, gravitating to one another like they always did."Pic-nic pic-nic pic-nic" They chanted happily.

Matt walked over to me and slid his arms around my waist. "I'm so proud of you."

"Proud?"

"You're the most sort after music teacher in the area and your program is free. The donation parents insist on giving you could keep the drop in center alive on its own. You gave me two beautiful children and you love me."

"You're really silly... Merida is right." I smiled.

"It's your 22nd birthday today. I just want to celebrate you okay?" He kissed me on the head.

"Hey I'm all for a little self-celebration." I laughed. "Do I get a present?"

"Yes, but you have to wait."

**

By the time we arrived at the park we were 45 minutes late. Everyone was kind of used to our tardiness. Matt held the picnic basket that he had insisted on packing because 'It's your birthday honey.' The others had set up a big blanket, we saw them straight away. Merida and Dorian set off like bolts of lightning towards their godparents.

"I forgot to tell you." Matt said.

"Tell me what?"He stopped and dropped the picnic basket on the grass. We were still a few feet from the others and his cryptic behaviour was more than a little confusing. He knelt down and opened the basket, it was empty, except for a small black box. Matt looked up at me, and lifted one of his knees, his eyes watered and his smile was crooked. He took my left hand in his and then began to speak.

"I love you, Elliot Andrews, and I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?"It felt like time had stopped. After five years of being together, I'd never really thought of marriage, and it wasn't because I didn't want it, it was because I already felt like I had everything, but as I looked down at my beautiful partner, kneeling, waiting for my answer I knew that this was the cherry on top.

"Yes, Matt, I'd marry you a million times over if I could."He flashed me his winning smile and pulled the ring from the box. Slowly he slid it on my ring finger while the others cheered. The twins, plus Julian and Jeanie's little girl circled around us singing. Matt stood up and we wrapped each other in a hug, our lips found one another and in the middle of the park we indulged in a passionate kiss.

Louise coughed, clearing her throat in a not so subtle manner. "There are children around you two." She laughed.I turned around and she held a bottle of champagne. "Congratulations!"