Travis nervously adjusted the collar of his shirt as he stood in the living room of Taylor's cozy home. Tonight was the night he had been planning for weeks—the night he would ask Taylor to marry him. He had carefully orchestrated every detail, from the candlelit dinner to the bouquet of Taylor's favorite flowers.
But there was one more person he needed to speak to before he could pop the question—Taylor's nine-year-old daughter, Lily. As Travis waited for Taylor to finish getting ready, he glanced around the room, his heart pounding with anticipation. He had grown to love Lily as if she were his own daughter, and he knew that her approval meant everything to him.
He wanted her to know that he wasn't just asking Taylor to marry him—he was asking both of them to become a family. Finally, Taylor emerged from her bedroom, a radiant smile on her face as she descended the stairs. Travis's breath caught in his throat as he took in her beauty, his love for her swelling in his chest. She was wearing a simple yet elegant dress, her hair cascading in soft waves around her shoulders."You look stunning," Travis murmured, unable to tear his gaze away from her.
Taylor blushed, a shy smile playing on her lips as she approached him. "You clean up pretty well yourself," she teased, reaching out to straighten his tie. Travis chuckled nervously, his heart racing with excitement. "Are you ready for our dinner date?" he asked, holding out his arm for her to take. Taylor nodded, slipping her hand into his as they made their way to the door.
But before they could leave, Travis turned to Lily, who was sitting on the couch with a book in her lap."Lily, sweetheart, can I talk to you for a minute?" Travis asked, his voice gentle.Lily looked up from her book, her curious eyes meeting Travis's. "Sure, what's up?" she replied, setting her book aside.Travis took a deep breath, his palms sweating slightly as he knelt down in front of her. "You know how much your mom means to me, right?" he began, his voice steady.Lily nodded, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, she's pretty great," she replied, her eyes shining with affection. Travis smiled, his heart swelling with love for the spirited young girl before him. "She is," he agreed. "And I want to spend the rest of my life making her happy. That's why I'm asking you for permission to marry her."Lily's eyes widened in surprise, her mouth forming a silent 'O' as she processed Travis's words. She glanced at her mom, who was watching them with tears in her eyes, and then back at Travis, a smile spreading across her face."You want to marry my mom?" Lily asked, her voice filled with wonder.
Travis nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. "More than anything," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. Lily threw her arms around Travis, her excitement bubbling over as she hugged him tightly. "Of course you can marry her!" she exclaimed, her voice muffled against his shoulder.Travis laughed, relief flooding through him as he returned Lily's embrace. "Thank you, Lily," he said, his voice thick with emotion. As they pulled away from each other, Travis noticed tears shimmering in Taylor's eyes as she watched them. He stood up and took her hand, squeezing it gently as they shared a knowing glance. In that moment, Travis knew that he had found his forever family—the two loves of his life, wrapped up in each other's arms. With Lily's blessing, Travis led Taylor out the door and into the night, where their future together awaited. And as they walked hand in hand down the quiet street, bathed in the soft glow of the streetlights above, Travis knew that he was the luckiest man in the world to have found such a perfect love.
