Nick and Charlie 6 years into the future

the proposal

Nicks pov:

A few days had passed since our visit to my mum's place, and life at home had settled back into its usual, joyful chaos. The twins were a constant source of energy and laughter, and despite the challenges, Charlie and I felt incredibly lucky. But something was on my mind, something that I had been thinking about for a while now.

Tonight, I was going to propose to Charlie.

"Hey, Charlie," I called from the kitchen as I prepared lunch for the twins. "How about we go out tonight? Just the two of us. It’s been a while since we had a proper date."

Charlie looked up from playing with Lily and Oakley on the living room floor, his eyes lighting up. "That sounds wonderful. We could use a little break."

"Great," I replied, trying to keep the excitement from creeping into my voice. "I’ll make the reservations. Mum already agreed to watch the kids."

Charlie smiled, his eyes softening. "You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?"

I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Just want to make it special."

After lunch, we got the twins ready and dropped them off at Mum's. She greeted us with open arms, clearly thrilled to spend more time with her grandchildren.

"You two have fun," she said, giving us a knowing smile. "I’ll take good care of these little ones."

"Thanks, Mum," I said, giving her a quick hug. "We won’t be too late."

As we drove to the restaurant, my heart pounded with a mix of nerves and excitement. I had the ring safely tucked away in my pocket, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the perfect moment to propose. Little did I know, Charlie had his own plans for the evening.

The restaurant was beautiful, an intimate setting with candlelit tables and a warm, inviting atmosphere. We were seated at a cozy corner table, and I reached across to take Charlie’s hand.

"This place is amazing," he said, looking around with a smile. "You really outdid yourself."

"Only the best for you," I replied, my heart swelling with love for him.

We ordered our meals and chatted about the twins, our friends, and our future. The conversation flowed easily, filled with laughter and shared memories. As the evening progressed, I could feel the anticipation building inside me.

When dessert arrived, I knew it was time. I reached into my pocket, my fingers brushing against the velvet box. Just as I was about to pull it out, Charlie reached into his own pocket and produced a small box of his own.

"Nick," he began, his voice trembling slightly. "There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you."

My eyes widened in surprise as I realized what was happening. I couldn’t help but laugh, the joy bubbling up inside me. "Charlie, I was about to say the same thing!"

He looked at me, his eyes filled with love and disbelief. "You’re kidding."

I shook my head, still laughing. "No, I’m serious. I’ve been planning this for weeks."

Charlie’s smile grew, and he opened the box to reveal a beautiful ring. "Well, I guess we had the same idea."

I took out my own ring, placing it on the table next to his. "It seems we did."

For a moment, we just stared at each other, the realization of what was happening sinking in. Then, almost simultaneously, we both slid out of our chairs and knelt on one knee.

"Charlie," I said, my voice filled with emotion. "Will you marry me?"

"Nick," he replied, his eyes shining with tears. "Will you marry me?"

We both laughed, tears of happiness streaming down our faces. "Yes," we said in unison, sliding the rings onto each other’s fingers.

The restaurant erupted in applause, and we stood up, pulling each other into a tight embrace. "I can’t believe we did this," Charlie whispered, his voice choked with emotion.

"I can," I replied, kissing him softly. "It’s perfect, just like us."

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of joy and celebration. We called our families to share the news, and they were thrilled beyond words. By the time we left the restaurant, our hearts were full, and our future felt brighter than ever.

As we drove home, hand in hand, I couldn’t help but think about how lucky I was. Charlie was my rock, my partner, and now, my fiancé. We had built a beautiful life together, and I knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, we would face them together, with love and unwavering support.

When we arrived at Mum's house, the twins were fast asleep. We carried them to the car and made our way home, the excitement of the evening still buzzing in the air. Once the twins were tucked into their cribs, Charlie and I sat on the sofa, our hands entwined.

"I love you," I said, my heart full to bursting.

"I love you too," he replied, his eyes sparkling with happiness.

As we sat there, wrapped in each other’s arms, I knew that this was just the beginning of a new and wonderful chapter in our lives. We had so much to look forward to, so many dreams to chase and memories to create. And I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my life with the man I loved.

We leaned in and kissed, the world melting away as we held each other close. The kiss was long and tender, a perfect expression of our love and commitment. When we finally pulled away, we rested our foreheads together, smiling through our tears of joy.

"Here’s to us," I whispered.

"To us," Charlie echoed, and we kissed again, sealing our promise to each other.