April 4, 2013
Day 4: Write a scene in a church.
"Connor, where the hell are you taking me?" I asked him in panic. I was never one to be good at dealing with surprises and Connor knew that which is why he was doing this to me.
"Shhh, no cursing, Bailey," he whispered low in my ear, making me shiver.
"I didn't curse," I protested.
"You said 'hell'" he reminded me, "Better watch your tongue, Bails, wearing a dress doesn't make you a girl you know."
I threw a punch at nothing in particular, simply aiming to hit the idiot. I had put a lot of effort into wearing a nice white sun dress for him and he had the nerve to make fun of me for it! I could feel his silent laughter racking his entire body as he dragged me along, still bound at the wrist with his handkerchief and blindfolded. I shuffled uncertainly behind him without a choice.
"Are we there yet?" I whined immaturely.
"Just a few more steps," he assured me.
Suddenly, he stopped and I almost stumbled into him had he not put his hands on my shoulder to stop me from advancing. The sudden stop took me by surprise but Connor's arms steadied me.
"Bailey, I need to know something," he asked me, a nervous tinge in his suddenly serious voice.
"Con, you're scaring me," I told him, "What's going on?"
"Just hear me out," he told me, "Do you trust me, Bailey?"
"You know I do," I told him honestly.
I trusted Connor. He'd always be there to catch me, and he will never do anything to hurt me.
"Do you love me, Bailey?" His voice was shaking as though he was afraid to ask the question.
"With all my heart," I told him unable to resist smiling.
"Okay," he said and I could almost hear the smile in his voice as he said that.
Then, all of a sudden, he snatched my blindfold away. My eyes adjusted to the brightness coming through the stained glass. Looking around, my hands flew to my mouth in surprise. We were in a church back in the town we grew up in and left all those years ago, in front of everyone we loved and loved us, my parents, his parents, and our friends. It was a small group of people, but they were all we needed. They were all smiling, giving me encouraging nods.
Fr. Clinton smiled at me as tears started to pool in my eyes.
I looked at Connor, standing nervously in front of me.
My Connor, with his lopsided smile and bright eyes...
My best friend, my rock, my strength, my weakness, my everything.
Suddenly, he knelt down on one knee and offered a ring to me.
The ring was a plain gold band with a diamond stud. Engraved within were the words Happily Ever After.
"It took me twenty years to admit my feelings for you. It took me longer to tell you these feelings. And, it took me even longer to realize that I wanted to be your Happily Ever After. I love you, Bailey. I loved you then, I love you now, and I know I will love you for however long. So, after everything, will you marry me right here and right now, Bailey Barnes?"
I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe.
Connor was asking me to marry him.
So I did what my heart had been wanting me to do.
I said yes.
