Whoa, Baby!

18.

Chapter Eighteen
The Moment Before Forever

The plane ride back from Vancouver had been long, but not long enough to wash the adrenaline from my system. The buzz of Survivor Series: War Games was still thrumming through me, every bone in my body aching in that good way only a brutal match could bring.

But as I sat there, staring out at the blue-gray clouds and thinking about what I had just been through, my mind kept wandering back to the real reason I was so eager to get home.

I wanted to see her. Tatiana. It wasn't just that I missed her, though I did, in every way. It was that I was ready for what came next, ready to ask her a question that had been on my mind for weeks.

Maybe months, if I was honest. I had been thinking about proposing, about making this life we had carved out together permanent. There was no one else I wanted by my side, no one I trusted more to be, the person who understood me on a level that no one else ever had.

And with the way things had been going, with Ocean getting older and the love we shared only growing, it felt like the right time.

My plan was set: I'd return from the road, meet with my jeweler to finalize the ring, and then talk to Tristan. That part made my palms sweat more than any wrestling match ever had. I had known from the beginning that asking for his blessing would be the biggest test.

He was a solid man, serious in a way that made you respect him instantly, and he was fiercely protective of Tatiana. I couldn't blame him. She was his world, and I needed him to know that she was mine, too.

The jeweler's workshop had been quiet when I walked in, the air smelling faintly of metal and polish. I had given him the specifics of what I wanted, and he had returned with a ring that took my breath away: a 3-carat pear-shaped diamond surrounded by a halo of smaller stones.

It was elegant, timeless, and had a little bit of fire to it, just like Tatiana. I felt a strange rush of pride and anticipation as I held it in my hand, turning it this way and that to see it catch the light. It was beautiful, and it was perfect. Just like her.

That afternoon, I drove out to Tristan's house, my hands gripping the steering wheel a little tighter than usual. I'd always respected him, but now I was nervous in a way that made me feel like a teenager asking for his daughter's hand for the first time.

We'd shared a few conversations over the past couple of months, but this was different. This was the moment that would change everything.

He greeted me at the door, his expression unreadable. We exchanged a few pleasantries before I got straight to the point, the ring heavy in my pocket.

When I asked for his blessing, the silence between us seemed to stretch for a heartbeat, then another. I could almost hear my pulse, loud in my ears. But then his face softened, and he nodded, the corner of his mouth twitching just enough to make me breathe again.

"Tatiana is the best decision I ever made," I said, my voice sounding more vulnerable than I'd intended. "And I want to make sure she knows that I'm committed to her for the rest of our lives."

Tristan's eyes searched mine for a moment longer before he reached out and clapped a heavy hand on my shoulder. "You have my blessing, Joe."

The weight that lifted off me felt as real as the diamond in my pocket. I thanked him, we talked for a few more minutes, and then I was back in my car, driving home with the ring safely tucked away in the safe in my home office. I had made it. It was real now. All that was left was for me to figure out the right moment to ask her.

When I got home, the smell of something simmering in the kitchen hit me, a warm, comforting scent that told me Ocean and Tatiana had been busy. I kicked off my boots and stepped into the hallway, the low murmur of Tatiana's voice mixing with the faint giggle of Ocean in her high chair.

I paused in the doorway, watching them for a moment before Tatiana turned and saw me. Her eyes lit up in that way that made my heart squeeze, and she held up a hand in greeting, still balancing the baby bottle in her other.

"Hey, Joe," she said, her voice softer than usual.

"Hey, babe," I said, walking over and pressing a kiss to her temple.

She leaned into it, her hair soft against my face, but I couldn't help but notice the tension in her shoulders, the slight frown that tugged at her lips. Something was on her mind.

Dinner was simple, spaghetti and meatballs with a side of garlic bread—comfort food at its best. Ocean was all smiles as she reached for her plate, her tiny fingers patting the edge, the little blur of her movements full of life. We sat at the table, sharing the space in a cozy, familiar way that had become second nature over the past months. But something in the air felt different like a storm waiting to break.

Tatiana seemed distracted, her eyes flicking between the baby and her half-finished plate. Every now and then, she would let out a small sigh and shake her head, as if she was trying to brush away a cloud of worry. It wasn't like her. I'd learned the subtle nuances of her mood, the small things that gave away what she was thinking, and right now, she felt distant. Unsettled.

"Everything okay?" I asked, pushing my fork through the pasta.

She looked up at me, and for a moment, I thought she would say something reassuring. But then, she hesitated, and her eyes dropped back to Ocean. "Yeah, just... tired, I guess. It's been a long day," she said, but her voice lacked the usual warmth.

"Long day, huh?" I said, studying her, my brows knitting together. "You sure you're alright?"

She nodded, but the movement was hesitant, almost defeated. My heart clenched. I knew she was carrying the weight of motherhood, of being everything for Ocean, and lately, I'd noticed her slipping into moments where she seemed to forget she didn't have to carry it all alone. I wanted to say something that would help, but there was a feeling building in me, a sense that I couldn't ignore.

It wasn't just the fatigue. Something else was there, under the surface. And suddenly, I wondered if she had any inkling about what I was planning. Maybe she sensed that something was shifting between us, that things were about to change in a big way.

After dinner, as I cleared the plates and she took Ocean to the living room to play, I glanced up at the safe in my office. It was the first time in days that the sight of it made me feel nervous.

Was I going to be able to keep the secret for long? Was tonight the night, or would I have to wait for the right moment, when the tension eased and she looked at me with that familiar softness that made me believe anything was possible?

As I finished washing the dishes, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever came next. Because whether I was ready or not, I knew that whatever lay ahead, we would face it together—proposals, surprises, and all.