Forever Yours

I Wanna Grow Old With You [42]

Copyright notice: No copyright infringement intended.I do not own these lyrics or the copyright to this song. All Copyright belongs to it's owners, Westlife. I own nothing.

42. I Wanna Grow Old With You

Maureen

A melody played out, sweet and winsome, over the speakers. I caught my breath in shock as I knew which one it was, even before Ryan leaned into the microphone and began to sing...

Another day without your smile

Another day just passes by

But now I know

How much it means

For you to stay

Right here with me...

My heart just about stopped in my chest. I knew this song... I loved this song...

Oh, my gosh, Ryan was singing this song to me?

He turned his head slightly, his eyes reaching across all the space between us to find mine from where I sat in the audience, stunned, sitting straight up in my seat, one hand covering my mouth.

The time we spent apart will make our love grow stronger...

But it hurt so bad I can't take it any longer

I wanna grow old with you

I wanna die lying in your arms

I wanna grow old with you

I wanna be looking in your eyes

I wanna be there for you

Sharing in everything you do

I wanna grow old with you...

Ryan's beautiful, deep voice filled my ears and I felt tears rising, springing unbidden to my stinging eyes. Gooseflesh covered my arms and I felt heat pulsing in my cheeks.

Then the rest of the band joined in, all rising together to play the next verse.

A thousand miles between us now

It causes me to wonder how...

"Come on," Cara suddenly said, grabbing my arm and pulling me up from my seat. Tears were clouding my vision and my body was shaking slightly but I still struggled against her.

"What- where are we going?"

Our love tonight

(Our love tonight) Jared and Darren sang.

Remains so strong

(Remains so strong)

It makes our risk

(It makes our risk)

Right all along...

"Come on- follow me," she said over her shoulder, pulling me along behind her as we pushed past the guests, the ladies and gentleman, crowding our way. I didn't even register moving my legs- they were going by their own accord, stumbling over the hem of my dress, tripping on the carpet. Only Cara's hand in mine prevented me from falling.

The time we spent apart will make our love grow stronger...

We were suddenly next to the stage and before I knew what was happening, Cara was pushing me up the four steps leading onto the platform.

But it hurt so bad I can't take it any longer...

I was on the stage, light all around me, feeling half-blind from the tears clouding my vision. I felt light and weak and suddenly realized that Cara wasn't next to me any longer and wouldn't hold me up if I tripped. I wanted to turn and run off the stage, away from all the eyes of the people staring, but Ryan suddenly stood up from the piano, taking the microphone in his hand and turned just as the chorus began and the remaining cellists and violinists started playing ...

I wanna grow old with you

I wanna die lying in your arms

I wanna grow old with you

I wanna be looking in your eyes

I wanna be there for you

Sharing in everything you do

I wanna grow old with you...

Ryan walked towards me slowly, singing right to me, ignoring everyone else around us. I found myself moving towards him, my feet moving of their own accord again and just as the chorus ended, we reached each other. Tears were streaming freely down my face and neck now and heat flooded my face; I was laughing and crying all at once, embarrassed, trying to cover my face but unable to bear tearing my eyes from Ryan's. He reached up with one hand and cupped my cheek, wiping the tears away with his thumb.

Dreams can come and go I know, but baby, I believe

Something's burning strong between us

Makes it clear to me

His arm suddenly went around me, just as I felt all my nervous excitement come together with a weakening crash; all the anger I had felt from being out of the loop, my uneasiness and frustration, later followed by the shock of seeing Ryan and his friends on the stage to perform, to the joy, the tears, and happiness I was now feeling was spiraling down me into an overwhelming twister of emotion and I don't know if I would have collapsed or not had Ryan's arm not suddenly gone around me.

I fell against him, letting out a small cry, somewhere between a sob and a laugh of pure happiness. His arm went around my shoulders, holding me tightly against him, and I sank into his strength, suddenly feeling all my confusion and overwhelming emotion fade.

I wanna grow old with you

I wanna die lying in your arms

I wanna grow old with you

I wanna be looking in your eyes

I wanna be there for you

Sharing in everything you do

I wanna grow old with you...

His hand stroked up and down my arm. He looked down at me, the most tender look I had ever seen shining in his eyes.

I wanna die lying in your arms

I wanna grow old with you

I wanna be looking in your eyes

I wanna be there for you

Sharing in everything you do

I wanna grow old with you...

He finished the last line quietly, his voice dropping lower, turning even softer as he gazed down into my eyes and my heart stopped beating for a full two seconds. The music faded gently around us and I looked up into his face, staring into his deep, blue eyes.

"Maureen, will you marry me?" he whispered into my ear.

I nodded, hiding my face in his neck as the room exploded in applause. Nobody had heard him though, just me.

"Yes," I whispered, my voice no louder than the beat of a moth's wing.

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