My Partner Against Crime

Chapter 11

I sit with Jason in his kitchen. Spencer, his wife, and kids are all still sleeping.

"So... Spencer told me about his proposal." I nearly spit out my coffee.

"He told you about that?" He rubs the back of his neck.

"Yeah, well he wanted my opinion on some things so." He shrugs. "Anyway, if you're not serious with him, just end it, I might not know too much about your situation but as your older brother I feel like that counts as something." I know he's right, Spencer is who I want to spend the rest of my life with, but I'm cautious because I don't want him to take his life simply because we focused more on planning our wedding than his health.

"I know, I know. I just wanted more time to think about it." I get up and open the fridge, grabbing a muffin and sitting back down.

"Is this about Adam?" I place my muffin on a small plate.

"What does that mean?"

"He was your original 'the one,' I mean you didn't exactly fall out of love." I sigh, not wanting to bring up what I've worked so hard to move on from.

"Maybe we didn't initially fall out of love, but we both chose our careers over each other. It's been a few years, I've moved on." I unwrap my muffin and slightly widen my eyes after seeing Spencer leaning against the doorway.

"Good morning." He walks over to me and gently kisses my head.

"Hey... Do you want to go on a walk with me?"

-

Spencer and I walk around Jason's neighborhood.

"You know I used to live in here." I watch the familiar houses go by.

"I didn't know that." He looks down at me.

"Yeah, well before I moved in with Adam, Jason said I should come live with him and his family but I didn't want to impose so I lived about three houses down for I think six months? I honestly loved it, I used to walk around here all of the time." I look to my left at a park.

"Let's go over here." We cross the street and walk through the grass to my favorite bench.

"I want to talk to you about I guess a lot of things. For one, I need you to get help, it's not a suggestion anymore." He opens his mouth to speak, but I shut him down. "And, I love you, I really do, I want to marry you, and I'm sorry for ruining your absolutely perfect proposal." He points to himself, and I nod.

"You didn't ruin it, even though we didn't walk away engaged it was still a pretty perfect night. I know that you wanted to wait, because of me, and I'm sorry I thought my... habit is something we could just ignore but I know that I need to fix myself, and I promise the second we get home I'm going to really start making those changes." I feel more than relieved, I want nothing more than for Spencer to find help, I want to fix him, but I can only do so much.

"As for us, do you think if I propose again, you'll say yes this time?" I smile at him and playfully shove him.

"Yes, I'll say yes this time."

"Well I suppose this is as perfect time as any?" He gets down on one knee, making my jaw drop.

"I left the ring in my suitcase, but just pretend it's here." He cups his hands in front of me.

"Marina, I want nothing more than to give myself to you, and ring or not, you did say you would say yes so, will you marry me?" I laugh at his proposal 'speech.'

"As promised, yes." He raises his arms and cheers.

"She said yes!" He yells to the empty park.

I stand up and wrap my arms around him.