Can This Be Real?

Chapter 34: What are you waiting for?

Hey strangers... Surprise! With the holiday break coming up, I have a little more extra time on my hands so expect some uploads. 😃😜😘

Derek POV

This summer long Move Live on Tour has been a blast but I can't lie... finally having the time off to enjoy this Hough family vacation with Bethany in Coeur D'alene, Idaho was just what I needed. Bethany had quite the busy summer herself with nonstop traveling, photoshoots, meetings, events, and appearances. Not being able to physically be with her for the last two and half months has been hard. Having to be miles away from her, the late night phone calls and Facetime sessions have not done its justice of being able to see just how much the baby has grown inside of her.

Having her here now, being able to bond with my entire family, and just taking this time off to enjoy the moment is worth it.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Bethany sneak out onto the dock as the rest of the entire family began to settle into the vacation house.

In a flowy, long dress blowing in the wind and the gorgeous hues of the setting sun over the lake, Bethany looked radiant. I quickly search through my bag for my camera to capture this gorgeous moment. With her looking down and admiring her much bigger baby bump, her silhouette was perfectly framed as I focused my camera on her. Moments later, my mom walks out onto the dock to join her. Even though I was out range to overhear what they were talking about, I saw my mom place both of her hands on Bethany's belly and bend down to either whisper or kiss it. My finger instinctively kept snapping away photos.

I slightly get startled by my grandpa's voice saying, "Son, something tells me that you won't need all of those photos to capture this moment, you've already engrained Bethany's beauty in your mind."

I can't help but laugh at the truth of his statement, "Hey Gramps." Oddly, my gramps doesn't say anything but stare at me so I ask, "What?"

"This look looks good on you," he answers.

Now confused, "Gramps, have you been out in the sun too long?"

"I'm serious. Impending fatherhood and true love has done you well, my son. Its just nice to see you finally really happy."

I let out an honest breath of air, "I truly am, Gramps. I have never felt this way about anyone before and the idea of being a dad soon to our own little one... I just can't hold back my joy, happiness, and excitement."

"I can tell," he says as he puts his arm around me, "but there's something else running through that mind of yours when I see you look at her."

"Gramps... I don't know what you are talking about," I respond trying to lie through my teeth.

"Derek Hough, don't lie to an old man," he says.

"It's nothing, Gramps. Really."

He simply states, "something's missing?"

"What?" I ask unsurely.

"You have everything you could possibly want but maybe something is quite not like you had imagined?" he starts, "That's it isn't it?"

I nervously shake my head at his craziness.

He continues, "But what's missing? I mean you are clearly head over heals in love with this gorgeous young lady and you have a baby on the way. I mean, it's like the picture perfect happy ending... except..."

My head perks up anticipating what he was going to say.

"Marriage... you're thinking of marriage, aren't you?"

I vehemently start to shake my head "no" to tell him that he is wrong but he sees right through me. He squints his eyes with doubt, which causes me to fess up... I shake my head up and down indicating "yes."

"Well, what's there to think about? What are you afraid of long term commitment?"

I answer quickly, "No, not all."

"Are you second guessing if she's..."

I stop him before he could even finish his sentence and say, "No, I am certain that she is the one."

"Whoa, okay... no need to get all defensive," he mockingly says with a smile, "You are thinking of asking her soon, aren't you?"

I simply nod.

"You have a ring already, don't you?"

I again nod my head.

"How long have you been thinking about this?"

"Gramps, I have known since the first day we met that I wanted to marry her," I reach down into my pocket to pull out the ring and continue, "I bought this even before we even officially got together. I just knew that this ring was meant for her. And even through everything that we've been through this last year, I knew one day we were meant to be."

"Well, what are you waiting for, son? Ask her."

I let out a slight laugh and say, "We had a talk recently. And I think she's scared. She doesn't want the timing of getting married and me proposing to be because of the baby. She doesn't want me to feel pressured into rushing into things."

"Are you... feeling pressured?" he asks.

"No, not at all," I answer confidently. "The thing is we've been able to keep much of our relationship to ourselves over the last year without any extensive intrigue or it getting revealed to the public and our fans. But I know when she's further along in her pregnancy or we can't hide being together anymore, it may come with some backlash. Social media can be so cruel at times and I don't want her to have to deal with that. I want to protect her and shield her from that as much as possible. But..."

My Gramps instigates, "But..."

I continue, "A part of me just doesn't care what anyone else thinks. All that matters to me is having the chance to make those vows and promises to her. To make sure that she knows that I will love her til death do us part."

"Derek, then tell her exactly that. That right there is what a marriage is. It doesn't matter what any other person says, all that matters is the two of you."

"The two of who?" a familiar female voice interrupts.

Slightly startled, I reply, "Mom."

She smirks and says, "I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?"

My gramps answers, "No child, just a little guy talk."

"Really now? About what?" she asks.

I quickly answer, "Oh, it's nothing. Where's Bethany?"

"You really think that there was something I could say that could pry that girl away from staring and taking pictures of the setting sun on the lake. Not to mention the way her eyes lit up as I was telling her how gorgeous the night skies are around here with all of the brightly shining stars. There is no way I could drag her back into the house. Kinda reminds me of someone else I know." She smiles as she notices the picture in the viewfinder of my camera, "Hun, these pictures are gorgeous. Do you mind if I can use one for inspiration of painting that I can give as a gift to Beth for the baby shower?"

"Yes, of course. Bethany would absolutely love that. Thanks, mom."

She smiles and says, "Why don't I take your Gramps inside with me, while you enjoy the evening with Bethany."

My Gramps interjects, "What!?! You don't want the two of us around as chaperones, Derek?"

I chuckle and answer, "Gramps, I think Beth and I are little past the chaperone stage of our relationship."

My mom and Gramps both laugh as they walk inside the house. I reach my hand down into my pocket to rub the ring for good luck as I walk down the dock to Bethany.