a day in the life of Adele

Chapter 25

After I had searched every room of the house, I checked to see if Simon's car was in the driveway.

It wasn't.

Telling myself not to panic or worry, I dial his number thinking that maybe he just went out to buy groceries. But why so early in the morning?

Of course, he doesn't answer. I stare down at my ring, taking a deep breath and assuring myself that he wouldn't leave. He told me the ring represented his promise that we would always be together.

Repeating his words in my mind calms me down and I realise that I shouldn't be worried. I just had to wait.

Waiting has never been my strong suit, but I have no other choice.

A few long minutes pass as I sit on the couch just thinking. Then I hear someone pull into the driveway. I run to the door and through the yard to see who it is.

Simon!

Acting as though I haven't seen him in years, I run and leap into his arms.

"I thought you left me again!" I say, probably sounding crazy and dramatic.

"Why would I do that?" He says, like it's obvious.

He walks to the passenger side of the car and opens the door, revealing a bouquet of red roses with a white envelope in them.

My heart can barely take it.

Turning to face him, he begins to speak, offering up an explanation.

"I was going to surprise you. So consider this a surprise!" He says, wrapping his arms around my waist and giving me a hug.

He takes the roses and hands them to me, closing the car door and holding my hand as we walk back into the house.

They smell incredible, but the real surprise was the white envelope.

"What's this?" I ask once we arrive in the kitchen.

"Just a note I wrote. Actually, I wrote it the night I asked you to marry me. I didn't know if I would ever give it to you, but, well there it is." He sounds shy, like I'm his high school crush and he's confessing his love for me.

Unfolding the paper, I see his handwriting. For some reason, it's comforting. It's familiar.

Dear Adele,

Just a few hours ago, you leapt into my arms and told me "Yes!" when I nervously asked you to marry me. Right now, you're fast asleep and I can't stop smiling. I just wanted to tell you, from the very bottom of my heart, I love you. I love your big heart and your kind personality, your sense of humor, and the way you love our son and take care of him. You're the most incredible woman in the world. Your beauty, inside and out, radiates off of you constantly. Anybody who knows you is privileged, but I am beyond grateful to be able to call you my wife. If you ever feel down, stressed, worried, or sad- don't be. I am always here. I love you so much, Adele, with all my heart.

~Simon

P.S. I am not good at romantic love letters, but please consider giving me credit for at least trying.

By the time I got to the second line, I began to cry like the emotional mess I was. When I finished, I looked up to see his anxious face as tears cascaded down my face.

"Simon, oh my-" I begin, but I am cut off my him pressing his lips to my own.

My tears are still falling, but they don't seem to bother him as he holds me in his arms and kisses me.

It's incredibly reassuring, especially after I had a bit of a panic attack earlier when he was gone.

When we finally do pull away from each other, I suddenly feel very tired and decide I am going back to bed.

Simon glances at the clock.

6:23.

"I'm coming with you," He says as he picks me up and carries me back to bed. "Just a few months until we do this when you're in a wedding dress."

I laugh and rest my head on his shoulder. "I can't wait."

We lay back in bed, and I pull the blanket over us.

I am overwhelmed with a sense of safety and love when I feel Simon's arm wrap around me. I place my hand on top of his own and drift back off to sleep.

I knew I was happy when I met Simon. Then I thought I had reached the highest level of happiness when Angelo was placed into my arms and I became a mother. In the weeks before Simon proposed, I thought for sure I couldn't be happier. Then he proposed and here I am, with an engagement ring on my finger and a baby boy sleeping in the room next door.

I couldn't stop smiling and telling myself that I had finally made it.

This truly was the highest level of happiness, or so I thought.

The truth is that I had no idea how much happier I was about to become.