Aurora's Heart

Part 25: To my dismay

Elijah

If anyone had told me that I would be here, at Gabe’s Christmas party, with our whole family here celebrating together, I would have laughed in their faces. We all, my fathers included, were eating and chatting it up at the dinner table. Though all tension isn’t gone. I managed to do as I promised Aurora and apologize to all of them, Gabe too for essentially causing Aurora to find out about her father in that way. It’s been a long journey back to this place of trust for all of us, especially Aurora. Looking over at her as she stuffs her face, I smile. My mother and father divorced. I suppose he couldn’t live with her anymore, love her anymore. I can understand that. As a man, I doubt I could do it either. They’re friends now… though at times the glare my dad gives my other dad, Robert, and my mother tells a different story.
We've been so great these last  eight months, and ever since the last time I asked her to marry me, we never talked about it again. I didn't  wanna scare her away and she never brought it up again either, so I let it be. But now, I can't wait anymore, we've been together almost two years, a little more than that if we count when we didn't have a title. It's enough time to know that I cannot and will not give her up. I knew the moment that I decided to stop killing cold turkey that she was my saving grace. No one else could have made me do that.

So as I get down on one knee at the dining room table, with all our family in the room, their eyes widen with surprise. Aurora's in her little red dress and her head of curls in her usual afro, with the bright red lipstick that makes me want to take her lips onto mine and ravish them. She doesn't notice I'm on my knees beside her until she notices everyone's  widened eyes and her head shoots around to meet me. She drops her fork in the plate and covers her mouth in shock.

"Baby…" She whispers in shock.

I smile at her, opening the little velvet box I had in my hands revealing the purple princess cut diamonds surrounded with smaller crystals forming an oval on a band made of clear diamonds. It was beautiful, like she is…

My lips trembled as the time came to say the words. I do not know if it's  because I'm proposing so publicly, or my nerves giving out because I'm overwhelmed with emotion. Fuck! I'm getting soft!
I shake my head and smile at her.

"Look, " I start, my voice shaking. She lets out a small  sob, "I love you, very, very much, and my life with you the near two years we've  been together has been the most amazing time of my life. It wasn't always pretty, and Lord knows I fought for you to accept my love and find the strength to love me back, and by the grace of God baby, you did, and I thank you."

"I love you," she mouths to me, and I chuckle.

"Not as much as I love you," I say, feeling tears threatening to escape my eyes, "Now Aurora Mirage, will you please, Marry me?" 

I watch as her lips tremble from crying. Waiting seems to peel away at my skin as it suddenly feels hot in here and my whole body aches dreading her telling me no. She should dread it, you don't deserve  her.

"Yes!" She beams, jumping down into my arms. We fall to the floor, both laughing our faces off. The room starts to applause and congratulate us. She takes my lips onto hers, kissing me deeply. She said yes!  Jesus christ! If I could cry and not look like a little bitch, I would. She said yes. Suddenly my skin stops burning, my mind is put at ease from its insecurities and my heart beats normally. I feel a veil of peace cover me, and  a strange calmth takes over. She has agreed to truly be mine.

"So this is why you were acting so strange today?" She smiles down at me, kissing my nose. I was acting strange?  Damn it, as much as I'd like for her to believe that it was nerves, I was probably acting strange because I went to see Mike Copper today. Though that man raised me and taught me all I know, a level of uncertainty and fear is always there. It works at even the bravest man's  nerves. I suppose I was nervous today because I was preparing to ask her to marry me, and I had to ask his permission to do so.