Teach Me - Brollins

20.

Two months later...

Things around the Lopez house were extremely different. Cali was out of school for the summer and in all of her summer sports. Colby was taking more opportunities to teach at the wrestling school. Rebecca had decided to quit teaching all together, she couldn't see herself going back into another school for a very long time.

Colby supported that decision because Cali didn't want to be in another school either which is why they agreed to homeschool her until she felt ready to go back.

Rebecca took all of her free time now speaking to teachers around the country about gun violence. She had taken her first steps two months ago and was now on the road to a full recovery.

Sure she was still in pain, she was still recovering and her walking wasn't nearly as stable as it once was but that would all come with time.

Colby finished putting the final suitcase into the trunk of the car as Rebecca kissed Cali on the head.

"Why can't I go?" The little girl asked

"Because you have dance class and softball games and gymnastics" Rebecca listed "and you are going to go on the big trip to Disney with grandma in a few weeks" Heather's mother had requested to take Cali to California for summer vacation and Colby couldn't say no to it.

"Plus.. this is a vacation and while I love you, I haven't had a vacation in years" Colby said

"Colby!" Rebecca scolded him with a shake of her head "We are going on the big family vacation in July before school starts up again"

"But you guys are going to Hawaii without me!" Cali stomped her foot

"And you are going to California without us" Colby mocked her "Look you're going to be fine and you're going to have fun I promise"

Dropping Cali off with Holly was difficult but more so for the little girl who just wanted to go on the trip with them. She quickly got over it once her grandmother told her they would be going on a little trip of their own to Chicago over the weekend.

That was three days ago.

They had been in Hawaii for three days and on full vacation mode.

Sleeping in everyday, waking up slowly and spending the rest of the day exploring the island.

Colby sat in the sand, Watching Rebecca take pictures of the sunset. It was the first vacation he'd had in forever but it was also the first vacation they'd taken together.

Rebecca walked over to him and gently lowered herself to the sand with her back against his chest and they watched the waves crash onto the sand.

"It's been a hell of a year Lopez" she said quietly and he nodded as he placed a kiss to the side of her head

"You can say that again" he nodded "I'd appreciate if the rest of our years aren't nearly as testing as this one"

"Agreed" she nodded

"I would have went through everything all over again if it would have brought us to this moment"

"Same" she leaned against his chest further "Our life is not easy.. the universe is making us work for it that's for sure"

"No regrets?"

"None" she shook her head "I've got a beautiful family out of everything"

"You wanna make that official?" He asked and she looked up at him confused as he flashed her a small smile as he stood up and reached for her hands to pull her up

"You are not doing this" she shook her head in disbelief, she always thought this moment would happen but like this?

"I can throw the ring in my back pocket in the ocean and we can continue going through life as just dating and living together" he shrugged

"Don't you dare!" She threatened

"Well make up your mind, do you want me to do this or not?" He teased with a laugh and she nodded silently "Okay" he nodded as he reached for her hands and took a deep breath "I've thought a lot about what I was going to say to you, how I was going to do this.. what my elaborate speech was going to be" he listed "but every time I thought about it I started to psych myself out" he nodded "and I spoke to my team.. and by team I mean Cali" he said and Rebecca laughed "and being the very smart child she is, she told me to just speak from my heart.. so that's what I am going to do" he nodded "I love you, you are my best friend, my number one supporter and the best teammate I could ask for.. I am so glad that we stumbled drunkly into that hotel room almost a year ago" he nodded and she laughed "Because that night changed my life, it saved my life" he nodded "I was just going through life with no emotions, just a shell of myself really, trying to put one foot in front of the other until you came in and flipped everything upside down.. You have made me a better man, you have accepted my daughter as your own and you do everything in your power to keep her mother's memory alive for her and I cannot repay you for that" He watched her wipe a few stray tears from her face "I want to wake up to you for the rest of my life, I want to grow our family, I want to grow old with you.. I want to hear all of your sarcastic comments, to watch you dance around the kitchen while you cook, to listen to you sing in the car even though we both know you can't sing"

"I have the voice of an angel" she said quickly and he laughed

"I want all of it.. the good and the bad and the messy" he nodded "You told me a little while ago that you would marry me but I hadn't asked you yet" he shook his head "I wanted to make sure the timing was right" he nodded "So with that being said.." He nodded once more and she watched him get down on one knee in front of her

"Will You Marry Me?"

She nodded silently as he stood up, sliding the ring onto her finger quickly before wrapping his arms around her and picking her up.

"I didn't hear you" he said

"Yes" she nodded "Yes" she placed her lips on his "I thought you would never ask"

"I love you" he kissed her "You're about to be my wife" he shook his head with a smile

"Your wife.." She nodded "Your wife" she said once more as she wrapped her arms around his neck "You're about to be my husband" she said with wide eyes

"Are you ready for that?" He asked

"So ready" she nodded