GRACE
Laurel have never been on a plane before, but today would be her first time and she was more than delighted to say the least.
She sat between Connor and me in the business class section of the plane. I would have opted for the economy class if it was up to me but Connor would hear none of that. He said he wanted to give his child the best first flying experience.
However there was something awkward about him. I know we were going to meet his control freak mother who didn’t like me but I believe I should be the tensed or anxious one here. I wish I could turn back the hands of time and turn down his offer of going to see his mother.
After all, she called her own grandchild an illegitimate.
Connor shifted on his seat, checking to see once again if Laurel’s seat strap was secure. Wait he wasn’t air sick was he?
For someone who traveled around the world for his businesses, he should be used to flying by now, or maybe not.
He signaled one of the air hostess, speaking in muffled tones to her so that I couldn’t hear a word they were saying.
The petite blond haired air hostess was smiling so widely, I couldn’t help but feel jealous. Truth be told, I have been feeling this way since we arrived at the airport. Ladies kept staring at Connor, smiling at him even though he wasn’t even noticing them.
Asides from the fact that he was a well-known person, I understand he is too good looking to be true, especially in his grey suede jacket and glittering dark hair. He was dripping sexiness even without trying.
Damn.
The air hostess nodded and left, all the while ignoring my presence totally, and Connor didn’t even bother to explain what he was speaking with her. If he was ordering for something to drink, he would have at least asked I and Laurel what we wanted right?
I wasn’t the weird one here. Connor was the one acting really strange.
The plane took off while I scrolled aimlessly on my phone sulking, meanwhile, Connor and Laurel were having the time of their lives, laughing, chatting without bothering to include me.
After a while, Connor simply excused himself and went off as if going to the rest room. As soon as he left, the same air hostess speaking to Connor brought me a glass of red wine on a little tray.
“I didn’t order that,” I said, trying to keep the irritation off my voice. “Maybe he did, and he is not here now. Went to the restroom.” I gestured to Connor’s seat.
She smiled benevolently and shook her head with certainty. “It was ordered for you, ma’am.” She handed it to me and left before I could argue further.
I held the glass of wine wondering what I was supposed to do with it. Well a sip won’t hurt I thought before taking the glass to my lips and tasting it. The taste of the wine took be back down to memory lane.
I didn’t know about wine but this was the Chardonnay wine. One of the oldest and most polar wines ever. But why would they have this in a plane?
Did it come with First Class ticket? And was about to take another sip when something at the base of the glass caught my eye. It glowed so much at first I thought it was the sun but it wasn’t so I drank all the content in the wine till it was just the object inside.
I glanced inside the glass and gasped at the exquisite sparkling diamond ring staring back at me. It was real diamond, shaped like a heart in the middle of the ring. I stared at it in a daze, confused as to if I should cry or laugh.
My heart melted as tears gathered in my eyes. I turned to look at my daughter sitting beside me and she gave me a knowing smile like she knew about it. But how could she when she’s just six?
Where the hell was Connor after doing this anyway? But my thought was interrupted by a sound coming from all the speakers in the plane.
Laurel looked around giggling, I knew it was coming from the pilot section.
“Hello, everyone,” an unfamiliar voice spoke up cheerfully. “As most of us has seen earlier, Connor Shelby, CEO of Shelby Enterprise is here today as he has something to say.”
Everyone around us started bringing out their phones as soon as the pilot finished making the announcement, while my heart was thumping loudly against my chest. I wanted to become invisible this instant.
“Hello Grace.” Connor’s rich and deep baritone voice came up next, sending a warm quiver through me. “I hope you don’t mind making it known to the world that you are not a mistake in my life but a miracle. I got tired of everything at some point in my life but your presence ignited the will the wake up every morning, because you’ll be right next to me. You are not just the mother of my child, you’re the Queen of my heart, and I promise to make up for all the times I wasn’t there as I should have. You’re the strongest and fiercest woman I have ever known, and I’m grateful every day that we crossed paths. You complete me.”
Warm tears spilled down my cheeks, I couldn’t hold them back. My heart was like a jelly already, I didn’t even know what I was feeling at that point.
I raised my head to see Connor standing right in front of me grinning, his steel-grey eyes brimming with tears as well.
He looked so dashing and stunning, I couldn’t catch my breath.
I was still in a daze when he went down on one knee, collected the glass from my trembling hand and took out the ring from inside.
“Marry me, Grace.” he uttered with a throaty voice. “Stay with me forever and never leave my side.”
I covered my mouth with my palms as more tears rushed down, unable to stop it. I have never felt so genuinely wanted in my life before, and here I felt the yearning from his heart and soul.
I dropped my hands and started to laugh at myself for doubting Connor few minutes ago. I had no idea he could pull off a stunt like this.
He stretched his hands requesting for mine which I handed to him without thinking twice.
“It’s your right hand,” he chuckled, causing me to blush with embarrassment like crazy. It wasn’t my fault, though, all of this was so overwhelming.
I withdrew my right hand and handed him my left, watching with awe and suspended breath as he slid the dazzling diamond ring into my ring finger.
Laurel giggled, squirming excitedly and I couldn’t help but wonder if she understood what was going on.
“I’m your daddy, Laurie” Connor smiled adorably at her.
“I know,” Laurel retorted shocking Connor and I as we both stared at her with a look of surprise.
“Oh really? How’s that?” Connor asked with an amused tone.
“My friends in school said I look a lot like you.” she answered.
Connor laughed and held me up, folding me into a warm embrace as cheers and applause erupted around us.
People were taking pictures and smiling at us while I blushed, feeling suddenly conscious of everything around me.
“Everything would be fine, Grace, I promise.” he whispered into my ears and I believed him once again.
A feeling of warmth washed over me, it came with a sense of assurance and certainty. I wasn’t scared of Connor’s mother anymore, I was going there to face her head on.
Meanwhile, I never knew that wine tasted so good, no wonder he preferred wine to beer.