1 YEAR LATER
Arabella was meeting Kieran after work; she had moved out because she was not comfortable with being there while dating him and had found herself a new job where she seemed to function much better. She was even on her way to write a book of her own. Kieran, who started a book publishing house solely for the money, now began to learn about this thing so he could help her out with the publication.
She was glad that she had given in and tried to date him, or else she would never understand what this kind of relationship meant. Kieran was so attentive and made her feel like his entire world revolved around her. She learnt to drive and even bought her car.
Sometimes she believed that he was going to propose to her because he would bring up discussions that centered around their future home, but then after that, it would be like they were back to base one. She liked base one, but she hated living all by herself. She wanted to move back in with him, and she wanted to begin having kids as well.
If she ever tells him that she wants to move in with him, he would take the hint that she is talking about marriage, and he would tell her to move in with him and also mention that he kicked her away from going in the first place.
She found it odd when she got to the location he had sent her that a woman at the door greeted her with a bouquet. “From Mr. Sterling,” she said as Arabella took the flowers from her hand.
“Huh? Fresh roses?” she asked as she sniffed the flowers. The woman led her down the hall into a private room, and as the door to the room opened, she saw her mom and sister sitting there. No wonder they had been so unreachable. She had thought nothing about it because she thought she would call them when she got home, so it was a surprise for her to see them sitting there with smiles on their faces.
She entered the room properly, and Seh saw Everly and Ethan sitting there as well, with Kieran standing a few feet from them. A big banner hanging from behind him read, Will you marry me?
“Arabella Bishop,” began, and she had not heard the rest of the speech, but she was already moved to tears. “I thought long and hard about how I wanted to do this, and I decided that I would do this in front of the people whose paths our paths cross-our parents,” he continued.
She nodded, tears already flowing from her eyes. Seraphina stood up and stood beside her, dabbing her face lightly with the handkerchief she was able to secure. “And I wanted to do this because the world is suddenly a brighter and more beautiful place because you came into my life,” he continued.
“And because I want to continue to live colourfully, brighter, and beautifully, I am asking you to please marry me,” he said, going down on one knee and popping the box open.
Arabella stood for a moment, staring at him with a smile across her face. She ran to him and wrapped her hand across his neck. “Yes, I will.”
TWO MONTHS LATER
“I am so happy for you,” Ava said as she stood with Kieran and Arabella; they had just got married, and it was truly a joyous day. Kieran had been so quick with the preparations that it took them barely two months to put everything together. “I just couldn’t believe that my little one had found love,” she added, tears welling in here again.
“Mom, you need to stop crying; seeing you cry makes me cry as well,” Arabella said, blinking back the tears. Her make-up artist had retouched her make-up multiple times because she knew she was getting annoying already, but she could not control the burst of emotions flowing from her body.
“Mom,” Seraphina said, coming from behind and putting her hand over the shoulders of her mother. “It is a happy day; why do you keep crying? Someone, I mistake you to be mourning.”
“I am just thinking of how proud your father would have been to witness today.”
“I am sure he is watching over us from above,” Arabella said, holding her mom’s hand tightly.
“Mom, let us go meet other guests and allow the new couple to greet others as well,” Seraphina said in a bid to take her mom away.
“I am sorry.”
“What for?’ Arabella leaned in to Kieran whispering. She wondered why he was apologizing after giving her such a fairytale wedding; it was going to be tough to find another that she would like as much as she liked this one.
“I did not realize how hard it would be for you to think of your father today.”
“And if you had considered it, what would you have done? Brought my dad back from heaven? Hired a fake dad for me?” she asked and then laughed at the expression on his face. “I am just teasing you; yes, I miss him, especially today, but I am sure he is proud of me and is cheering me on,” she said, and he smiled.
“I am also sure he was the one who made us cross paths and fall in love,” she added, and he nodded.
“Now see, that makes so much sense to me because I love that your father gave me the best gift ever.”
“I think the gift is supposed to be for me.”
“But I ended up getting one as well,” he said, pulling her in from her waist and planting a kiss on her lips.
“Honey,” she said, shy. The room was teaming with so many people; why was he so comfortable kissing her like that while feeling a bit creeped out by doing that?
“What, darling?” he said as if he were asking a question.
“People are watching,” she said, dropping her head to his body. He raised her head with his finger and stared into her eyes.
“Oh god, how did I get so lucky?” He muttered, smiling so broadly that his cheeks might hurt.
“People are staring,” she said again when his eyes did not leave her face.
“Let them; it is our day.”