“Please, let’s be a family,” Ethan pleaded, kneeling before me and pulling out the ring, the same ring he had proposed with over three years ago. I watched him, a weak smile tugging at my lips.
“I don’t think this is the best place to propose,” I said softly, glancing around the hospital room. “Besides, the floor isn’t exactly sanitary. Please, get up.” I said everything except what he wanted to hear.
“Well, answer me so I can get up,” he replied, a smile playing on his lips. I glanced over at Jennifer, who nodded, urging me to say yes. I looked back at Ethan, my sweet Ethan, still on his knees.
“I love you,” I said slowly, “and I would love to have a family with you. But I can’t marry you.” The words felt heavy as they left my mouth. I helped him to his feet, but I could see the hurt in his eyes.
“Why not, Em?” Jennifer’s voice cut through the silence that followed my answer.
“Marriage is… too heavy,” I explained, feeling the weight of my father’s disapproval bearing down on me. “I can’t start dealing with convincing my father right now.” I knew my father would never approve of me marrying Ethan. “But we can be together. I’ll keep the babies.” I promised. At the moment, type of relationship we would have wasn’t clear to me, but I knew if Ethan was safe and by my side, everything would be okay.
“What if I convince your father to approve?” Ethan asked, hope flickering in his eyes. “Would you marry me then?” Ethan asked.
I shrugged, uncertain. “He wouldn’t agree. But it doesn’t matter if we get married or not. We can still be together. I’ll be with you.” I hoped that would be enough.
Ethan stood up, his eyes locked on mine. “I want to marry you, Emily,” he said, his voice a quiet, hushed tone that made my heart flutter. Before I could stop myself, the words slipped from my lips.
“I want to marry you too.” I said.
And I meant it. I wanted to vow in front of the whole world to be with him, only him, and I wanted him to do the same.
“Then let me convince your father,” Ethan requested and i stared at feeling my heart tighten and flutter at the same time, his eyes holding my gaze and filled with sincerity, “okay!” I said my words coming out in a his tone, though I wasn’t sure my father would ever agree. But for Ethan, I wanted us to try.
“I take it there’s no talk of an abortion anymore?” the doctor asked, his voice barely containing his excitement.
“No, my babies’ father is here,” I said, feeling a surge of joy bubbling in my stomach. I had never felt so alive, so hopeful, and I just wanted to hold Ethan forever.
“Let’s go home, okay?” Ethan asked, and I nodded, gripping his hand as we left the office, Jennifer trailing behind us.
We stepped outside to find Ethan’s Jaguar X6 parked next to my Audi.
“So, you’re coming with me, right?” Ethan asked.
“Sure” I said handing Jennifer my car keys. “Let me just say goodbye to the girls.” Ethan nodded, slipping into the car to wait.
I walked back to my car where my friend; Rose, Denise, and Irene stood waiting. Standing by the window, I began speaking to them, my heart swelling with gratitude. In the past three years, I’ve been blessed with a friendship I never thought I’d have. Despite how things started, with most of them being enemies, I’ve come to realize just how lucky I am to have them all in my life.
I looked at each of them, smiling. “Thank you for being there for me,” I said, my voice filled with emotion. “I know you all didn’t approve of my decision, but you stayed by my side anyway. I’ll never forget that.” I said feeling grateful.
Rose smirked. “Wait, so Ethan managed to change your mind?” She wonder and I smiled.
Jennifer chuckled. “Yes, after weeks of us begging her to reconsider, Ethan shows up and it happens just like that,” she teased, making me blush.
I turned to Jennifer, my eyes glistening with tears. “I’m so glad you didn’t listen to me and called him anyway.” I said but,
Jennifer shook her head. “I didn’t call him.” She responded and
My eyes widened in surprise. “You didn’t?” I exclaimed.
Before I could ask who did, Rose chuckled. “You only said Jennifer couldn’t call him. You never said anything about me.” She smiled.
Tears filled my eyes as I hugged them all. “I love you guys so much.”
“We love you too,” they echoed, and the joy in the air was overwhelming.
“You should save the tears for the wedding,” Jennifer teased.
“Is there going to be a wedding?” Denise asked with a smile.
I shrugged. “We don’t know yet. Ethan has to convince my father first.”
“I pray Mr. Sanders agrees,” Denise said, and I sighed.
“I pray so too,” I muttered, glancing back at Ethan, who was waiting patiently in the car.
“We’ll talk later, okay? See you girls.” I waved, then climbed into Ethan’s car. As we drove off, I found myself staring at him, my feelings for him deepening with each passing second. I nearly lost him, and the thought had driven me mad. Now, I was determined to cherish him with everything I had.
But something gnawed at me. “Hold on,” I said, breaking the silence. “How exactly are you out of prison?” I wonder.
Ethan smirked. “It’s a long story.”
My eyes widened. “I’m all ears,” I said, urged watching him as he began to explain…