Penelope was sitting quietly in the courtyard of the apartment building. When she had first moved in several years ago she had covertly planted climbing morning glory vines in a corner. Now they spread out along the stone walls and trailed over the garden edges. One of the tendrils was beginning to cling to the back of the bench she sat on.
Derek climbed out of his truck, walking towards the arched entrance. He hummed quietly to himself as he caught sight of her.
He leant against the wall, hiding himself partially.
She was sitting on the bench she liked in the corner. He legs were pulled up and crossed, her skirt carefully arranged for modesty. One hand pushed a curl out of her face as she twirled a flower between her free fingers.
Derek stepped forwards as quietly as he could, making his way towards her.
"Hi." Her mouth curved into a grin as her eyes stayed focused on the flower.
"Hey baby girl." He settled down on the free space on the bench. It was quiet. He reached out and touched the edge of the flower gently. Penelope looked up.
"Do you think that we could last?"
"I think we've made it this far. And that's a good sign."
"You don't ever….think about the future?"
"Is everything okay beautiful?" Morgan reached his hand to the plane of her cheek.
"If I ask you something, do you promise me you'll tell the truth?" Her eyes were earnest when she looked up at him. All his mind could do was flash through transgressions he'd made, wondering which he would have to face up to with her eyes on him.
"Yeah, of course." Derek frowned, focusing in on her, on her nervous twirling of the flower, her open body, turned towards him.
"I do. Think about the future. And…" She stopped. "I planted these flowers. When I first moved in here. They've been growing here for….four years I guess. Maybe five."
"I like them." Derek reached and grasped her fingers in his. He had no idea what was going to come at him from this. He hated being unprepared. He always went in with an idea of what he was already looking for.
"What would you say if I asked you to marry me Derek?"
Oh.
"I-" He breathed steadily. "I'd ask you if you were being serious. And….I'd ask you if you'd really thought about it."
He was unprepared for her calm countenance.
"Do you think I'd ask without having thought about it."
"No. I just….am I really the kind of man you want to be tied to for years?" He heard a faint crack in his own voice and winced. His eyes watched her breathe for a moment, seeing the expansion and deflation.
"Yes."
His eyes caught hers.
"Are you serious?"
"Very, Derek." She pressed.
"You've…thought about it."
"I have."
"And I'm…" A faint nod, a tip of her head. "Yes."
"Yes?"
"I never….Wow." Penelope stroked her thumb over his knuckles. Derek shifted his weight down the bench, laying along his back. His head rested in her lap. Penelope let her fingers gently stroke along his temple. "We're going to get married."
"Mmmh." Penelope hummed softly.
They sat on the bench as the shadows shifted in diagonals across the courtyard.
"I love you Pen." Derek murmured, his words sleepy in the warm sunlight. He drew her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to her palm. Her hand pulled back up, trailing along the side of his face lovingly.
"I love you too."