((some of you have expressed that you were unhappy with the way Mai and Naru got engaged at the end of Changes..while it's fairly close to how someone I care about a lot got engaged I can see why you don't like it. So here ya go. if it sucks I'm sorry.. ))
Oliver was waiting had been waiting for Saturday afternoon all week. For days his stomach had been turning. It seemed that Luella and Madoka weren't happy that Mai had not been giving a proper engagement ring. While she was perfectly ok with the situation he knew that Luella would continue to bitch until she saw a diamond on her future daughter in laws finger.
So Martin gave him his mother's ring. His adopted Grandmother had worn it for most of her life and when he held it, the ring hummed with happy memories. He knew that it would serve them well. He intended to spend his entire life married to Mai. This was just a formality.
As he waited in the garden he thought about the life they'd created. Soon enough she would be swollen with life. As beautiful as she was now he knew that she'd be breath taking when she was shaped with their child. He couldn't wait to feel his son or daughter moving inside of her.
Since she'd been released from the hospital Oliver had spent every night with Mai. They had spent far too much time apart. His parent's had been shocked to see him coming home at a normal hour daily to eat dinner and floored when he took the weekend off, like a normal employee. If they hadn't already been so taken with Mai they'd have fallen in love with her all over again.
He'd asked her to meet him in the garden for lunch after her English lesson. Mai was working very hard to master England's language and he couldn't have been prouder. He smiled just thinking of how she'd turn the strange sounds around her tongue.
He wanted to kiss her now. His fingers strayed to the ring in his pocket again. Feeling it's weight in his pocket was comforting to him. He knew she'd say yes, but he still wanted to give her the romantic proposal she deserved.
"Naru?" He could hear her calling. He smiled. He turned to see her on the other side of the fountain. He could remember when Luella and Martin had it installed. Gene had spent hours trying to swim in the shallow water.
She was heart stopping in her pale pink dress. Her hair was gathered at the nape of her neck and she was beautiful. She had a smile on her lips and his heart was pounding. He smiled.
They both started towards each other and as they met he grasped her hands between them. He put his forehead to hers and closed his eyes.
Lilacs. She always smelled of lilac. It was the perfume she wore. He couldn't get enough of it. He closed his eyes and moved hips lips to hers. He placed a chaste kiss to her lips and felt her smile against them. His desire for Mai had only grown in the weeks that they'd been reunited, not lessened. If it weren't for the knowledge that Martin and Luella were just inside the main house he'd have laid her down on the soft grass and made love to her here.
Not the time. Soon.
"I don't see a box Naru, where's lunch?" She says in Japanese. I can't help but smirk.
"In English Mai." I correct her and chuckle slightly as her cheeks become pink.
"Where is..lu lu...the food?" She says with a smile.
"Follow me." I grasp her by the hand and lead her deeper into the garden, away from my parent's prying eyes. As I lead her down to what was once my and Gene's special place I can't help but think how perfect it is to share this with her today. Mai's busy looking around.
This far out we can't be seen through the leaves and I wonder if Martin has given up trying to keep Luella in the house yet. I laugh softly to myself and Mai looks at me quizzically.
"What is so funny?" I'm impressed with her English pronunciation. When we're far enough away from private eyes I turn to her. She's looking at the flowers in full bloom.
"I love you Mai." She smiled more. I'm not very good with expressing flowering emotions but I've become a little better since Mai's come back to my life.
"I love you Oliver." I give her the smile that is reserved only for her before falling to one knee. She giggles. This is a very western way of purposing. I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her to me. I kiss her stomach through the thin silken material of the dress and murmur softly to our child inside. I love our baby so much already. I love their mother.
When Gene died life lost it's color. He was my tether to the world. I went cold the instant I felt the light of his life extinguished. Nothing in life had ever hurt so badly. He was my other half.
Until Mai came crashing into my life. She was loud and brash and beautiful. She was the only bright spot of Japan. I close my eyes as I pull her close and savor the moment. She's watching me with her eyes dancing in amusement.
"Mai," I begin. I can't believe I'm nervous. I take one of my hands away from her and reach in my pocket for the ring. Not the ring but her ring. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Tears spring to her eyes. This wasn't what i wanted. I didn't mean to make her cry. I get up in a panic.
"Hey, I didn't mean to make you cry!" I gently cup her face and search for the reason she's crying. She closes her eyes and rubs her cheek against my palm. She's smiling.
"I love you Naru."
"So..?" The question hangs in the air. She had said she'd marry me back in Japan. Has she changed her mind? Then she nods and the tears are still flowing, but they are happy.
"Of course." She gasps as she throws her arms around my neck. She'll marry me. She'll be my wife. She'll be with me for the rest of my life. she pulls back and wiggles her finger at me a bit expectantly. I can't help but laugh.
As I slip the ring on her finger I hear Luella.
"I'm so happy for your both!" My adopted mother is gushing about flowers and wedding dates. Martin is standing a bit back but he's smiling too. As Mai is pried from my arms by Luella to discuss the extremely urgent matter of wedding colors I can't help but feel Gene's spirit. I hope he's watching from heaven, and I hope he's happy with my choice.
This is the happiest I think I've been since Gene and I were boys. I can't wait to see Mai in her wedding gown. I can't wait to meet our child and I can't wait to get her alone. I watch with a smile as she is dragged off by Luella to go over all kinds of wedding details that Luella has been bursting to go over since finding out about her grandchild on the way.
Mai smiles at me over her shoulder before disappearing into the house.
The next few months should be interesting to say the least.
