--

"Hey." I looked up from the cutting board; and smiled when I saw Will leaning against the doorframe of the kitchens. My gaze drifted to the small clock in the entrance hall; it was 9:00 am. My smile slowly faded away at the thought of some accident that might have occurred since it was too early for him to arrive.

"Is something wrong?" I questioned as I put the cutting knife to the side along with a pile of diced beets.

"No, no. Everything is fine... but uh... there is something I need to ask you." He pushed away from the doorway and walked up to me. I watched with a worried gaze as he reached out and took my left hand, then knelt on the marble kitchen floor. Will put his head down and closed his eyes attempting to calm his racing heart and aching stomach.

"There has to be something wrong! Are you hurt? Where does it hurt? I'll go get the doctor!" but as I went to leave, I was tugged back by Will's strong grip on my left hand.

"No, stay. I have to say this before I lose it." Will was starting to sweat and pant slightly from his stomach starting to churn and lurch. "Beth, could you...would you..." Will held the ring tightly with his left hand. I watched with a worried expression as Will brought his left fist to his lips. I crouched down so that I was level to his new height; my heart seemed to stop beating and sink with a sick feeling when I noticed that Will was shaking. "Will...will you do me the honor of marrying me?" Will looked me in the eye as he held out the simple ring for me to see.

"Oh, Will! I - I don't know what to say!" I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand and tried to blink back several tears that threatened to surface.

"Please say that you'll marry me." Will looked like he was close to begging on his hands and knees. I slowly nodded and wiped away a single tear.

"All right. Yes. I will marry you, William Turner." Will smiled as he slipped the ring onto my left ring finger. I cried the whole time and then collapsed into Will's arms while wrapping my own arms around his neck.

"Now will you let me walk you home?" Will asked as we broke our hug and dried a stray tear from my cheek. I smiled and nodded.

"Okay. I guess I can let you come." I smiled and giggled as I tried to control myself.

--

"ALEXANDER! I thought I told you to keep Charles away from the axe!?" Olivia screamed as she held up a long handled axe and shook the handle sternly at her husband. "WHAT were you thinkin'?!"

"Uuuuhhh... help chop wood?"

"Alexander! Our son is only ten years old! I don't care if you chopped wood at ten; but our son isn't going too!" Olivia bellowed.

"Mommy. I'm thirsty." a young girl whined as she tugged on Olivia's skirt of her dress.

"Okay Isabella. Mommy will get you something to drink." right before she went into the kitchen with her daughter, Olivia gave her husband a stern look, "I'm not finished with you yet." she warned and then disappeared into the kitchen.

"I'm home!" I called as I stepped inside the door closely followed by Will. "Mother? Father! I brought someone for you to meet." I called again. Suddenly little Charles ran out of the kitchen and greeted me by hugging me around the waist.

"Welcome home, Aunty Beth!" Charles chirped. I smiled and ruffled his sandy blonde head.

"Hello, Charles. Where is Isabella?" I mirrored his smile as I looked down at him.

"In the kitchen with Mommy getting a drink."

"Really. Where is Grandpa and Grandma?"

"In the family room. I'll go get them!" before I could get another word in, the boy had already released his grip on me and sprinted into the other room to fetch his grandparents. I sighed helplessly, feeling that there was no turning back from telling my parents that I was engaged. I looked at Will and smiled back when he gave me a reassuring smile.

"Wha's goin' on here?" I quickly turned my head when I heard the ever familiar voice of my mother; she was standing in the doorway to the family room with her hands firmly planted on hips. "Who is this?" she asked as she quirked an eyebrow and waved her right hand toward Will. I swallowed my fear as I stepped forward.

"Um...Mother. This is William Turner. He works for Mr. Brown the blacksmith." My Mother crossed her arms; that meant she wasn't fazed one bit.

"Then why is he here?" she questioned further.

"Because...I wanted to have you meet him in person...and that I...I...I am engaged." I looked down at my feet, assuming the worst to come.

"Engaged ya say." I nodded and kept my gaze on the floor. "Ta him?" I nodded again; when there was no reply, I looked up at my Mother only seeing that she still had her arms crossed at her chest and wore a skeptical expression on her weathered face. I looked from Will and back to her, knowing that she was sizing him up and judging if I made a good choice in picking a man to be in my life. I was about to tell Will to just leave and I will see him tomorrow when I was at work; but was stopped when my Mother stepped forward and bent her head as she shook head. She looked up once again and this time was wearing a smile on her face; before I could react, she walked up to me and grabbed a hold of both of my arms, kissed me on both cheeks, and then hugged me tightly. "Oh. My little baby! This is wonderful." she murmured next to my ear as she tightened her embrace causing me to hold my breath out of fear of suffocating. After she releases her deathly grip on my body, she then in turn grabbed both Will's and my wrists and then dragged us into the family room where Father, Alexander, Charles, Olivia, Isabella, Benjamin, Jacob, Sarah, Martha and the other children were seated. "Listen up everyone!" when Martha and Sarah were still chatting, my Mother gave a stern look that could have set them fire, "I SAID SHUT UP!" she screamed. The whole room fell instantly silent, "Thank you. Li' Beth here just told me somethin' that I feel the whole family here should know. Beth is gettin' married!" Suddenly the whole room went up in cheers, screams and next thing Will and I knew; we were being patted on the back, hugged, kissed and squeezed.