*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much.*
"Honey, I'm home," says Dean as he walks in the front door as I am on the computer working on some school work.
"Right here," I say with a smile as I'm holding Natalia in my arms as she chews on one of the teethers she got for Christmas. It has been over a month since her surgery and she is doing amazingly well. She's gaining weight, she's breathing better and her heart still looks and sounds great according to the doctor. She's starting to grow so fast turning 3months old a couple days ago and the more she's starting to look like her daddy. Her hair is more strawberry than before. He makes his way over to us in his blue polo shirt and khaki pants with a smile on his face. He greets me with a soft kiss on the lips. "How was work today?"
"It was good," he says with a smile as he picks Natalia up from my lap making her giggle as he gives her a kiss on the cheek. "How is my Talli doing?" he asks.
"She's doing great! Tell Daddy that you took a 3 hour nap today and you tried cereal today."
"Oh yeah? How did she like the cereal?"
"She was not a fan at first so she spit it out I tried again and after the third try she was okay with it."
"I bet it was yummy."
"It tastes like a cardboard box and smells like one too," I say as I submit my assignment before turning off the computer after finishing my work for the day.
"You tasted it?" he asks.
"Of course I'm not going to give her something to eat unless I know what it tastes like."
"I guess you make a point," he says with a smile. "How was school today?"
"It was good for being the first day back after break. I start my college courses next Monday and Talli starts daycare. I'm a little nervous."
"She'll be fine," he says.
"I hope so," I say as I turn in the chair to face him.
"Is it getting easier?"
"Now that she isn't so fussy yeah," I say, "it is getting a lot better."
"Good," he says with a smile. "So is everything ready for tonight?"
"Yeah, my dad said he would be here by 5:30 to babysit with Chastity and Roderick."
"Wonderful," he says with a smile. "It's been a long time since we have gone out on a date. I'm ready for some alone time."
"Me too," I say with a smile. "I can't wait. What do you have planned for our anniversary?"
"That's a surprise," he says with a smile. "I can't tell you. You'll just have to wait and see."
"Okay," I say. "I can't believe it's been a year since we got together. If it wasn't for that Great Gatsby project we wouldn't have any of this," I say as I get up and wrap my arms around his neck as his free arm wraps around my waist. "So do you still think it's impossible for two people from different classes in society to fall in love?"
"Not at all," he says with a smile. "Love is love and you can't control who your heart chooses for you."
"Exactly and when you love someone truly you see them not their bank account. I don't care you could be the poorest person in the world the money doesn't define your character you do and I fell in love with who YOU are not what's in your wallet. In the Great Gatsby Daisy was in love with Gatsby I truly believe she was and she was in love with the man that he was but he didn't have money. He had money that was new money but not old money. He could have become bankrupt in a minute while Tom who treated her so poorly, had an affair with Myrtle and treated Daisy like a possession and not a person won out just because he had old money and he was secure in that money. It wasn't going anywhere. She wanted the security of the money to buy nice things and have luxury to have the life she was accustomed to if she had chosen Gatsby and he lost his 'new' money she would have fallen down the social ladder and had lost the security in that life. To me Shawn reminds me of Tom except unlike Daisy I chose to be secure in love rather than in money. Money is going to come and go but when you find the one you're meant to be with and you love them it can last forever. I could care less about the money or how much money you have if you treat me like I'm your number 1, the only girl in the world for you and you show me you can love me like no one else my heart is yours. That's just what you did. Daisy was scared but being secure in love is a lot better than being secure in money."
"Money is the root of all evil," he says with a smile before he kisses my lips softly. "I love you and I love Talli. I love our little family."
"Me too," I say with a smile before I kiss his lips softly. "I love you so much, Dean. I am going to go take a shower are you okay with her?"
"I'm fine with her," he says. "Go do what you need to do."
"Thanks, Baby," I say with a smile before I unwrap my arms from around his neck and make my way to our bedroom to lay out the dress I want to wear out for dinner tonight. I have no idea what we're doing or where we're going. Dean just told me to wear a dress and we were having dinner together. I have no idea about the rest. He's been very secretive lately. I have no complaints. I'm just ready to get out of the house to get a date night with my boyfriend. I love Talli and everything but I need a break. I just want to have some fun alone with Dean outside the apartment.
I hook my last silver hoop earring in my ear as Dean hollers from the living, "ANA, Hurry we're going to be late."
"Coming," I say as I look at myself in the mirror one last time before I grab my small purse from the dresser and make my way out of the bedroom.
I smile as Dean is playing with Talli and my dad is sitting on the couch. Dean turns around and looks at me and his jaw drops. He looks like he's in shock. "Ana," he says catching his breath. "You look beautiful," he says of me wearing a black halter dress that falls above my knee with black stilettos with my dark brown hair hanging down to the middle of my back with the perfect curls. My natural look highlighted with a bit of makeup but not too much. I play with my diamond bracelet as he looks me over. "Wow," he says with a smile.
"Thank-you," I say with a smile as I take in the look of him in a black suit and a black tie with his unruly strawberry hair contained and slicked back. He looks good. He cleans up nice. "You look pretty sexy yourself."
"Thanks," he says with a smile before he hands Talli to my dad. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yeah," I say with a smile. "Dad, we'll be back later. I have a couple bottles made for Talli in the fridge. She doesn't need a bath tonight because I gave her one this morning. Diapers are in the nursery on her changing table along with blankets if she gets too cold. If you need me please call me."
"Ana, I'll be fine," he says. "I do have 3 kids. I can handle my granddaughter."
"Okay," I say, "I'm just a little nervous. This is the first time I left her."
"We'll be fine," he says. "I've got this."
"Okay," I say with a smile before I give Talli a thousand kisses before Dean reminds me of our dinner reservations. "Call me if you need me," I say as Dean gives Talli a kiss and then he takes my hand and we're on our way out the door. "Do you think they will be okay?"
"They'll be fine," he says. "Let's enjoy this evening together. It's going to be a special night."
"Okay," I say with a smile.
Impressed doesn't even describe my feelings as Dean pulls into the parking lot of one of the best Italian restaurants in Cincinnati. He parks the car and tells me to wait a minute before he gets out of the driver's seat of his Escalade and rounds to my side of the car. He opens the door for me and takes me by the hand. He helps me out of the car before shutting the door behind me. He holds my hand as we make our way to the restaurant and he holds the door open for me as well. Once we are inside he tells the hostess we have a reservation under the name Ambrose and the hostess smiles back at him. "Hello, Mr. Ambrose, we've been waiting for you follow me," she says with a smile. She takes us to a private table in the restaurant and hands us our menus after Dean pulls the chair out for me before taking his seat.
"Thank-you," he says to the hostess. "Is everything in order?"
"Yes, Sir," she says with a smile before she walks away. Shortly after a waiter comes to the table to take our drink orders and brings us two glasses of water before he walks away.
"This place is nice but I'm sure it was expensive. I would have settled for burgers in a burger joint."
"You deserved something more special than burgers in a burger joint," he says with a smile. "I wanted to give you a special evening and I'm going to."
"And where did you find the money for this place?"
"I used some of the money I had before jail."
"Oh," I say, "you really didn't have to bring me here."
"You deserve it you work so hard with Talli and going to school. You deserve to be spoiled and tonight I'm going to spoil you."
"Okay," I say with a smile. "I'm not going to complain anymore."
"Good," he says with a smile before he takes my hand into his and kisses it softly. "So what do you think you want to eat?"
"I don't know. The chicken parmesan sounds pretty good."
"I was thinking the same thing," he says as we look over our menus. "I think that's what I'm going to get."
"Me too," I say with a smile.
"So guess what I found on my way home from work today," he says.
"What?" I ask.
"I found a flyer for a wrestling school around here. I'm going to check it out and try to get into wrestling. I want to start training."
"Really?" I ask with a smile. "That's awesome."
"I know. I have been waiting for this for a while. I am going to call the guy tomorrow and set up an appointment and get some information. I want to see how much it's going to cost and how he trains. It looks pretty legit."
"If this is what you want to do then go for it," I say, "I'm not going to complain. I know how much you love wrestling and want to be a wrestler someday. This is your stepping stone. I say go for it."
"Thanks," he says, "so any plans to get back into dance class?" he asks before the waiter brings our drinks and takes our order.
"I don't know. I feel like with school and Talli doing dance is so much. I love dance and I miss it a lot but I like being a mommy a lot more. I don't want to miss a lot of Talli's life because I get involved in dance class again. I loved it but I want to spend my free time with Talli. I love her so much more."
"I know what you're saying. I hope this wrestling school doesn't take too much time away from Talli but I have got to start putting my dreams in order so that I can be the wrestler I want to be so I make bank and give Talli everything she wants and desires."
"Talli needs love. You don't have to buy her love."
"I know but I want to spoil her while I love her."
"I know but I don't want Talli growing up thinking money is everything because it's not. There is a lot more to life than money."
"I know," he says. "I still want to see you dance one time."
"I know but I don't dance anymore."
"That sucks. You loved it a lot and then you gave up everything to be a mom."
"Isn't that what moms are supposed to do? Make sacrifices for their children?"
"The good ones," he says, "you're a great mom, Ana. The way you are with Talli is beautiful and everyone said we couldn't do it."
"But we're doing it," I say with a smile. "I love the family we created and maybe in 10 years I wouldn't mind having another one but this time with a good job and not having my dad paying half of our rent."
"I hear you. I hope that in 10 years I am in the wrestling world making money to provide for my family and doing what I love. I've wanted to be a wrestler for a while at first I wanted to be a fireman but then I saw wrestling and that was it. I was hooked and I knew that's what I wanted to do."
"And I know you will and all your dreams are going to come true. I can't wait to be ringside cheering you on and being your number 1 fan. I'll always be your number 1 fan."
"You'll always be my number 1 girl," he says with a smile.
"And you'll always be my number 1 guy. I do want to make this work for Talli. I don't ever want her to see us apart."
"We'll never be apart," he says. "I'm in this forever."
"Me too," I say with a smile.
Dean and I continue to talk throughout our anniversary dinner. I feel like I haven't talked to Dean in forever because we are either interrupted by Talli crying or we're focused on her. We never really focus on each other anymore. It feels good to be able to talk to him without worrying about having to feed Talli or her waking up. Dinner is magnificent. It is perfect and delicious. I cannot thank him enough for such a special night. We order a desert of cannolis after our wonderful meal. Just as they bring the cannolis I notice a small ring box on the tray. I don't know what to expect or what to say to the blue velvet box on the silver tray between our two cannolis.
Dean smiles as they lay the tray down on the table and he picks up the ring box making me nervous and that's when I look down at the tray and see the word forever written on it. I go to look at Dean and he's down one knee next to me with the ring box open exposing a small diamond ring. "Anastasia, the day you got paired up with me on that English project was the best day of my life. It changed my entire life. You changed my life. You are the best thing to ever happen to me. You make me want to be a better person. While everyone was telling me I would be nothing you were telling me I could be anything. Everyone said I can't but you said I can. People told me I was nothing but you told me I was everything. You gave me a beautiful daughter and you have loved me like no one else has ever loved me. You show me the best in life when all I ever saw was the worst. You stand beside me in everything I do and support me in everything I do. I want to share my dreams with you and I want you to share your dreams with me. I want you to reach my goals with me while you reach your own. I want forever with you. I want to make a family with you and be a family with you. I want more kids with you and I want to be with you the rest of my life. Anastasia Eve," he says as tears form in my eyes and a lump in my throat. "Will you marry me?" he asks.
I look at him and he looks so happy waiting for my answer. I have to hand it to him the speech was beautiful. The proposal was beautiful but I don't know how easy it is going to be to give him my answer. "Dean," I say. "I. I. I can't marry you. I'm saying no."
"What?" he asks as he gets up from the floor. "Why did you say no? You don't want to marry me? Is it the ring? Because I can get you a better ring someday when I have the money."
"No, Dean, it's not the ring. It's beautiful it's not that I don't want to marry you but I'm too young to think about getting married. WE have a beautiful little girl together yes but I am not ready to take the next step. I'm not ready to be engaged or think about marriage. I want to go to college and I want to graduate high school. I can't be distracted with a wedding."
"I'm not saying marry me tomorrow but sometime down the road. We can do it after college."
"Dean, I just I can't be engaged at 18. I love you and I will always love you but I'm not ready for that. Maybe in a few years but right now I am not ready. It's nothing against you. I'm just not ready. Please don't be mad at me."
"But I love you, Ana."
"I love you too, Dean," I say as I cup his face, "but we're too young for this. We have our whole lives to talk about marriage and be engaged. 18 is too young to be engaged. I love you and you love me I know but if it is true love it will last forever and I'll still be in love with you a few years from now; maybe 10 years from now. I like the way it is right now. Just boyfriend and girlfriend raising our little girl, I'm not ready for engagement."
"Ana," he says and I hear the defeat in his voice. "I want to prove to you I'm not going anywhere and I'm here to stay."
"Baby, I know you're not going anywhere. I know you're here to stay but we don't need a ring to prove that. I'm not going anywhere either but why do we need an engagement ring to prove that? Our actions do. I'm in this for forever but I'm not ready for a ring."
"And you're not going anywhere?"
"Dean, I'm never going anywhere unless you want me to. I'm here to stay. Are you mad at me because I'm not ready?"
"I can't be mad at you," he says with a soft smile. "You're too beautiful, too smart, too strong and too amazing to be upset with. I can wait till you're ready. Maybe you're right. Maybe we are too young. We have our hands full with Talli then you have school Maybe we should wait. I can prove to you I'm not going anywhere without the ring."
"It's nothing against you, Baby," I say as he strokes my cheek with his thumb. I give his palm a soft kiss. "It's just I'm not ready give me a few years because I'll still love you the same but probably a lot more."
"I'll give you all the time you need," he says with a smile. "I love you, Anastasia."
"I love you too, Dean," I say with a smile. "Now kiss me."
"You don't even have to ask me," he says with a smile before he leans down and kisses my lips softly. "Happy anniversary."
"Happy 1 year anniversary and many years to come," I say with a smile. "Are you ready to go?"
"Only if you are," he says with a smile. "I've had thoughts of getting you out of that dress all night."
I let out a little laugh and say, "well, I've been thinking about ways to get you out of that suit. Let's go home and celebrate the night."
"Deal," he says with a smile before he motions for the waiter for the bill. Once he pays the bill we go home to find Talli in bed and once my dad, my brother and my sister leave we spend the night celebrating our beautiful year together. I don't need a ring to prove he will be around forever. I know he will be just like I promised him I'm going to be around forever.
*A/n: What did you think of Ana's and Dean's perspective on the Great Gatsby a year later? Did they prove themselves wrong? What do you think about Dean going to wrestling school and Ana giving up dance class? What do you think of Dean asking Ana to marry him? Did he take a risk knowing she could say no? What did you think when she said no? Do you think she'll ever be ready to be engaged and married? Please review and thank-you for reading.