"Sean" Marita can barely speak as tears of pure joy begin to fall. Her whole body begins to tremble and she can barely stand. Words are elusive.

"Please say yes" Sean pleads. "We've known each other forever. We've been best friends since childhood. You are the only one that I can talk too and the only one that understands me. We are soul mates. We have a connection that we don't have with anyone else, and most of all...my mother told me to follow my heart" Sean looks up into her beautiful eyes. "It lead me to you."

Marita can no longer stand. She falls to her knees.
"YES!" MH
"YES!" MH
"YES!" MH
"YES!" MH
"I can't believe this" MM is in a daze
"Well believe it. Say YES!" MH

"YES" she is barely audible.

"Thank you" he whispers, speaking to her and to GOD. He wraps his arms around her and squeezes her with all his might.

Marita wraps her arms around his neck and can not stop her tears. She is overflowing with joy unspeakable and silently thanking her LORD for answering her prayers.

It seems as if an eternity has pasted before Sean stands up, lifts Marita up without breaking their embrace and sets her on the ground. Marita can't let go of him just yet and Sean doesn't mind one bit. He's holding the greatest thing ever made - his Marita. When her tears finally subside, Marita slowly pulls away from Sean. As soon as she looks into his eyes, her tears start again and all she can do is rest her forehead on his, close her eyes and let this love, joy and happiness wash over her.

It's Sean's turn to tease. "You are spoken for now so you'll just have to be tell the next 'gentleman' caller that or I will!" Sean is teasing her but he is deadly serious.

Marita smiles. Every since Henry Langston had come to town and shown an interested in her, this was all Marita wanted to hear - she was spoken for by Sean.

Sean takes her hand and they head back to the bench. They sit down again and Sean speaks first.

"I'm gonna talk to Pa. I don't know how yet, but we WILL to be married" Sean says as his determination comes charging forth. "I'm gonna talk to your Pa too".

"I don't know how my Pa is going to take this" Marita says.

"Well, he'll have to accept it. I'm not letting ANYONE come between us again, Marita, not even your Pa" Sean says as he looks at her.

Marita looks at him and sees his determination and decides to say nothing for now.

Sean begins to think about their future together. "I'm gonna build you that house" Sean looks at her and smiles. "When I found that spot, I saw a woman standing on the porch and now I know it was you".

Marita laughs as chills run down her spine. "When I saw that spot, I saw you and......me too, but I was to afraid to let myself even dream that it could happen."

Hearing Marita admit she was afraid reminded Sean of that day in the garden, when he told her how he felt. "Oh, that day I in the garden Marita, when I told you how I felt, was a nightmare. You had my guts splattered all over the ground" Sean is able to laugh about it now.

"I'm sorry" Marita is saddened by the pain she caused him.

"You made up for it when you said 'YES'" he smiles and kisses her on the cheek.

"Well, how do you think I felt" Marita wants him to know that it was no bed of roses for her either. "I was satisfied just being your friend since I knew that was all we could be. Then here you come with your declaration and turn my whole world upside down. I cried that whole night as I convinced myself that you were only a friend" Marita admits. "When you told Vivian you couldn't marry her, I was happy but to afraid to admit. Then when you said you were going to leave Lexington, I thought I would just die. I was losing my best friend. Why did you decide to stay?" Marita asks.

Sean smiles as he remembers their first kiss. "Well" he looks at her with a wicked grin on his face, "the way you kissed me" Marita blushes as she remembers, "told me that there was hope."

"I'm glad you listened" Marita smiles shyly.

Now that Marita knows Sean stayed in Lexington because he thought there was hope for them, she wondered why he was so cold to her before he left for Louisville. "Remember when your aunt Regine came and you went to Louisville?"
she says.

"Please don't ask what I did in Louisville" SM
"Yeah" Sean said uneasily.

"Why were you so cold to me that day in the barn?" Marita asks.

"That's an easy one" SM
"I was mad at you Marita. I mean I had told you how I felt, we kissed and then NOTHING. I was expecting you to come to your senses" he teases her, "and tell me you felt the same way but you just acted like nothing happened!" Sean said with a sour expression on his face.

Marita laughs as she looks at his expression. "I told you I was afraid. I had convinced myself that you were just nervous about marrying Vivian and was confusing our friendship with love."

Sean is about to get her back for laughing at him. "I already know the answer but I'm going to ask anyway. Were you jealous when Clay and I fought because of Vivian?" It's Sean's turn to laugh at a sour expression.

"NO" Marita lies.

Sean's smile tells her that he knows she is lying. "So what if I was?" Marita says defensively. "Who has you now?"

"OH, I love her" SH
"You do", Sean says with a smile. "You always have."

Marita's heart was warmed by his admission. They both began to think about the events of the past few months and how they had grown even closer together.

"Remember when you helped me with the crop?" Sean asks.

Marita nods her head.

"I knew then that sooner or later I had to make you mine. I mean the way you helped me and stood by me and wouldn't let me give up. Marita, you'll never know how much that meant to me" Sean declares.

"I'm glad I was there to help" Marita says as she is humbled by his words.

"And when Lexy was missing and when Pa had his accident, I know I couldn't have made it through without you. You are always there when I need you most" Sean says with tears in his eyes.

"Well, you're always there for me too" Marita says as she gently rubs his back.

Marita thought about that first crop. "You really shocked me when you kissed me in front of Jeremy that day in the barn. Why did you do it?" she asked.

"I was so happy about Consolidated Tobacco coming, I didn't care who was around. I was just so glad you were there to share it with me" Sean says.

"You started wearing me down with that kiss" Marita laughs as she recalls that day.

"When did you admit to yourself I was more than just a friend?" Sean asks.

"When you ran for Assemblyman. I was so proud of you. The way you handled the tobacco negotiations, that letter, your campaign" Marita says. "I couldn't fight it anymore, so I surrendered" she admits.

"So, I had a prisoner of war and didn't even know it" Sean laughs.

"I was a willing prisoner" Marita says as she looks at him with a smile.

"Why didn't you tell me how you felt?" Sean turns serious again.

"I admitted it to myself but I wasn't sure what you wanted" Marita says.

"I wanted you" Sean says.

"I didn't know if you were willing to make a commitment to me. If you were willing to make certain sacrifices just for me" Marita says.

"Well, you have your answer now and don't you ever doubt it" Sean assures her.
"I should have known you had admitted to yourself that I was much more than a friend. Remember at the tournament Pa gave. You gave me this look that said 'I want you Sean Logan' but I thought I was seeing things" Sean laughs.

Marita laughs as she remembers that day and that look.

Both Sean and Marita begin to think about all the time they wasted in the past few months because they didn't just admit to one another how they felt. They both realize that they were afraid of what the other's response would be.

"Marita, I am sorry for the way I have behaved these past few days" Sean apologizes.

"You made up for it when you said 'Will you marry me'" Marita says as she kisses him on the cheek.

It is getting late and Sean wants to get Marita home. He walks her home and at the door, Sean kisses Marita. "I'll see you tomorrow" he says.
"I love you Marita Peters" SH

"Alright" Marita smiles.
"I love you Sean Logan" MH

To be Continued.......................................