Disclaimer: If I owned them, do you think I'd be writing fic? I don't think so!
Part 19
August, 2009
Harm's POV
My palms are sweating. I don't think I've ever been this nervous. I pull the ring out of my pocket and kneel in front of her. She's looking down at me with wide eyes... does she know what I'm planning to do?
"Hi Daddy!" she says brightly.
"Hey Bethy," I reply. "Do you know what this is?" I ask her, opening the box and showing her the ring.
"Oh!! That's pretty Daddy, is it for me?"
I have to laugh at that, although the part of me that wants my little girl to stay mine forever winces at the knowledge that someday, it will be for her. "No sweetheart, this is for Sarah," I tell her.
"Why are you giving Sarah a present?"
I can hear the confusion in her voice, and I take a deep breath as I begin the most important closing argument I've ever given. "Because I like her. You like her too, right?"
"Uh huh... she's a nice lady."
Good. That makes this a little easier... not that I was really worried, Sarah is great with kids and Bethy really seems taken with her. But sometimes you never know. Now for the hard part.
"That's right, she is a nice lady. Bethy, what would you think if I asked her to come live with us?"
Her brow wrinkles as she considers this. "Why?" she asks finally.
Oh brother... how do you explain love and marriage to a five year old? Especially one whose mother has been dead long enough that the memories of our relationship are fading in her mind? All I can do is try...
"Well, I love her," I begin and then she cuts in.
"You mean like Ariel loved Eric in The Little Mermaid?" she asks.
God bless Walt Disney! Grabbing onto the lifeline my daughter has just thrown me, I continue on. "That's right honey. Do you remember what happened at the end of the movie?"
"Her daddy gave Ariel legs so she could live with Eric," she answers promptly. Then looking at me curiously, she asks, "Doesn't Sarah already have legs?"
Laughing again, I hug her and finish my explanation. "Yes she does have legs. But when she went to live with Eric, they got married. That's what two grown-ups do when they love each other and want to live together."
"Oh... so you're going to give Sarah the pretty gift so she'll marry you? Won't she marry you without the gift?"
Smiling, I say, "Well of course she would Bethy, but the ring let's everyone else know that we love Sarah and want her to come live with us. Is that ok with you?"
"Sure Daddy. Can I go play now?" she asks impatiently.
"Go ahead honey. Melanie will be here in a few minutes, and then Sarah and I are going out ok? I'll come in to say good night when I get home," I promise as she races off.
As I walk into Mac's building, I shake my head in disbelief. I thought I was nervous before, but that was nothing compared to how I feel now! I'm pretty sure she'll say yes, but you never know! We have talked about "the future" as we put it though, and even though we never used the word marriage, I'm pretty sure she knows that's what I have in mind.
Ok. I've made it to her door, now I just need to knock. Anyway, she's expecting me so it's not like the curiosity is going to start from the beginning!
"Hello Harm, you're on time for a change," she teases as she opens the door. Of course I am, even I know better than to be late on a day like today. Of course she doesn't know what tonight is... I'm doing it again, letting my mind run away with me.
"Yeah, it happens sometimes," I manage to say in response. "You look beautiful, Sarah." And she does. She's wearing a casual dress, sleeveless in deference to the weather we've been having.
I've been debating for the last month over how to do this. My first thought was to take her up in "Sarah" and have a picnic, but then I thought that might be a reminder of how flying once came between us, although I don't think she's ever had a problem with "Sarah." And then there's our first disastrous trip up... no, "Sarah" is out.
Then I thought we could go out for a nice dinner, etc... but I really didn't want to do something so tried and true. Plus, I want this to be different from Jess.
I have to admit skywriting crossed my mind, but I know she'd kill me if I did that.
And so I settled for simple... and surprising, I hope. (Actually I have to admit my biggest goal was to not be waiting all evening.) Following her into her apartment, I notice that she has dinner on the table. That's my cue. Just as she turns to tell me to take a seat, I pull the box out of my pocket and get down on one knee. From the look on her face, I think I succeeded in at least surprising her.
"Sarah, I've been in love with you for almost 10 years now. I'd tell you exactly how long, but I'm sure you'd correct me on the hours and minutes." I pause for a moment to grin at her... good, she's smiling back.
"Over those years, there have been a lot of things that have kept us apart, but the love we have always brought us back together. Now it's time to let that same love keep us together. Sarah Mackenzie, will you marry me?"
Nervously I look up at her... she's crying. That should make me more nervous, but I know Mac, and those are not sad tears. After a few minutes, she decides to put me out of my misery. "Yes Harm, I'll marry you," she says and slides the ring onto her finger. And then somehow she's pulling me upright and we're kissing, and all I can think is that I finally got it right.
Part 19
August, 2009
Harm's POV
My palms are sweating. I don't think I've ever been this nervous. I pull the ring out of my pocket and kneel in front of her. She's looking down at me with wide eyes... does she know what I'm planning to do?
"Hi Daddy!" she says brightly.
"Hey Bethy," I reply. "Do you know what this is?" I ask her, opening the box and showing her the ring.
"Oh!! That's pretty Daddy, is it for me?"
I have to laugh at that, although the part of me that wants my little girl to stay mine forever winces at the knowledge that someday, it will be for her. "No sweetheart, this is for Sarah," I tell her.
"Why are you giving Sarah a present?"
I can hear the confusion in her voice, and I take a deep breath as I begin the most important closing argument I've ever given. "Because I like her. You like her too, right?"
"Uh huh... she's a nice lady."
Good. That makes this a little easier... not that I was really worried, Sarah is great with kids and Bethy really seems taken with her. But sometimes you never know. Now for the hard part.
"That's right, she is a nice lady. Bethy, what would you think if I asked her to come live with us?"
Her brow wrinkles as she considers this. "Why?" she asks finally.
Oh brother... how do you explain love and marriage to a five year old? Especially one whose mother has been dead long enough that the memories of our relationship are fading in her mind? All I can do is try...
"Well, I love her," I begin and then she cuts in.
"You mean like Ariel loved Eric in The Little Mermaid?" she asks.
God bless Walt Disney! Grabbing onto the lifeline my daughter has just thrown me, I continue on. "That's right honey. Do you remember what happened at the end of the movie?"
"Her daddy gave Ariel legs so she could live with Eric," she answers promptly. Then looking at me curiously, she asks, "Doesn't Sarah already have legs?"
Laughing again, I hug her and finish my explanation. "Yes she does have legs. But when she went to live with Eric, they got married. That's what two grown-ups do when they love each other and want to live together."
"Oh... so you're going to give Sarah the pretty gift so she'll marry you? Won't she marry you without the gift?"
Smiling, I say, "Well of course she would Bethy, but the ring let's everyone else know that we love Sarah and want her to come live with us. Is that ok with you?"
"Sure Daddy. Can I go play now?" she asks impatiently.
"Go ahead honey. Melanie will be here in a few minutes, and then Sarah and I are going out ok? I'll come in to say good night when I get home," I promise as she races off.
As I walk into Mac's building, I shake my head in disbelief. I thought I was nervous before, but that was nothing compared to how I feel now! I'm pretty sure she'll say yes, but you never know! We have talked about "the future" as we put it though, and even though we never used the word marriage, I'm pretty sure she knows that's what I have in mind.
Ok. I've made it to her door, now I just need to knock. Anyway, she's expecting me so it's not like the curiosity is going to start from the beginning!
"Hello Harm, you're on time for a change," she teases as she opens the door. Of course I am, even I know better than to be late on a day like today. Of course she doesn't know what tonight is... I'm doing it again, letting my mind run away with me.
"Yeah, it happens sometimes," I manage to say in response. "You look beautiful, Sarah." And she does. She's wearing a casual dress, sleeveless in deference to the weather we've been having.
I've been debating for the last month over how to do this. My first thought was to take her up in "Sarah" and have a picnic, but then I thought that might be a reminder of how flying once came between us, although I don't think she's ever had a problem with "Sarah." And then there's our first disastrous trip up... no, "Sarah" is out.
Then I thought we could go out for a nice dinner, etc... but I really didn't want to do something so tried and true. Plus, I want this to be different from Jess.
I have to admit skywriting crossed my mind, but I know she'd kill me if I did that.
And so I settled for simple... and surprising, I hope. (Actually I have to admit my biggest goal was to not be waiting all evening.) Following her into her apartment, I notice that she has dinner on the table. That's my cue. Just as she turns to tell me to take a seat, I pull the box out of my pocket and get down on one knee. From the look on her face, I think I succeeded in at least surprising her.
"Sarah, I've been in love with you for almost 10 years now. I'd tell you exactly how long, but I'm sure you'd correct me on the hours and minutes." I pause for a moment to grin at her... good, she's smiling back.
"Over those years, there have been a lot of things that have kept us apart, but the love we have always brought us back together. Now it's time to let that same love keep us together. Sarah Mackenzie, will you marry me?"
Nervously I look up at her... she's crying. That should make me more nervous, but I know Mac, and those are not sad tears. After a few minutes, she decides to put me out of my misery. "Yes Harm, I'll marry you," she says and slides the ring onto her finger. And then somehow she's pulling me upright and we're kissing, and all I can think is that I finally got it right.