Welcome back everyone! I'm happy, yet sad to announce that this is the final chapter in Gathering the Pieces! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed and offered comments and thoughts. You've all been a wonderful support system, and I'm really glad that you all enjoyed it so much.
So, for the last time, Please read and review!
Lizzie buttoned her shirt as she stood in front of the mirror. She heard the faint creak of the door and turned around to see Gordo. He smiled gently as he leaned against the hard frame.
"Miranda is taking Tori to the park so she won't see us leave and ask questions," he explained, running his hand through his hair.
Lizzie nodded as she nervously ran her hand over her stomach. "Did Miranda ask any questions?"
Gordo shook his head, the raven black locks bounced across his forehead. "No, I just told her you and I were going somewhere and would she mind taking Tori to the park."
Lizzie smiled gratefully. "Thank you."
He nodded, and Lizzie noticed his hand was inside his pocket. Her eyes danced over his face and she noticed that he looked nervous.
"Are you all right?"
He dragged his tongue across his lips and stepped forward. Lizzie wanted to ask why he looked so nervous, but words failed her as he came closer.
"Lizzie," he began, he reached for her hand.
Lizzie knitted her brows as he knelt down in front of her. Suddenly, she recognized the pose, he was down on one knee. Her heart thumped in her chest as he finally pulled his other hand out of his pocket. A small black ring box was clutched between his fingers. His anxious eyes caught her and a laugh bubble from his lips. Lizzie's throat constricted, suddenly it seemed impossible to breathe let alone think.
With a shaking hand, he managed to pop open the box, inside on a black velvet pillow laid a diamond ring. The diamond was cut in the shape of a diamond, the light caught and it reflection sparkled across the room.
"Lizzie," he began again, squeezing her hand. "Will you marry me?"
Thousands of thoughts raced through her head. Thoughts of the heartbreak she'd felt when she's woken up and found that note, and not heard from him again. When he'd arrived on her doorstep, soaking wet. The way he'd instantly connected with Tori. How she began to fell happiness she thought she'd loss. The late night confession of why he really left, the way it was like opening a new wound. Tori, the accident, he was always there. How Tori looked forward to seeing him. Lizzie closed her eyes, trying to clear her head. She took a deep breath and realized Gordo was repeating similar actions.
"I know that we haven't even been officially going out. I know that I've done wrong before. I know that in all reality I don't deserve you. But, I also know one thing, and that is that I love you. I love you Elizabeth McGuire. I love the way you smile, the way you laugh, the way Tori is your number one priority. I love everything about you. I also know that there is a chance you are wrong about the baby, and you may not be pregnant. And that's okay with me, because I'm not doing this only because you're pregnant, I'm doing it because I love you. I want your face to be the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning. I want to be there for Tori. I know I'll never replace Tori's father, but I could be a father figure for her. For the rest of my life, I just want to be with you both, forever."
Lizzie felt her heart swell, suddenly, all the foreboding feelings were gone, instead she threw her arms around his neck. "Yes, yes yes! I will."
Gordo gently separated himself from her, slid the ring onto her finger then wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her in the most passionate, tender, loving kiss she'd ever had.
With a gentle sigh she pulled away. "We have to go."
After her examination, and positive feedback from the doctor, Lizzie turned to Gordo and smiled as they waited to make the appointment for the ultrasound. She made the appointment and slipped the card into her purse.
His hand slipped into hers as they walked out the door Lizzie felt a delighted gasp escape her lips as she saw Miranda and Tori sitting outside the steps.
"What are you two doing here?"
Gordo squeezed her hand. "When I heard the news from the doctor, I figured that you might want someone else to be here."
"What news?" Tori asked, tilting her head as she leaned back against Gordo's leg, her small hand locking around her mother's finger. Suddenly Tori let out a squeal. "Pretty ring!"
Lizzie smiled, and turned her hand so Tori could see it better. Lizzie saw Miranda's shocked grin out of the corner of her eye. Lizzie took a deep breath, contemplating how to explain. "Tori, you're going to get a baby brother, or a baby sister."
"Really?" she asked excitedly. "Where is it?"
Lizzie laughed and patted her stomach. "In here for a while, the baby's got to grow for a little while then when it's ready to come out, you'll be a big sister!"
Tori grinned at this information then turned attention to the new ring on Lizzie hand. "What's this?"
Lizzie looked up at Gordo as he smiled and hoisted Tori into his arms so she was eye level with her mother. "Well, Mommy and Gordo are going to get married."
"And live happily ever after?" Tori asked.
Lizzie felt a surge of warmth rush through her as she hugged her daughter and kissed the side of her sweet little head. "Yes, and we'll all do our best to live happy ever after."
So, for the last time, Please read and review!
Lizzie buttoned her shirt as she stood in front of the mirror. She heard the faint creak of the door and turned around to see Gordo. He smiled gently as he leaned against the hard frame.
"Miranda is taking Tori to the park so she won't see us leave and ask questions," he explained, running his hand through his hair.
Lizzie nodded as she nervously ran her hand over her stomach. "Did Miranda ask any questions?"
Gordo shook his head, the raven black locks bounced across his forehead. "No, I just told her you and I were going somewhere and would she mind taking Tori to the park."
Lizzie smiled gratefully. "Thank you."
He nodded, and Lizzie noticed his hand was inside his pocket. Her eyes danced over his face and she noticed that he looked nervous.
"Are you all right?"
He dragged his tongue across his lips and stepped forward. Lizzie wanted to ask why he looked so nervous, but words failed her as he came closer.
"Lizzie," he began, he reached for her hand.
Lizzie knitted her brows as he knelt down in front of her. Suddenly, she recognized the pose, he was down on one knee. Her heart thumped in her chest as he finally pulled his other hand out of his pocket. A small black ring box was clutched between his fingers. His anxious eyes caught her and a laugh bubble from his lips. Lizzie's throat constricted, suddenly it seemed impossible to breathe let alone think.
With a shaking hand, he managed to pop open the box, inside on a black velvet pillow laid a diamond ring. The diamond was cut in the shape of a diamond, the light caught and it reflection sparkled across the room.
"Lizzie," he began again, squeezing her hand. "Will you marry me?"
Thousands of thoughts raced through her head. Thoughts of the heartbreak she'd felt when she's woken up and found that note, and not heard from him again. When he'd arrived on her doorstep, soaking wet. The way he'd instantly connected with Tori. How she began to fell happiness she thought she'd loss. The late night confession of why he really left, the way it was like opening a new wound. Tori, the accident, he was always there. How Tori looked forward to seeing him. Lizzie closed her eyes, trying to clear her head. She took a deep breath and realized Gordo was repeating similar actions.
"I know that we haven't even been officially going out. I know that I've done wrong before. I know that in all reality I don't deserve you. But, I also know one thing, and that is that I love you. I love you Elizabeth McGuire. I love the way you smile, the way you laugh, the way Tori is your number one priority. I love everything about you. I also know that there is a chance you are wrong about the baby, and you may not be pregnant. And that's okay with me, because I'm not doing this only because you're pregnant, I'm doing it because I love you. I want your face to be the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning. I want to be there for Tori. I know I'll never replace Tori's father, but I could be a father figure for her. For the rest of my life, I just want to be with you both, forever."
Lizzie felt her heart swell, suddenly, all the foreboding feelings were gone, instead she threw her arms around his neck. "Yes, yes yes! I will."
Gordo gently separated himself from her, slid the ring onto her finger then wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her in the most passionate, tender, loving kiss she'd ever had.
With a gentle sigh she pulled away. "We have to go."
After her examination, and positive feedback from the doctor, Lizzie turned to Gordo and smiled as they waited to make the appointment for the ultrasound. She made the appointment and slipped the card into her purse.
His hand slipped into hers as they walked out the door Lizzie felt a delighted gasp escape her lips as she saw Miranda and Tori sitting outside the steps.
"What are you two doing here?"
Gordo squeezed her hand. "When I heard the news from the doctor, I figured that you might want someone else to be here."
"What news?" Tori asked, tilting her head as she leaned back against Gordo's leg, her small hand locking around her mother's finger. Suddenly Tori let out a squeal. "Pretty ring!"
Lizzie smiled, and turned her hand so Tori could see it better. Lizzie saw Miranda's shocked grin out of the corner of her eye. Lizzie took a deep breath, contemplating how to explain. "Tori, you're going to get a baby brother, or a baby sister."
"Really?" she asked excitedly. "Where is it?"
Lizzie laughed and patted her stomach. "In here for a while, the baby's got to grow for a little while then when it's ready to come out, you'll be a big sister!"
Tori grinned at this information then turned attention to the new ring on Lizzie hand. "What's this?"
Lizzie looked up at Gordo as he smiled and hoisted Tori into his arms so she was eye level with her mother. "Well, Mommy and Gordo are going to get married."
"And live happily ever after?" Tori asked.
Lizzie felt a surge of warmth rush through her as she hugged her daughter and kissed the side of her sweet little head. "Yes, and we'll all do our best to live happy ever after."