Andy was going through mail when Nina walked in, "Hey neighbor,"
"Hey Andy, how's Lilly?" Nina asked while putting her things down on the table.
"She's okay, I think she's just lonely," Andy said putting the mail to the side.
Nina nodded. She knew how that felt. "I was wondering if she would want to go shopping in Denver with me. Could you watch Sam while we go?"
"I would love to watch Sam, let me go ask Lilly," Andy ran up the stairs to find Lilly.
She and Ephram were looking through CDs in Ephram's room. "Lilly, Nina wants to know if you would want to go shopping in Denver with her," Andy was happy to see Lilly smiling, it had been a week since her mother left and she had been kind of distant.
Lilly looked over at Ephram to see if it was okay, when he nodded she went to find her purse. In fifteen minutes, she and Nina had taken off in the car.
"Do you mind if I asked you something?" Lilly said as they pulled out of the driveway.
"Go ahead," said Nina.
"Well, did you and Andy ever date?"
Nina laughed out loud, "No, why would you think that?"
"Well you guys just seem so close. I mean you two would be perfect together,"
Nina just laughed, "We are just friends, he is my best friend,"
"Exactly, you two know each other so well. Last night, when you came over, you and Andy just looked at each other and you burst into laughter,"
Nina just smiled. She couldn't believe that anyone would think of her and Andy together. "How about we talk about your love life...or lack there of,"
Lilly starting to blush a little "Ephram and I have never felt so close. He is my best friend and I feel like I can tell him anything,"
"I'm jealous," said Nina.
When they got to Denver, Nina and Lilly shopped until dark Finally they made their way back home around eleven that night. They had a lot of fun together and Nina thought they had really bonded. When Lilly got into the house, she was exhausted. She set down all of her new things in her room and passed out on the bed, fully clothed.
Ephram woke up the next morning and went to go find Lilly. When he saw her his heart skipped a beat. She looked so beautiful, laying there relaxed and innocent. He smiled and helped her underneath the covers, since she looked cold. She was so tired she didn't wake. He crawled in next to her and tried to warm her body. Her belt was cold against his warm stomach. He was so comfortable next to her he fell asleep. Soon after he fell asleep Lilly woke up. She turned over to find herself laying in Ephram's arms. She snuggled closer to his chest and laid there thinking. She thought about how perfect she felt up against him and how she didn't find it weird at all that he snored. She slowly slipped out of bed and went to take a shower.
She thought about how she had been that past week, distant and quiet. She felt bad about it, but she couldn't help it. She was unhappy that she was away from her mother. Two days ago, her mother had sent her clothes in the mail to her, and that made everything feel permanent. She had also sent school things and pictures that she had of friends. She felt completely cut off from her mother, like they weren't related anymore.
Lilly got out of the shower and was surprised to still not hear any noise, normally by this time Delia was up and watching cartoons. She checked her watch and was surprised, yet again, to see that it was only six in the morning. Lilly laughed to herself and got dressed. She wanted to go see Everwood in the morning, so she went to wake Ephram. She jumped on her bed, and he cursed.
"What?" he said thinking it was Delia or his dad.
"I want to go walk," she said leaning in to kiss his cheek. For some reason she was in a good mood today.
"Why are you so happy?" he asked.
"I don't know, Everwood is starting to feel like home. It makes me miss Georgia a lot less,"
Ephram smiled up at her and the he went to get ready. After he was ready they went to walk around the neighborhood. They wandered for an hour until they finally decided to go home. Lilly was still a little tired so Ephram gave her a piggy back ride. He knew that he loved her, and would never want to. Half way home he set her down and turned around.
"What's wrong? Are you tired?" asked Lilly when he put her down.
"No, I need to ask you something," Ephram said while getting down on one knee. "Lilly, I love you and I can't imagine being away from you for one day. I want you to know that I would never hurt you, and if I did, I would never be able to face the world again. This isn't your dream or the most romantic thing in the world, but will you marry me?"
Lilly was taken back. She lifted her hands to her face and started to cry a little. Ephram was worried about what this meant, but really Lilly couldn't tell him either. She didn't know what she would say.
"Listen we can just be engaged for as long as you want, I just want to know that one day you and I will be married. It doesn't have to be today or tomorrow, just sometime after high school, or college even," Ephram said to help her with her decision.
Lilly just couldn't think straight. She said the first thing that came to her mouth, "Yes!"
Ephram's face lit up as he stood up. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her into the air. He was laughing and so was she.
"I need to get a ring or something," Ephram said as he put Lilly down.
"A ring," was all she could say. That made it seem so real. She just smiled to herself and breathed deeply.
He picked Lilly back up and carried her home. When they finally made it home, every one was awake and Nina was over for a visit.
"Dad, can I talk to you in private?" asked Ephram.
"Sure," Andy said, his son looked so weird. He looked as if he was happy, scared, and really tired at the same time.
"Dad, I don't know how to tell you this," said Ephram When he and his father were out on the porch.
"This must be serious," said Andy getting nervous.
"It is, Dad, I proposed to Lilly and she said yes," Ephram blurted out.
Andy stood there and just stared at Ephram. He didn't know what to think. "What were you thinking?" he finally said.
Ephram stood there just as baffled as his dad, "I don't know. All I know is that I love her and I want to be with her forever. We're not going to get married right now. We were thinking after college. We were more comfortable with that,"
Andy didn't know what to think. He just stood there. "If this is what you want, I can't stop you. Just make sure this is what you want,"
"It is, I've never been more sure of anything. This sounds crazy doesn't it?" Ephram said starting to pace back and forth.
"Yes," he said, but then he looked up and smiled at Ephram. He was so sure of himself. Something told him it was going to be okay.
Andy put his arm around Ephram's shoulder and they walked back into the house, but instead of going to join Nina, Delia, and Lilly, Andy led Ephram into his room. He went into his dresser and pulled out a box full of things of Julia's. When he opened the box he pulled out the engagement ring that Andy gave her and he handed it to Ephram.
"Now go down there and propose the right way." Andy said.
They walked down stairs and Ephram walked over to Lilly. Nina gave Andy a look but Andy just smiled and watched Ephram.
Ephram stood in front of Lilly and got down on one knee, "Lilly, I love you and I would do anything to make you happy. Will you do the honor of marrying me?"
Lilly smiled down at him. Even though it was the second time he asked, she was still at a loss for words. Nina's eyes opened wide and looked over at Andy. Delia has standing there with her mouth dropped low and she kept looking back at her dad.
"Yes," she said and Ephram slipped on the ring. It fit perfectly, which made them laugh a little.
Andy stood there smiling down at them and strangely that made Nina feel better. Ephram lifted Lilly into the air and spun her around. When he slowly set her down he leaned in and kissed her.
"I love you," she said.
"I love you, too," Ephram said.
Madisa Delinda Est! (That's in Latin in case you didn't know. First made popular by Cato, only he said Carthago Delinda Est (Down With Carthage) See you learn something knew every day)
"Hey Andy, how's Lilly?" Nina asked while putting her things down on the table.
"She's okay, I think she's just lonely," Andy said putting the mail to the side.
Nina nodded. She knew how that felt. "I was wondering if she would want to go shopping in Denver with me. Could you watch Sam while we go?"
"I would love to watch Sam, let me go ask Lilly," Andy ran up the stairs to find Lilly.
She and Ephram were looking through CDs in Ephram's room. "Lilly, Nina wants to know if you would want to go shopping in Denver with her," Andy was happy to see Lilly smiling, it had been a week since her mother left and she had been kind of distant.
Lilly looked over at Ephram to see if it was okay, when he nodded she went to find her purse. In fifteen minutes, she and Nina had taken off in the car.
"Do you mind if I asked you something?" Lilly said as they pulled out of the driveway.
"Go ahead," said Nina.
"Well, did you and Andy ever date?"
Nina laughed out loud, "No, why would you think that?"
"Well you guys just seem so close. I mean you two would be perfect together,"
Nina just laughed, "We are just friends, he is my best friend,"
"Exactly, you two know each other so well. Last night, when you came over, you and Andy just looked at each other and you burst into laughter,"
Nina just smiled. She couldn't believe that anyone would think of her and Andy together. "How about we talk about your love life...or lack there of,"
Lilly starting to blush a little "Ephram and I have never felt so close. He is my best friend and I feel like I can tell him anything,"
"I'm jealous," said Nina.
When they got to Denver, Nina and Lilly shopped until dark Finally they made their way back home around eleven that night. They had a lot of fun together and Nina thought they had really bonded. When Lilly got into the house, she was exhausted. She set down all of her new things in her room and passed out on the bed, fully clothed.
Ephram woke up the next morning and went to go find Lilly. When he saw her his heart skipped a beat. She looked so beautiful, laying there relaxed and innocent. He smiled and helped her underneath the covers, since she looked cold. She was so tired she didn't wake. He crawled in next to her and tried to warm her body. Her belt was cold against his warm stomach. He was so comfortable next to her he fell asleep. Soon after he fell asleep Lilly woke up. She turned over to find herself laying in Ephram's arms. She snuggled closer to his chest and laid there thinking. She thought about how perfect she felt up against him and how she didn't find it weird at all that he snored. She slowly slipped out of bed and went to take a shower.
She thought about how she had been that past week, distant and quiet. She felt bad about it, but she couldn't help it. She was unhappy that she was away from her mother. Two days ago, her mother had sent her clothes in the mail to her, and that made everything feel permanent. She had also sent school things and pictures that she had of friends. She felt completely cut off from her mother, like they weren't related anymore.
Lilly got out of the shower and was surprised to still not hear any noise, normally by this time Delia was up and watching cartoons. She checked her watch and was surprised, yet again, to see that it was only six in the morning. Lilly laughed to herself and got dressed. She wanted to go see Everwood in the morning, so she went to wake Ephram. She jumped on her bed, and he cursed.
"What?" he said thinking it was Delia or his dad.
"I want to go walk," she said leaning in to kiss his cheek. For some reason she was in a good mood today.
"Why are you so happy?" he asked.
"I don't know, Everwood is starting to feel like home. It makes me miss Georgia a lot less,"
Ephram smiled up at her and the he went to get ready. After he was ready they went to walk around the neighborhood. They wandered for an hour until they finally decided to go home. Lilly was still a little tired so Ephram gave her a piggy back ride. He knew that he loved her, and would never want to. Half way home he set her down and turned around.
"What's wrong? Are you tired?" asked Lilly when he put her down.
"No, I need to ask you something," Ephram said while getting down on one knee. "Lilly, I love you and I can't imagine being away from you for one day. I want you to know that I would never hurt you, and if I did, I would never be able to face the world again. This isn't your dream or the most romantic thing in the world, but will you marry me?"
Lilly was taken back. She lifted her hands to her face and started to cry a little. Ephram was worried about what this meant, but really Lilly couldn't tell him either. She didn't know what she would say.
"Listen we can just be engaged for as long as you want, I just want to know that one day you and I will be married. It doesn't have to be today or tomorrow, just sometime after high school, or college even," Ephram said to help her with her decision.
Lilly just couldn't think straight. She said the first thing that came to her mouth, "Yes!"
Ephram's face lit up as he stood up. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her into the air. He was laughing and so was she.
"I need to get a ring or something," Ephram said as he put Lilly down.
"A ring," was all she could say. That made it seem so real. She just smiled to herself and breathed deeply.
He picked Lilly back up and carried her home. When they finally made it home, every one was awake and Nina was over for a visit.
"Dad, can I talk to you in private?" asked Ephram.
"Sure," Andy said, his son looked so weird. He looked as if he was happy, scared, and really tired at the same time.
"Dad, I don't know how to tell you this," said Ephram When he and his father were out on the porch.
"This must be serious," said Andy getting nervous.
"It is, Dad, I proposed to Lilly and she said yes," Ephram blurted out.
Andy stood there and just stared at Ephram. He didn't know what to think. "What were you thinking?" he finally said.
Ephram stood there just as baffled as his dad, "I don't know. All I know is that I love her and I want to be with her forever. We're not going to get married right now. We were thinking after college. We were more comfortable with that,"
Andy didn't know what to think. He just stood there. "If this is what you want, I can't stop you. Just make sure this is what you want,"
"It is, I've never been more sure of anything. This sounds crazy doesn't it?" Ephram said starting to pace back and forth.
"Yes," he said, but then he looked up and smiled at Ephram. He was so sure of himself. Something told him it was going to be okay.
Andy put his arm around Ephram's shoulder and they walked back into the house, but instead of going to join Nina, Delia, and Lilly, Andy led Ephram into his room. He went into his dresser and pulled out a box full of things of Julia's. When he opened the box he pulled out the engagement ring that Andy gave her and he handed it to Ephram.
"Now go down there and propose the right way." Andy said.
They walked down stairs and Ephram walked over to Lilly. Nina gave Andy a look but Andy just smiled and watched Ephram.
Ephram stood in front of Lilly and got down on one knee, "Lilly, I love you and I would do anything to make you happy. Will you do the honor of marrying me?"
Lilly smiled down at him. Even though it was the second time he asked, she was still at a loss for words. Nina's eyes opened wide and looked over at Andy. Delia has standing there with her mouth dropped low and she kept looking back at her dad.
"Yes," she said and Ephram slipped on the ring. It fit perfectly, which made them laugh a little.
Andy stood there smiling down at them and strangely that made Nina feel better. Ephram lifted Lilly into the air and spun her around. When he slowly set her down he leaned in and kissed her.
"I love you," she said.
"I love you, too," Ephram said.
Madisa Delinda Est! (That's in Latin in case you didn't know. First made popular by Cato, only he said Carthago Delinda Est (Down With Carthage) See you learn something knew every day)