The White Dress

They had been back together for over a year now when he was sitting with her at one of their favorite bars by the beach. They had long since traded their usual juice cafe hang out for something a little more strong. He was wearing a simple white button down with black dress slacks and shoes and she was wearing a white dress with a mesh overlay, whimsical details throughout the outer layer and a pair of white heels. They were a bit dressed up for their average Saturday but he supposed this wasn't an average Saturday.

They had talked about getting married before, simply coming to the conclusion it was something they both wanted to do in the future. He hoped with every power in his being that he would marry Rikki someday but he didn't know if they had been back together long enough for it to be appropriate.

That morning they had woken up and decided to take their lunch to the moon pool. They talked about this and that while they ate before Rikki decided to jump in the moon pool and Zane had followed her, fully clothed. They splashed each other with water like they were five years old. Zane 'captured' her in his arms and they quickly retired to just holding each other in the moon pool. Zane had moved them to the ledge at the edge of the pool where they could easily sit in the water. He held her in his arms, felt the unique feeling of her tail against his legs and feet and knew this was a feeling he never wanted to let go.

"Marry me." He had muttered just loud enough for her to hear before he could stop himself.

"What?" She had replied, not sure if she had heard him right. It had slipped out but he meant it and he didn't want to take it back.

"Marry me." He simply repeated again.

"You're not serious?" She said as she moved out of his arms to look him in his eyes.

"I am serious." He said. "I love you and I want to be with you for the rest of our lives. I suppose it's obvious I hadn't really thought out a proposal but I don't care, if you're fine with it. I want to marry you."

She just stared at him for a long moment, hardly blinking or breathing. She didn't look happy, sad, mad or nervous. She just looked...neutral?

"You're serious." She finally muttered.

"Yes." Zane said back in the same quiet tone. He loved her and clearly caught her off guard but he wished she would give him answer.

Instead, she leaned in to kiss him. It was soft at first but she wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around her waist as they deepened the kiss. This seemed like a good sign.

"Yes." She said when they finally broke the kiss. He had been in such a daze from their little make out session in the moon pool he had almost forgotten what she had just said yes to. He simply held her closer, if possible, than before.

"Under one condition." She followed up. Of course there was a catch but he'd do anything she wanted.

"What's that?" He asked.

"I want to get married today." She said.

"Your friends are going to be upset." He replied. He could get married to her today.

"I don't care." She said.

"Okay then," He replied as he removed his arm from around her and started making his way out of the moon pool. "We'll have to leave now if we want to do it today."

"That's fine with me." She said as she leaned up on the ledge. He leaned back down to give her a kiss. He didn't think he'd go to bed tonight with Rikki Chadwick as his wife.

He collected everything they had brought for their lunch date in their picnic basket and headed out of the tunnel to his two-seater boat. He swore he saw a pulse of water fly out of the moon pool as soon as he arrived on the beach and he smiled to himself.

Once Zane had gotten back to their house, Rikki was in the bathroom, likely getting ready for their big day. He went into their bedroom and tossed on the outfit he was currently wearing at the bar. She stepped out of the bathroom in the white dress he had gotten for her, just because. They had spotted it in a shop window when they were out earlier in their relationship and she no longer had to make a point of stopping to tell him she liked the dress, he could tell by the look in her eyes. He had come back a few days later, bought it and gave it to her if she wanted to wear it for one of the galas they hated but often attended. He was pretty sure neither thought it would be her wedding dress.

"You've always been good at picking out dresses for yourself." He told her as she grabbed his hand and pulled him in for a kiss.

"You've always been good at surprising me with them." She said back. "Are you ready to go?"

"Almost," he said as he reached into his nightstand drawer for something. He presented her with a small, black velvet box.

"Just so nobody gets confused." He said as he handed it to her.

He watched as Rikki opened the box to reveal a silver ring with a band design that reminded him of sea kelp with a ruby stone in the center bordered by two smaller diamonds. Her mouth dropped as she looked at the ring.

"When did you get this?" She asked as he took the box back from her, removed the ring and went to place it on her ring finger where it would stay for all eternity.

"Three days after we got back together." He replied.