Chapter Two: City of Love
We've had a lot of fun all day touring around Paris. Now we're back at the Penthouse, because the boys have insisted we wear the new dresses they bought us today to the Eiffel Tower tonight. Izzy and I are getting ready together and that is always a bad idea because we never make too much progress before the clothes start coming off again.
"Mmm, you smell so good Baby! I bet you'd taste really good right now too." I make an effort to hitch Izzy's skirt up but she bats at my hands.
"Bad girl! The boys are waiting for us. What will they think if we can't even get ready to go out without mauling each other?" The boys are so quiet, we don't even notice as they walk in.
"Oh I dunno, that we have really sexy girlfriends and that we should be waiting in here instead so we can watch?" Jonathan proffers.
"Or that we should have booked a later reservation so you two would have more time now for pawing at each other?" Jace laughs.
"See, Babycakes, they don't seem too put out." I smile, finish zipping Izzy's dress and quickly do her hair.
"We're ready now, sorry to have kept you waiting." She says.
"It was worth it, you both look gorgeous!" Jace replies as we take the elevator downstairs and head out to the street where our taxi has just arrived.
The Eiffel Tower is even more extraordinary from the top. To think that this was built from one man's vision and designed to last only twenty years. Well it has lasted a lot longer than that and here we are, enjoying the spectacular view from the top. A silver tray is brought to our table with two little boxes on it.
"Mademoiselles, these are a present from your gentlemen." The server says as he offers us the boxes. One says Izzy and the other says Clary. I reach for the one with my name on it.
"Thank you." I say as he leaves with his now empty tray. "More presents? Aren't these beautiful dresses and this wonderful dinner enough? You're going to spoil us if you're not careful!" I chastise, teasing them.
"Well, we hope you'll like these. They're a little bit more personal than anything else we've given you." Jonathan says.
"Well, I suppose we should open them then." Izzy says, obviously excited.
I open the box in front of me and at first I'm really not too sure what it is. It's made out of hemp and it looks like a ring. It has a colorful bead on it, which, upon closer inspection has something carved into it.
"We made them." Jace offers in explanation. "From scratch and the beads are clay, we made them too. The colors: pink, purple and blue, represent the bisexual pride flag. The engraving: J.F.2 Stands for Jace and Jonathan Fairchild. And if you haven't put the pieces of this puzzle together yet, they are your engagement rings." He says shyly.
"If you'll have us, that is." Jonathan adds.
"Wait a minute, they're what? We're here, in the most romantic spot on earth, and the two of you are actually proposing? Is this a dream, or have I died and gone to heaven?" Izzy asks, struggling to catch her breath.
"I think what she means is yes. At least, I know that's my answer." I manage to get out in something a little more than a whisper. "Izzy?" I look to Isabelle for confirmation.
"Not just yes, but hell yes!" She cries. "I'm so happy I could cry!" she smiles brightly, oblivious to the fact that she already has tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Phew! You ladies had us worried there for a minute. May we?" Jace asks taking Izzy's ring out of the box.
She holds her slender hand out to him. "You may." She nods between tears.
Jonathan, following suit, takes my hand and they seem to have timed it in sync somehow, as we both now have rings on our fingers. I cannot believe that sitting at the top of the Eiffel Tower was not the most exciting thing to happen to us today after all and that, by some miracle, we are now engaged! And what a romantic proposal at that! We are all laughing and kissing now as we toast champagne and celebrate this new milestone. I thought having my birthday in Paris was the only thing we'd be celebrating; apparently not, it seems the boys had ulterior motives for this trip.
As we head back to our hotel at the end of the night, they confirm my suspicions that yes, they have had this planned for a very long time and my 18th birthday was just an excuse to get us to Paris, although they assure me we'll still be celebrating that too. It blows my mind that they've had this planned for over a year and were somehow able to keep it a surprise from us.
The only people who knew about this before tonight besides the boys were our parents because Jace and Jonathan had asked for their blessing and Jocelyn because she had shown them how to make the rings. It's so surreal I can barely believe it still. We're having more champagne back at the penthouse now to celebrate and they've specially ordered us chocolate covered strawberries as well. As promised, I try out the bathtub and it is as amazing as Izzy and Jace said it was. The beauty of having the penthouse suit is that we have no nearby neighbors to complain about noise, so while I'm having my bath, I am able to leave the door open and hear Jace's sweet guitar music floating on the air.
He's playing duets so that Izzy and Jonathan will sing. He plays 'I Got You Babe' and 'Paradise by the Dashboard Light' and 'Cruisin'' and 'It's Your Love' and by the time I am climbing out of the bath, they are doing 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough'. They're actually pretty good. I slip into a little green lace nightie and head in to join them, clapping.
"That was awesome guys! It was just like having the radio on in the bath but better." I laugh.
"Here, you can jump in too Clary; Jace, how about Dancing in the Street?" Jonathan offers, so Jace starts playing again and we all sing together, on and on throughout the night, singing and laughing and celebrating. The guitar keeps playing and the champagne keeps flowing and by the time we all finally pile into bed, none of us have any voice left and we're all completely exhausted. It hasn't even really hit me yet that we're officially engaged now. I mean, it's totally surreal to think that we're going to be married! How exciting is that? As I drift off to sleep, I look around before giving in to exhaustion. Jace, Jonathan and Izzy are all lying within arm's reach of me. We're all so close right now and it's bliss, total bliss to be here, in Paris of all places with these boys and this girl, all of whom, I love so much.