A/N Thank you guys so much, you're the greatest! So, you think you like a little fluffy? Well this chapter is extra fluffy, with plenty of frosting, sprinkles, fairy dust and a cherry on top. I hope you enjoy!
It was Friday and she had lots of things she wanted to accomplish after Rick left for work and Carl was off to school. She'd start off by visiting all three banks in town to set up new accounts. It was going to be a lot of money and she wanted to be sure it was federally insured, so she'd have to break it up.
At the first bank she also planned to make a large deposit into her parent's account. She knew that over the years, when crops had failed, they'd had to take out mortgages against the farm, oh they tried to hide all of that stuff, they didn't want their kids to worry, but Beth knew. She was going to make sure they were debt-free so they could fully enjoy their "golden years", and maybe even take a little vacation somewhere.
She also had plans to surprise Merle and Daryl with a new computer system. She knew they'd try to give it back, or pay her for it, but they were just going to have to accept it.
And Aaron and Eric, she had a little surprise up her sleeve for them too. She knew they'd be announcing their engagement soon, and she planned to throw them a very fancy engagement party, very formal and elegant. Champagne, gourmet food, dancing, all of it. She knew they loved that kind of stuff. She was going to have to beg Daryl and Merle to wear suits, this would be her biggest challenge, but she was kind of looking forward to that challenge.
If Rick would finally just ask her to marry him, she'd also be setting up a 529 college fund for Carl. She'd need to be related to him for that one, but she also planned to set-up another account for Carl.
She knew Rick wouldn't want her to, he'd tell her it was her money, and blah, blah, blah. But that was just the point to her, it was her money, and she had plans for it, at least some of it.
But it was those simple things in life that turned what should have been just a good productive day, into trouble. It was like the simple things were always lurking around just waiting to cause Beth problems.
It all started that morning after Rick and Carl had left, she couldn't find her keys. She'd practically torn the whole house apart looking for them, they were just gone. Vanished into thin air. She didn't want to call Rick at work, she'd just talk to him about it later, maybe over a glass of wine. In the meantime, he'd hidden that spare key for her under the back bumper, in case she locked her keys in the car some time, which actually happened all the time and every time she'd silently thanked Rick for saving her.
She'd gotten to the first bank, and she was going to get back in the car and go to the second, when she saw she'd locked that darn key in the car. Shoot! So she walked to the second bank, then the third, and then she walked all the way home, and it was so hot and she was so tired, and by the time she got home she was hot and sweating and she just wanted to get in the house, have a cool shower and a cold glass of water. But when she got home she realized, she didn't have her house key either, she'd set that spare on the console between the front seats of the car. She didn't want to, but she started to cry.
She got so frustrated with herself, how did she do these things? Why was she so stupid? Everyone thought she was so darn smart, but she didn't feel smart, she always felt so stupid, and so out of control, she felt like she couldn't even manage her own life. And the more she thought about it, the more she cried.
She was sitting there on the top step of the front steps, crying like a baby, when Carl's friend dropped him off in front of the house. He sat beside her, "Beth what's wrong, what happened?"
"I don't have a key to get in the house." She barely choked it out.
"Okay, no problem Beth, I have my key," and he jumped up and quickly opened the door. "Come on, let's get in and cool off, maybe have some lemonade or sweet tea." Carl already loved Beth. She was so sweet, so good, and he hated to see her so sad.
They went in, he got them both a tea on ice, and he said, "I'll be right back, I just have to get something out of my room." But he went in his room and he called his Dad. "Dad something's wrong with Beth, she's all emotional and stuff. You should come home and talk to her. I have to get back to her, we're having tea in the kitchen."
He sat across from her and she tried to smile at him, "I'm so sorry Carl, I'm such a mess sometimes. I just have a lot of trouble with everyday life. I know it seems weird, I know, but I just have trouble with little things, the things that are normal to other people. The things that are so difficult to other people, so hard, those things come so easily to me. I'm sorry, I shouldn't make you so uncomfortable, it's just terrible of me. I apologize and I promise, I'll get myself together."
"Beth, geez, quit apologizing, you're so great, man, you're like the best. I can see you're having some kind of little meltdown thing, but shit, I mean shoot, it's not the end of the world, we're having a little tea, and it's all good. I'm not worried. I love you Beth." And his face turned bright red, but still, he reached his hand over and patted her hand, and he smiled at her.
"Oh Carl, thank you, I love you too." And she took his hand and gave it a squeeze.
And Rick came through the door, he was trying to act casual like he'd just stopped by, but Beth knew, "I'm sorry Rick, I didn't mean to take you away from work, I think I scared Carl."
That's when Carl got up and said, "Shoot, I have this school project I have to get started on, see you two for dinner."
Rick was over to her coaxing her up from the chair and wrapping his arms around her, "Sweetheart, what happened?"
And the floodgates opened once again, and she went on as only Beth could do. "I couldn't find my keys Rick, I looked everywhere, everywhere, but they weren't anywhere. I had so many things I wanted to do, so I used the hidden car key. I drove to the bank, but when I left there I saw I'd locked the spare key in the car, so I just walked to do all my other errands, and it was so hot, and I was so mad at myself for being so stupid, but I was just thinking I'd come home, have a big icy glass of water and a cool shower and everything would be just right. But I couldn't get in, because the spare house key was locked in the car with the spare car key, because I'd already lost all my other keys and I'm just so stupid. And I don't know why Rick, but I just couldn't handle it and I was so mad at myself, I just sat down and cried, and then Carl came home, and now I really feel like a jerk because I made him worry. I'm so sorry Rick I should just go back home."
Rick took her face in his hands, "Sweetheart, the first thing I want to say is, this house is home. The second thing I want to say is, I get it, you have trouble with the little things. I got my first taste of that on that first day I met you, didn't I? I didn't run off, I didn't say I can't deal with this woman and her idiosyncrasies, no, because what I saw was the most interesting and most beautiful woman in the world. Do you really think I'm going to be willing to give up the most incredible woman ever because you can't keep track of your keys, or you can't untangle a cord, or you're not comfortable in a crowd of people? I'm not Beth, you call me, anytime you lose those keys, I want to be that guy who saves the day for you, can't untangle something, no problem, I'll figure it out. But please, never ever doubt me again Beth. I love you, the whole package that's you." And he hugged her close, kissed the top of her head, and he hugged her more. He never wanted to let her go.
He had to get back to work, but he asked her to please take care of herself, "Have your cool shower, take a nap, relax Beth. When I get home we'll all go have dinner. We can go to the diner, I know you feel comfortable there, and besides, I could go for one of their bacon burgers, then we'll go get the car. I can have all the keys duplicated from my set at the hardware store tomorrow, so don't worry baby, in the big picture, this is barely a fly speck. Go easy on yourself. I'll see you about 5:15." And he brought her in for one more tight hug.
He stopped briefly at Carl's room, he knocked before entering, "Thanks for calling me son. I'll be back to pick you guys up for dinner when I'm off shift. We're just going to the diner, so no big deal. When we get back, you and I are going to the backyard, check on the garden, and we're going to have a little talk, how's that?"
"Sounds great Dad, see you later, and just for the record, Beth is the best."
"Believe me son, I know that," and he smiled at his boy.
xxxx
When they'd gotten home from dinner, Beth said she'd just like to go to her office and have an hour or so of quiet time. He gave her a quick hug and said, "I think you need that, but then can I buy you a glass of wine on the back porch?" and he cocked that head to the side and gave her that smile.
"That sounds lovely Rick," She kissed him on the cheek and went down the hall to her office.
"Carl, let's you and me go check out my garden, see if there's anything we need to harvest. Let me just flip on those yard lights."
When they got to the far end, the furthest from the house he said, "Son, I want to talk to you about Beth. Today you saw how overwhelmed she can get. It's still kind of amazing to me how that works. She can shoot a man, save my life, be so strong and so brave, man she's a rock. But this little stuff, those keys, a necklace that's tangled, she'll have a little breakdown over not being able to handle these simple things. I hope you can accept that it's just part of what makes Beth, Beth."
"I know Dad, I get it, she's weird, but in a good way. I like her the way she is." He was so serious.
Rick put an arm around his shoulder, "Thanks son, I like her just the way she is too, in fact I love her, very much. And that's the other thing I want to talk to you about. I'm taking Beth to dinner tomorrow night, and I'm going to ask her marry me. If she says yes, and I hope to God she does, she's going to officially become your stepmom. How do you feel about that?"
"Well first I'd ask what took you so long, sheesh, and then I'd say that's the smartest thing you ever did. I don't think you could find anyone better for you than Beth. I wasn't kidding, I do love her, she's awesome. Good luck, I hope she says yes too. And yeah, I'd have the hottest stepmom in town." And he was all smiles.
And then they saw them, there in Beth's flower garden, her keys.
xxxx
They were sitting in a quiet little booth in the far corner of the dimly lit restaurant. The flickering of the candlelight made her pale skin glow. She was so lovely, and he'd never get enough of that beautiful smile.
Rick didn't know why he was so nervous, after all, this is what he wanted so much, to ask this beautiful woman to marry him, to have her say "yes" to him, and to start officially building a life together. Maybe that was it, what if she had doubts, and didn't say "yes". He'd be devastated, that's for sure.
But the waiter brought over the two glasses of wine, Rick raised his to her, "To the most beautiful and amazing woman in the world, the woman I love." And they clinked glasses.
"I love you very much too, I think you know that. Thank you for bringing me out to this lovely restaurant, it's perfect."
When they'd each had a sip, and she was looking at her menu, he slipped the ring out of his pocket. "Beth, there's been something I've wanted to ask you for a while now." He got up, went to her side of the booth, got down on one knee, and asked, "I love you sweetheart, I respect you, I admire you and I can't think of anything better than spending the rest of my life with you. Would you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me Beth?" And he held the ring out to her.
She looked at him, flashed him that beautiful wide smile, and said, "Rick, you are the most wonderful man in the world, I couldn't ask for anyone any better, well I don't think there could be anyone any better, and I would be so proud to be your wife."
He slipped the ring on her finger, then slid into the booth next to her. He kissed her tenderly, and rested his forehead on hers, "Beth, I can't believe this is really happening. I never imagined I could be so happy. I love you so much."
"Oh Rick, you have no idea, I've waited and waited for you to ask, I thought if you didn't ask me soon, I was going to ask you."
He pulled his head back a little, and smiled at her, "Well I would have said Yes. Am I really that slow Beth?"
"No, but I'm so anxious. When can we do this, I want to marry you right away."
And he couldn't help the soft laugh that escaped him, he reached across the table for his glass of wine and asked, "Can we at least drink a toast first?"
And she smiled, "Well yes, we should, and I suppose the courthouse isn't open right now anyway. Seriously, I'm thrilled you picked the Claddagh ring Rick. It's so special, I love the meaning, I love the tradition, it couldn't be more perfect."
And they raised their glasses and took a sip while they looked in each other's eyes. Then the waiter came and broke the spell, but he could sense when he wasn't wanted, so he quickly took their order and then made himself scarce.
"Sweetheart, in all seriousness, what do you want to do about the wedding? I want you to decide what you feel comfortable with, I'm up for any of it, as long as the end result is, you're my wife and I'm your husband." And he smiled that darn smile that practically made her swoon.
"Well, this is a little embarrassing, but I've already got it planned out, I was hoping you'd asked me," And her cheeks turned rosy, he just loved that, "I thought we could just do it at the farm, Daddy could perform the ceremony. We could do it late morning, and serve lunch afterward. I have a very small guest list besides my family, Merle and Carol, Daryl and his girl, if he ever gets ready to tell us about her, Aaron and Eric. I don't know if you have friends you'd like to invite, but I would be open to that Rick, it will still be a small crowd, and all people I know, except Daryl's girl, and whoever you'd like to ask."
"It sounds perfect. I don't need anyone else there. I'm going to have Carl stand with me as my best man, but he's not old enough to be a legal witness, I'll ask Daryl to sign the paperwork."
And the waiter brought their food, apologized for interrupting, and hurried off. It was starting to amuse Rick.
Beth said, "Of course, I'll have Maggie as my matron of honor. Not only would she be my first choice, but oh my gosh, if I ever even thought of asking anyone else she'd never forgive me! Okay, I think our plans are made! How about two weeks from today, is that too soon?" She smiled that big beaming smile at him.
"Not at all, I can't wait."
Then she said something that caught him completely by surprise. But he wasn't just stunned, he was ecstatic.
"Oh, and Rick, one more thing, on the Monday right after the wedding? I'd like us to see an attorney. I would really like to see you file for legal custody of Carl."
He couldn't come up with words, so he just hugged her close, and said, "Thank you Sweetheart."
A/N Awww, okay, now you'll need to brush, and no more sugar today! Should we meet Daryl's girl, and maybe even have a wedding next chapter? Please read and review xo