The song lyrics towards the end of this chapter in no way belong to me. All rights to the lyrics belong to Richard Marx.
Chapter 12
Sonny looks up as the bell over the door at CG rings, signaling a customer. Seeing Will walk in holding Arianna he breaks into a big smile. "Hey, there are the two people I love most in this world!" Walking around the counter he wraps his arm around Will and hugs him close to his side. Leaning over he brushes a soft kiss to Will's lips before reaching to take Ari in his arms. "So, how did PT go today? Any problems?"
"Nope. Right on track they say." Will says with a grin. He leans closer as he whispers in Sonny's ear "Told you, you wouldn't hurt me. And even if it would have a little, it was sooo definitely worth it!"
Sonny looks at him as they share a smile. "Love you babe."
"I love you too Son. So, I didn't think I would make it back here."
"Oh? Why's that?" Sonny said as he is slowly rocking a sleepy Ari.
"Mom didn't want to let Arianna go. I thought I was going to have to fight her to get her back."
"Is that right princess? Grandma Sami thought she could keep you did she? Well sorry Grandma, you missed your daddy too much and needed to come see me didn't you? Yes, she can't have you, not to keep because you are all ours." Sonny crooned.
Will smiled as he watched the tender scene in front of him. Looking back, he never imagined his life would be this way. A dad so young, with so much responsibility. All he thought about was Sonny and school. At first he was afraid that the routine, the same day to day stuff that comes with being together and raising a baby would become too much for Sonny. But every time he watches the two of them together like this… he knows this is exactly where both Sonny and he belong. And he knows that Sonny wouldn't want it any other way either.
Seeing Chad walk in from the back office, Will excused himself saying he needed to ask Chad a question regarding Abby.
"Oh, ok. Is everything all right?"
"Oh yeah, she just wanted me to relay a message basically."
"Ok. Well, Ari and I will wait over here for you then."
Will smiles as he walks over to Chad and motions him off to the side. "So, are we all set do you think?"
Chad grins as he tries to avoid looking over at Sonny as he doesn't want to give anything away. "Yep. Everything is set. No worries bud; I told you we'd pull this off."
"Hey Sonny," Chad calls out as they both walk back over to join him and Ari. "Listen man, I was wondering if you could do me a huge favor. I wanted to take Abby out on the bike for awhile, maybe have some dinner or something. Do you think you could cover for me here Thursday night? She's babysitting or something over the weekend so really that is the only night she could go."
Sonny frowned as he looked down at Ari then over at Will. "I don't know Chad. I'm gone so much from these guys as it is, I hate to spend more time away."
"Well how about I cover for you a night? Say, Friday? You work for me Thursday; I'll work for you on Friday. Deal?"
Looking over and seeing Will nodding his ok with the idea Sonny agreed. Chad said "Great man! Thanks, I'll call Abby now and let her know." Clapping him on the shoulder, he is already on his phone as he walked away.
"Hey Son," Will says as he walks up to stand close to Sonny. "I have an idea. Let's have a date night please? My mom would love to watch Ari again. We could go out to dinner and maybe just walk around the square, hang out, just the two of us. We could go out Friday night. What do you say, please?"
"Oh babe. You so do not need to turn those gorgeous blue eyes on me to talk me into it! Sounds fantastic. Let's do it. Where do you want to eat? If we need reservations we better…"
Will breaks in "I really just want to spoil you for the night. Leave all the details up to me ok? Just dress nice and I will handle everything."
"All right, sounds great! Now, come over here and let me show you what I thought we could do in this area so Ari has what she needs here."
Friday eve…
Sonny walks out of the bedroom and heads toward the kitchen where he can hear Will talking. Brushing his hands down the front of his black suit coat over the dark purple dress shirt to make sure it's just right, he enters the kitchen and stops short with a gasp.
Will turning at the sound looks at Sonny and his eyes grow big at the pure beauty standing in front of him. "Son, wow honey, you look… amazing! Maybe we should stay here, where I don't have to share you with anyone."
"As if that would ever happen babe. I'm all yours and you… Will, that shirt, that jacket… it's what you were wearing on our first date."
"You remember that? What I was wearing I meant?"
"I remember every moment of that night babe. Right down to we didn't get to go anywhere because I had to wait for the shipment at the coffee house." Sonny said with a frown.
"All I remember of that night Son, was spending it with you. It didn't matter what we were doing as long as it was together." Will said putting his arms around Sonny's neck and bringing him close for a kiss.
The doorbell rings breaking the guys apart. "Your mom?" Sonny asks slowly easing away from Will's arms.
"Oh no, that was my dad on the phone. He had run into my mom on the way here and they were talking and I guess EJ had called or something because Mom had to take off and Dad said he would love to come watch her."
Letting Lucas in, Sonny had to smile at the look on his face. "Wow guys, you both look so sharp! What are the plans for tonight?"
"Well, you'll have to ask your son that one. He planned this whole night and said it was a surprise. Wanna tell him Will?" Sonny teased.
"Uh no, good try though." Will laughed. "If you want to tell him afterward, that's fine. Now Dad, Arianna is sleeping in her room. Bottles are in the frig. You know where everything else is. Thanks so much for this. We both have our cells on us so if you need anything at all call us ok?"
"Got it. You boys go and have fun. Don't worry at all. Mom said she will probably be over later too so stay out as long as you want too and yes guys... I will call if I need you." Lucas said smiling.
Will and Sonny quietly went to the nursery door and peeked in. Seeing Ari sleeping, they looked at each other and smiled. Will grabbed Sonny's hand and lacing their fingers together pulled him towards the door. Calling out goodbyes they left the townhouse.
"So where to first?" Sonny asked.
"Well I thought we could go eat dinner at the Pub. It's after that that the surprises begin." Will said raising and lowering his eyebrows as he smiled.
"Hmm ok then let's go. Some of your Grandma Caroline's Chowder sounds delicious!"
Sitting in a booth, the guys push their bowls away. "Your Grandma never fails to amaze me Will. She should bottle and sell that chowder it's so good!"
"Different people have tried to get her to do that. She just always says she makes it with love for her family here at the Pub."
Sonny reached across the table and laid his hand over Will's. "I'm so glad you had this idea babe. This is so much fun just being able to sit and talk. So… can you tell me what you had planned next?"
"Oh my God Son!" Will burst out laughing. "You're going to be worse than Ari I swear. Surprise means surprise honey. But… we can go." Paying the tab Will once again reaches for Sonny's hand. Once they step outside the door to the pub, Will leads Sonny over to the trees beside the grey fence that's there. Stopping he turns to face him and reaches to hold his other hand as well. Staring into those dark eyes, Will smiles and blushes.
Seeing the blush and seeing those bright blue eyes sparkling Sonny takes a step toward Will. "What are you thinking about right now Mr. Horton?"
"I'm thinking... that right here; in this very spot… you kissed me for the first time. And, I'm thinking, that I would really love… if you would kiss me again right here in our spot."
"Oh baby… you take my breath away. It would be my pleasure. Come here babe." Sonny whispered as he tugged Will closer so they were chest to chest. With one hand he grasped the back of Will's neck, winding his fingers through the hair there, while he wrapped his other arm around his back and brought him flush against his hard body. Feeling Will's arms wrap around his waist at the small of his back, Sonny felt himself shudder at the contact. Bringing his mouth to Will's, he softly brushed their lips together. Nibbling the top lip, then the bottom. Feeling Will open; Sonny swept his tongue inside and licked along the ridges of teeth, licked along the sensitive roof of his mouth before tangling their tongues together in a dance of love and need. Using the hand that now cupped the back of Will's head he tugs using the leverage to change the angle of the kiss, determined to leave his mark of possession before they're done. Feeling himself harden he tightens the arm around Will's waist straining them together at the same time he hears Will moan and feels the arms tighten around his back as well.
Will feels himself losing control and slowly relaxes his arms. Softening the kiss, rubbing Sonny's back he tries to bring them down slowly. Softly breaking the kiss, he presses their foreheads together, both panting. "Whew, damn honey. We have very much improved our technique in the last almost year!"
They both began to laugh and slowly relax again. "Ok Mr. Full of surprises… where to next?"
"Well, I know it's getting dark, but, I have a request." Will said as they reached their parked car.
"Ok. What's that?"
Will reached into the car window and grabbed something from the back seat. Pulling out a long black silk piece of fabric he holds it up. "Trust me?"
"Ooo babe, kinky!" Sonny teases with a quick wink. "Of course I trust you. Put it on man, I can't wait to see what's next!"
Will fixed the blindfold over Sonny's eyes and helped him into the car. Getting in himself he started the car and said "Ok, on to the next surprise."
Feeling the car finally stop and hearing Will get out of the car and open his door, Sonny reached out and held onto Will as he stepped out. It was a little scary not being able to see anything but he trusted Will totally. Walking slowly, holding onto Will's arm, he hears Will open a door and softly murmur "Thanks man, couldn't have done this without you." Sonny couldn't make out the reply but thought it sounded like Chad. Before he could ask he heard the door shut again and it was silent except for the deep breath he heard Will take.
Feeling his heart pounding in his chest, Will takes a deep breath and blows it out. "Ok honey, I'm going to take the blindfold off. Ready?"
Feeling the blindfold loosen and drop, Sonny takes a deep breath, unsure why he feels nervous all of a sudden besides the fact that Will seems so, and slowly opens his eyes.
Watching Sonny's eyes slowly open, then widen as he takes in the scene before him, Will smiles. Sonny slowly turns and looks at the large number of lit candles that seem to be on every available surface of the coffee shop. "Will, wow what is this babe? It's beautiful, but where is everyone what's going on?" he asked as he faced his lover. Seeing the blush and Will's eyes lower to the floor Sonny cups his cheek urging him to look at him. "Will?"
"I wanted this to be special. This, right here, was our first date. But this place means so much more to me… to us. It was here that our friendship became so much more. It was here, where I could come and talk to you and feel like a normal person for the first time ever. It was here that I came out to you. It was here that I confessed I had feelings for you that first time. We have shared sooo many memories right here in this room Sonny. Good times, bad times, they all seem to center around this place. Even us getting back together… when I finally felt whole again, happened right here. We brought our daughter here. Looking back at our life together, here is where I feel our connection the most. So here, is where I needed to celebrate whatever happens next with you."
Sonny truly felt overwhelmed with the depth of love he felt for this man standing in front of him. Feeling his eyes sting, he watches as Will walks over to the speakers against the bar and plugs his phone in. "Will, what?..."
"I made something for you. I was listening to old music one day and heard this song and I instantly thought every single word describes me and how I feel about you. So, I recorded myself playing my guitar and I sang this song… for you. Will you dance with me Sonny?"
Slowly nodding his head, he watches as Will starts the music playing from his phone over the speakers. Recognizing the music, he closes his eyes as a tear escapes and runs down his cheek. Pulling Will so tight against him, they slowly start to move as the music and the lyrics, oh God in Will's voice, to the song Now and Forever from Richard Marx began to play. Closing his eyes and burying his head in Will's neck, Sonny hears not only the song over the speakers, but Will actually crooning them softly in his ear.
Whenever I'm weary
From the battles that rage in my head
You make sense of the madness, when my sanity hangs by a thread
I lose my way but still you seem to understand
Now and forever I will be your man
Sometimes I just hold you, too caught up in me to see
I'm holding a fortune that heaven has given to me
I'll try to show you each and every way I can
Now and forever I will be your man
Now I can rest my worries and always be sure
That I won't be alone anymore
If I'd only known you were there all the time, all this time
Until the day the ocean doesn't touch the sand
Now and forever I will be your man
"Now and forever Sonny, I will be your man…"
Feeling Will move back a little as he says that last sentence, Sonny straightens up and watches first in confusion and then in combined surprise/joy/amazement as Will, reaching into his jacket pocket pulls out a small black box. As the music winds down to an end, Will opens the box and drops down onto one knee.
"Babe, oh my God… Will… what" Sonny breaks off as his voice chokes up.
Will holds the box up showing Sonny the silver and gold that intertwine around the band showcasing the three diamonds in the center. "Sonny… I love you more than anything in this world. You bring such love and joy to my heart. You bring such a feeling of peace, contentment and safety to my soul. I can't imagine, nor do I want to imagine a life without you in it, right beside me. These diamonds symbolize the past… which the only past I remember anymore is our past. Today… which is better than I could ever have imagined… and the future…" Will stopped and cleared his throat as he felt himself becoming so emotional at this life altering moment. Taking a deep breath he continues "The future… the only future I can even imagine having, is with you… right beside me as my husband. Jackson Kiriakis… will you marry me?"
Sonny stared in amazement at Will. He knew how Will felt about marriage. Never did he ever dream that Will would actually propose to him. Feeling a few more tears escape as he remembered Will's words and the love behind them, he nodded his head even as he said "Yes! Are you kidding me, a million times YES YES YES!"
Will stood up in front of Sonny with the largest smile on his face, eyes sparkling with all the love he felt for this man. Removing the ring from the box, he held up Sonny's left hand and kissing his ring finger slowly slipped the ring on. It was a perfect fit.
Sonny held his hand up to admire the view. "It's so beautiful babe." Bringing both hands up to frame Will's face he kissed him gently, lovingly. "I love you so much William Horton. I am so honored and so happy to become your husband." Letting out a giggle, he saw Will look at him with eyebrows raised in question. "Oh babe... this whole entire night has been so incredible, beyond my imagination! You've made me the happiest man on the planet right now."
"Then what's so funny?" Will teased with a smile.
"Just you wait till we get home and I can show you the surprise I have for you… you'll understand then" Sonny said with a wink. Pulling him close they just stood there slowly kissing and enjoying the moment.
To be continued…