Chapter 41
"Bash!" With two steps, Kenna flew into his arms and wrapped hers around his neck.
He cradled her in his arms. "I thought I had lost you. I thought I would never see you again." he murmured with a hoarse voice, and bent down to kiss her.
Eager, Kenna kissed him back. It felt so good to be in his arms again, to feel the heat of his body, his lips on hers. She had thought, she would never experience it again.
"I love you!" she mumbled on his lips.
"I love you even more." He pressed her tightly to his chest. "It's only when you lose someone you realize, how much this person really means to you." he said quietly.
"I understand what you mean. I feel the same." She leaned her head on his shoulder. "During my imprisonment, I was only thinking about you and Daniel." She took a step back and looked him in the eyes. "Now I know, how stupid I had been to put myself into danger. And all that, because I've been jealous of Mary." She bowed her head in embarrassment as she noticed Bash's incredulous look.
"You've been jealous of Mary? Why?"
"Because you spent much more time with her, than with me." Kenna felt herself blush. It was not easy to talk about her feelings with Bash. She was not even sure whether he understood it.
Bash groaned quietly. "Not this again! How many times must I tell you, that it's over between me and Mary? I love you and only you! And Mary knows it. I told her again, when we were in Scotland. Why do you think I came back to you?" He reached out to grasp her hands and looked deeply into her eyes. "Tell me... what can I do, to make you believe me, that there won't be any other woman?"
Kenna shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe it's silly to be so jealous. But I can't help it."
"But I can do something about it."
To her biggest surprise, he knelt down before her. "I have been planning this for weeks. But it had never been the right moment. And now, I can't imagine a more perfect moment and place."
Kenna stared down at him, confused. She was in her nightgown, barefoot, her long hair hanging in tangles around her head. What was perfect at that precise moment?
Bash reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the ring, which he had especially made for Kenna. "Will you do me the honor of being my wife?"
Kenna didn't know, why tears were flowing down her cheeks. She should be happy. This was, what she had always wanted. What she had secretly dreamed of. But she could only stay there, staring at the ring.
Bash cleared his throat. "At this point, the bride-to-be usually replies, "I will!" he reminded her smiling.
His words brought her back from her torpor, and she fell on her knees before him and threw her arms around his neck. "Of course, I will! Yes, yes, and once more, yes!"
"Thank God! I was afraid you would decline my proposal." Bash sighed with relief.
"Stop worrying and kiss me!"
And he pulled her up and they kissed each other, long and passionately. And when they broke away from each other, both were out of breath.
Bash took her hand and slipped the ring on the ring finger of her left hand. "It's perfect!" he noted and moved closer to her.
With still damp eyes, she looked at her hand, where the new ring sparkled. "It's beautiful!"
"As beautiful as you." Bash gently kissed her forehead. "I have another surprise." He reached into his pocket again and brought out another present.
"My old wedding ring!" Kenna recognized it immediately. Astonished, she looked at him. "Where did you get it?"
"He was carrying it with him, when I found him." Bash replied quietly. "His jacket pockets were full of jewels... your jewels." He held the ring into the light. "I would like to hand it back to you. I know how much it means to you."
Kenna's eyes filled with tears again, as she accepted the ring with trembling hands, and then slipped it on the ring finger of her right hand. She kissed him softly. "Thank you for bringing it back to me!"
He grabbed her hand. "And now, let's go and tell the others the happy news!"
"Bash, wait!" Kenna held him back, laughing. "Maybe I should wear something more suitable, before we go and tell them."
"Yes of course. How thoughtless of me." He looked at her, concerned. "Maybe you should stay in bed after all. You still look thin and pale."
"I'm feeling well enough." Kenna smiled. Now was the perfect time, to tell him about the baby, she thought. She took a deep breath. "Bash, there's something I need to tell you..." she started, but was interrupted, when someone knocked at the door.
Bash groaned quietly. "This is Lola. I told her, that I wanted to propose to you. She is certainly quite impatient, to congratulate us."
Kenna smiled. "Then we shouldn't let her wait. Let her in!"
"Have you finished? Can I give you my whole-hearted congratulations?" was the first thing Lola asked, as she had entered the room.
Proudly, Kenna held her ring into the light, that the opal began to twinkle in all its glory.
"Congratulations!" Exuberant, Lola hugged her. "Have you already chosen a wedding date?"
"I have just asked her." Bash laughed.
"Fair enough." Lola smiled. "I won't bother you any longer. I just wanted to congratulate you first."
When Lola had left the room, Bash turned to Kenna.
"What was it you wanted to tell me?"