Marty walked to Rangeman as he attempted to sort out his thoughts and determine the meaning behind Valerie's words. Helen was a bit overbearing when she talked about planning a wedding. Getting Valerie pregnant before marriage was not in the plans. The condom broke. Valerie couldn't take contraceptives. Marty wanted to get married before having children. He kept watching the street signs to ensure he walked in the correct direction. Marty's mind was a mess of emotions. He regretted leaving the house once he got a few blocks away.
The Rangeman building was easy to see from a few blocks away. Marty used his fob to enter the garage. He never kept it on his keychain. The camera swivelled to his location before returning to its view. Marty wondered if Ram was working.
"Is everything okay?" Ram asked, approaching Marty. He saw Marty's dejected expression in the cameras and got Cal to cover for a few minutes.
"I don't know," Marty replied, shrugging. Marty looked around the hallway. He didn't want people to overhear the conversation. Some of the men were worse than the Burg grapevine for spreading gossip. Marty unlocked his apartment door, holding it open for his friend.
"Tell me what happened," Ram demanded when the door closed behind Marty. He wanted to know whose ass he had to kick.
Ram listened as Marty explained everything in detail. He uh huh'd in all the right places and growled at Helen's interference. "I messed everything up by leaving," Marty said. "Helen would have made a bigger deal out of everything if I returned. I hope you don't hate me for getting your cousin pregnant."
"You and I have been friends for many years, Marty. I don't hate you. I'm livid with Aunt Helen. She should have kept her busybody mouth shut. Has Valerie shared the story about her wedding?"
Marty shook his head. "I only know about her getting married after discovering the pregnancy," Marty confessed. "Valerie never shared details about her wedding ceremony. To be honest, I never asked."
Ram sighed. "It was a mess," Ram replied. "Everything got covered in pink ruffles. Valerie pasted a smile on her face and ignored everything around her. The bridesmaid dresses were hideous, and Valerie resembled a white whale. I think that image entered Valerie's mind when Aunt Helen mentioned getting married."
"But Valerie said she didn't want to repeat mistakes!" Marty yelled. "I fucking got her pregnant because a goddamn condom broke, and she finished her period eight days earlier. What the fuck is the universe playing at?" Marty's chest heaved in anger. He took deep measured breaths to control his temper. Ram patiently waited until Marty was calm enough to listen.
"Those things happen, Marty. Let's examine Stephanie's situation for a few minutes. Do you think for one moment that she wanted to go through the raging hormonal shitstorm just to have the pregnancy not take?" Ram asked. "She never expected to get cuffed to a shower rod and have a lunatic carve her body like a pumpkin. It was not in the plans for Ranger to marry Stephanie. They're making the best of the shitty circumstances."
"Did Helen throw a lavish, over-the-top wedding for them?" Marty asked. He wondered if Stephanie managed to avoid that hellish interference.
"No. The hospital chaplain performed the rite at Stephanie's bedside. Stephanie refused to let Helen plan a reception once she got discharged from the hospital," Ram replied. "Marty, I know my cousins quite well. Valerie isn't opposed to getting married. She merely wants it on her terms without the three-ring circus Helen would plan."
"Oh," Marty replied. "I thought Valerie was rejecting me." Marty pulled the item from his pocket. "Frank gave me his blessings before dinner. I was planning to ask Valerie to marry me tonight." Marty felt like an idiot. He reacted without getting Valerie to clarify her statement about marriage. Helen didn't help by pressing the issue. It was one thing to plan a proposal and another to have it forced. Marty didn't tolerate getting cornered. He dealt with too many women trying to make him abandon his moral code. Valerie was different.
"Ah. The plot thickens. You thought Valerie would say no when you asked," Ram said.
Marty shrugged but didn't deny Ram's statement. "It's not the right time because Valerie will think I'm proposing because she got pregnant," Marty replied.
"Yes, it is the right time, Marty," Ram insisted. "And this is how we're going to do it."
Marty grinned as Ram explained how they would go about the proposal. It was how Mary Alice thought he should ask Valerie to marry him. He told Ram, who smiled. They arranged to meet with the owner of the local flower shop for the morning delivery.
~~~~~
Valerie stopped crying long enough to drive home with the girls. It felt like her relationship was ending, which surprisingly was more devastating than the demise of her first marriage.
She could hear the girls whispering in the backseat but was unable to hear the words exchanged. "Mom, do you love Marty?" Mary Alice bravely asked. Angie tried to shush her, but Mary Alice smacked her hand.
"Yes," she whispered. Valerie and Marty wrote emails during his year-long training mission. She fell in love with him with each word he shared. Marty always told Valerie how he felt about her. He loved the girls despite them belonging to another man. Marty couldn't wait to become their father and have a child of their own.
Angie and Mary Alice exchanged a smile. Valerie's reply encouraged Angie to talk. "Mom, would you marry him if he asked?" Angie asked, crossing her fingers that her mom would say yes. Angie and Mary Alice loved Marty. He was a good man and treated them well. The girls especially loved how he interacted with their mother.
"Of course. I love him, but I don't want to get married because I'm pregnant," Valerie replied. Valerie wanted to be married before getting pregnant. She shouldn't have gotten pregnant when the condom broke. There was less than one percent chance of that happening. Yet, Valerie got pregnant. Her phone chimed a few times from incoming messages.
"Then don't get married right away," Mary Alice suggested. "Grandma can't force you and Marty to walk down the aisle." Angie nodded in agreement. "We don't care what the kids or women living in the Burg say."
"Mom, we can see how much Marty loves you. He isn't Steve," Angie said, refusing to call him her dad. Neither girl told their mom about Marty wanting to propose that night. Mary Alice secretly hoped he would propose the way she recommended. It was more romantic than an after-dinner proposal.
"I know," Valerie sighed. Marty was nothing like Steve. Her ex-husband refused to interact with his daughters, whereas Marty liked to include them in conversations. He watched movies with the girls, sharing favourites from his childhood.
Valerie wiped the tears off her cheek. She parked in the driveway, then exited the vehicle. Angie and Mary Alice rushed to the door. Valerie went inside the house with the girls following close behind. Mary Alice set the alarm for the night.
The girls got ready for bed while Valerie read her messages. "I'm not running," Marty texted. "I love you. Please let me know when you get home. I'll worry until I hear from you."
"I'm home. I love you too," Valerie wrote. "See you tomorrow."
"Bright and early," Marty replied. Valerie smiled and went to bed. All was not lost.
The following morning, Marty and Ram went to the flower shop when the owner announced the truck arrived. They patiently waited for Kevin to take inventory of the fresh delivery before selecting the flowers Marty wanted for the bouquet. Marty chose various colours of daisies to arrange in a pretty vase. He grabbed a single red rose to place it in the centre. Marty's hands shook as he added the engagement ring to the rose, attaching it with a white ribbon. On the card, he wrote, "Will you marry me?"
"Who's the lucky woman?" Kevin asked, reading over Marty's shoulder.
"Valerie Plum," Marty replied. Kevin grinned. He quickly glanced at Ram, who shrugged. Marty raised an eyebrow when he caught Kevin and Ram exchanging a significant look. "How do you know Valerie?" Marty asked Kevin. A pang of jealousy went through Marty's heart, thinking the attractive man had dated Valerie in the past.
"Cousin-in-law," Kevin replied. "I married Valerie's cousin Marion on the Mazur side. Valerie's grandpa Harry and Marion's grandma were siblings." Kevin carefully wrapped the bouquet in paper. Marty paid for the flowers, receiving a family discount.
"Thanks for letting me do this today," Marty said. Kevin waved off his thanks. It was the least he could do for his cousin.
Marty and Ram returned to Rangeman. The bouquet of flowers got placed on the front desk. Junior raised an eyebrow. "They're for Valerie," Ram whispered.
"What did you do?" Junior asked, quirking an eyebrow. Junior often purchased flowers to apologize whenever he pissed off his girlfriend, which seemed to be daily. He planned to end the relationship that weekend. Junior didn't have time for her shit.
"I let Helen Plum get inside my head," Marty replied. "It's a proposal bouquet. Mary Alice said Valerie would appreciate this more than me kneeling beside her chair during dinner."
"You realize it's going to get recorded," Junior said, pointing to the camera. Marty shrugged because he didn't care. Junior grinned before pulling up the view in the employee garage.
Valerie hoped to see Marty waiting outside the front door. She was upset he never arrived to see her, though it didn't make sense to leave Rangeman only to return for his 0700 shift. Everyone got into the vehicle. It was too early on a Saturday morning for the girls to be awake. Valerie agreed to work that morning at the reception desk for Binkie, who got called away on a mission. Nobody else was available to take the shift.
She parked the SUV, then went to the elevator. "Ella's waiting for you on the fifth floor," Valerie said. The girls sleepily nodded and got inside the elevator car with Valerie. "Behave," Valerie warned when she exited on the first floor.
Valerie saw a vase containing flowers on the desk. She smiled at Junior and waited for him to vacate the seat. "You don't need to stay," Valerie mumbled. Junior patiently waited for Valerie to read the letter Marty taped to the paper. She wiped her eyes a few times before unwrapping the daisies. "They're beautiful." The last line in the letter stated, "Read the card."
In the letter, Marty explained he had planned to propose the previous night during dinner. He purchased the ring several weeks earlier. Everything got thrown off when Helen all but demanded they get married before the baby was born. Valerie had only learned about the pregnancy that morning. Her period was only a few days late. Ella gave her the pregnancy test when Valerie kept twisting her fingers in the hem of her shirt.
Marty exited the first-floor conference room and slowly approached the desk. Valerie searched for the card mentioned. Her eyes landed on the single red rose among the daisies. Valerie's hand shook as she removed the card from the envelope, catching a glimpse of the diamond attached to the rose. She nodded as she whispered, "Yes."
The sound of a throat clearing made her turn around. "Did you say yes?" Marty asked.
"Yes. Yes. Yes," Valerie replied. She jumped from the chair, making it slam into the desk. Junior caught the flowers before they toppled over. Marty kissed his fiancée, then reached behind her to grab the rose. Valerie covered her mouth as Marty untied the ribbon holding the ring. He pushed the platinum band over her finger.
"I can't believe you planned to ask me before knowing I got pregnant," Valerie whispered. Her words tickled Marty's lips.
"Asking you to marry me had nothing to do with our baby or condoms breaking. I love you, Valerie. I want to spend the rest of my life as your husband. We don't have to get married today or by some imagined timeline to make our child legitimate," Marty said, announcing to everyone watching the footage that Valerie was pregnant. "Whenever you're ready to exchange vows, I'll be there."
Valerie giggled, "I certainly hope so." Marty placed Valerie's hand over his heart. She felt his heart racing. Valerie noticed the crowd gathering around them. "Oops."
"I have to get to work," Marty said. "Remember to tell Bobby and Ranger about your pregnancy."
Blushing, Valerie said, "I don't think we need to," as she pointed behind Marty.
Bobby stepped forward to hug Valerie. "Congratulations. I'll change your exercise routine to yoga and other stretches," Bobby promised. He shook Marty's hand and clapped him on the shoulder.
Ranger and Stephanie stepped forward to congratulate Valerie on her engagement and pregnancy. "Whenever you're ready, I'll fly you guys out to Vegas," Ranger whispered.
Stephanie watched Valerie's reaction, then grinned. "We'll fly to Disney for the ceremony. I know you want to wait," Stephanie whispered. Valerie loved Stephanie's suggestion.
"I'll discuss it with Marty," Valerie replied. Angie and Mary Alice waited for the others to congratulate their mom and Marty before stepping into Valerie's embrace.
Valerie could visualize getting married to Marty in Disney's Wedding Pavilion. She would need to contact the resort to see what dates were available. Valerie was determined to wait until after the baby was born before getting married.
~~~~~
Frank smiled when Hector sent him the video of Marty's proposal. He laughed when Marty used Mary Alice's suggestion. His phone rang after the video ended. Smiling, Frank answered the phone to his daughter. "Hello, Peanut," he said. Valerie loved hearing her father's term of endearment. It always made her feel special.
"Hey, Daddy. You probably already know the news, right?" Valerie asked.
"Yes. Hector sent the video. Marty understood why you didn't want to get married immediately. Did you two talk?" Frank asked.
Valerie smiled and winked at Ram. "Davin had something to do with the talk. He knew how I felt about my first wedding ceremony and told Marty about it. Marty gave me a letter to explain why he left. Mom needs to back off," Valerie explained.
"That's what I told her," Frank laughed. "Your mother is trying not to interfere. It's going to take longer to undo all that conditioning caused by the Burg."
"I know, Daddy," Valerie sighed. "But if she contacts banquet halls or the church, I'm eloping."
"Would you like to hear my opinion?" Frank asked. Valerie could sense the humour from her dad. He never offered advice. Dad preferred to sit back and observe.
"I'm all ears, Daddy," Valerie replied, curious about which tidbit of his infinite wisdom he would willingly share.
Frank chuckled before saying, "Elope."
"Okay, Daddy. I'll let you know what Marty and I decide. Thanks for the chat, Daddy."
"Back atcha, Peanut. I love you," Frank said before hanging up. Valerie stared at the phone. It was the first time she remembered her father saying those words to her.
Wiping a tear from her eye, Valerie texted her dad. "I love you too."