Well, here it is - Lucas' proposal to Grace! I really hope you will like it and I'd love to hear your opinion!
—--
"Is everything ready?", Lillian whispered in front of Grace's room. Bertha and a few older kids nodded enthusiastically, making Lillian smile "Once we leave, Bertha, make sure to call Lucas and tell him that we are in our way."
Bertha smiled widely.
"I will, don't worry", she whispered.
Lillian's smile widened.
"Okay. I'm going in", and with a soft click of the doorknob, Lilian entered Grace's room.
She looked around the room and smiled.
It was perfect.
Her gaze went to the bed to see that her little sister was still fast asleep.
Lillian climbed up on the bed and gently shook Grace's shoulder.
"Gracie? Wake up", Lillian called out gently.
Grace creased her eyebrows, not opening her eyes, just curling up on her side and hiding into her blanket.
"Go away", she mumbled into the blanket.
Lillian smiled as she tried once again.
"Come on, Gracie. It's time for you to get up. Trust me", said Lillian as she looked around the room once again.
Grace softly whined in response, grabbing a pillow and throwing it on her sister in order to shoo her away.
"Nooo", she started to protest, but then felt something falling on her face and neck. She rubbed her eyes, mumbling "What the…", and opened her eyes just for a bit.
Her eyesight was still blurred from her sleep so she blinked a few times to clear them as she looked in front of herself, completely stunned.
Her bed was sprinkled with red rose petals. As she woke up a bit more, Grace slowly sat up in her bed and noticed a bouquet of a dozen red roses on her table.
Turning around to ask Lillian what was this all about, her eyes took in her room.
And she silently gasped.
There were red rose petals on the floor. As she got up she could feel their softness under her bare feet. She took a few steps and turned to look at Lillian who was still sitting on her bed with a smile on her face.
"Lillian, what is this?", Grace silently asked.
Lillian got up from the bed and walked toward her, taking both of her hands in her palms.
"Why don't you get ready while I make you some breakfast?", she smiled and letting go of her sister's hands, Lillian walked toward the doors. But, before she opened them, she turned around and smiled at Grace "You have a note in those roses", and with those words she was gone.
Grace slowly turned around and looked at the vase filled with a dozen roses. She reached out and took a little envelope with her name on it. As she opened it, she saw that there were a few rose petals inside as well.
Her heart skipped a beat as she pulled out a note.
"Good morning, my angel. I would like to take you out on a little journey today. Just follow the roses.
And remember - I love you.
Lucas."
A silent gasp escaped Grace's mouth.
She quickly turned around to go toward the doors, to call Lillian back.
But, when she opened the doors, another gasp escaped her at the sight of the floor in the hallway sprinkled with roses too.
What was going on?
She rushed to the bathroom where the tiles were also decorated with rose petals. Grace quickly did her morning toilette and went back to her room to put on her clothes and brush her hair.
When that was done, she left the room and a shuddering breath escaped her when she saw red rose petals on the stairs too.
She went downstairs, and yes - every floor was sprinkled with red rose petals, their sweet scent filling her heart.
Lillian waited for her at the bottom of the stairs with a warm smile and outstretched hand.
"Come on. I made you breakfast. Eat and then we're leaving", Lillian said with a smile.
Grace looked at her.
"Lillian, what's going on?", she whispered.
Lillian gave her a small, gentle smile.
"You'll see", she started to walk away, but Grace's silent voice calling her name made her stop.
Lillian turned around and went back to her sister.
"Lucas has a surprise for you. That's all I know", her eyes twinkled and she cleared her throat, smiling "Come on."
—--
After the breakfast, Lillian and Grace left the orphanage with Lillian turning back and mouthing to Bertha "Call him."
Bertha nodded and as she closed the doors she rushed toward the phone.
She waited as it rang and once the line was connected, Bertha said with a smile"
"Governor, they are on their way."
Lucas smiled, his heart speeding up.
"Wonderful. Thank you, Bertha", he said and as he put the phone receiver down, he took a deep breath in.
This was it.
—--
Grace creased her eyebrows as Lillian turned to go toward the parking lot.
"Where are we going?"
Lillian took out the keys from her pocket and acting like she didn't even hear her, she stopped in front of one car and looked back at Grace with a smile.
"Get in", she said and unlocked the car.
Grace's eyes widened, her mouth slightly gaped open as she watched her sister get into a driver's seat.
"This is Lucas' car", Grace mumbled to herself.
Lillian rolled her eyes and pressed the honk, startling Grace.
"Today, Grace?", she called out and Grace moved her legs that felt like they were made of wood.
As she entered the car, Grace looked at her sister.
"Why are we in Lucas' car?", she asked
Lillian grinned.
"Just fasten your seatbelt, Gracie", she said as she started the car and began to drive.
Grace fastened her seatbelt and watched the road, trying to figure out where were they going.
She grew even more confused as Lillian suddenly pulled over. It was just a street away from the telegraph office.
Lillian looked at her and said:
"Go on", she said, showing with her hand to a cabin a few steps from the car.
Grace looked at the cabin and was about to ask what the hell was going on when her eyes caught a sight of something attached to the cabin doors.
Was that…a rose?
"There's a message for you there", Lillian said softly and smiled as she saw Grace leaving the car and headed toward the cabin.
As she reached it, Grace took a few steps up to reach the doors and take what was indeed a rose and a small envelope.
Her shivering fingers pulled out a note.
"My dear Grace,
Your today's journey will start from the place where I first saw your lovely face. The place where you saved my life for the first time. The place that was a turning point for me because it brought you into my life. You showed up like lightning in the rainy night and saved my life - and pulled me out from the darkness.
Love,
Lucas"
Grace let out a breath, her eyes filling with tears as she looked up and took in the place where she was standing.
Oh, my God.
It was really a place where she saved him from certain death. She shivered as she remembered the moment she saw him for the first time, being threatened with a gun.
She rushed back to the car, but before she could say anything, Lillian started to drive.
"Where are we going?", Grace silently asked.
Lillian was silent for a few minutes then suddenly stopped and pointed to the building outside.
Grace turned to look at what was she pointing at.
The hospital.
Grace felt her throat tightening with emotion.
It was the hospital where Lucas brought her that night after the attack.
Her eyes misted with tears and then she heard Lillian's voice.
"Go to the info pult. There's a message for you there", as she said that Grace swallowed hard and slowly left the car.
She entered the hospital and walked toward the info pult, remembering how he gently moved her to walk beside the wall while he walked closer to the passage, shielding her with his body from anybody who passed in order to prevent anybody making a sudden contact with her injured arm.
A few moments later she was given a small envelope and a single red rose.
By now, a few tears escaped her eyes and she quickly opened the envelope and took the note out.
"If I could have taken pain from you that night, I'd gladly have both my hands hurt then to see you in pain. I love you, Grace. I never told you this, but I will do it now. It was downright amazing how you showed up in the darkest hour of my life. When I was alone on a dark road to the unknown. Danger wasn't unknown to me, but broken heart was. And you reached out to me, a complete stranger that night, saving my life by risking yours. And bringing me on the road of happiness and love, my heroine.
Je t'aime, ma chérie.
Lucas"
Grace's breath got stuck in her throat only to come out as a small sob as tears flew down her cheeks.
She rushed out from the hospital, wiping her cheeks. As she entered back into the car, she looked up at Lillian.
"Do you know what is he up to?", Grace mumbled through tears, her heart sending a smile to her lips.
Lillian swallowed hard and bit her tongue as she shrugged and then shook her head.
Grace let out a short breath as she looked in front of her.
"Where are we going now?", she asked.
But, once again, no answer from Lillian except for a mysterious smile.
When she pulled over, Lillian looked at Grace.
"There should be a message for you here, as well as some order", as Grace looked at her, her eyes misting over with tears again, Lillian smiled gently "Go on, shoo!", she made a shooing movement with her fingers and her smile widened as she saw Grace leaving the car.
Grace looked up and smiled through her tears.
A restaurant where he took her for their first official date.
She wiped her tears and went inside.
And just like Lillian told her there was a message for her in there consisting of a small envelope, a single red rose and two cups of some warm drink.
Grace thanked the waiter for his help and putting the drinks on the bar, she quickly opened the envelope to read the note.
"I've traveled all around the world and dined at the finest restaurants. But no meal was sweeter than the one I shared with you here, my fellow tumbleweed.
I love you.
Lucas.
P. S. I know that the drink in those cups is not as good as mine, but I promise that I will make you the real thing whenever you wish for it. This is just for you and Lillian to warm up."
Grace quickly put the note in her pocket and took one cup in her hands. Opening the lid, she felt her heart melting.
Hot chocolate.
She rushed out from the restaurant and looked around, scanning the area around the restaurant for any sign of him.
Lillian watched as Grace came inside the car and accepted the cup.
Grace let out a breath, still looking out at the restaurant area.
"Where is he, Lillian? I keep on expecting for him to show up at some of these places", she mumbled silently and took a sip of her hot chocolate.
Lillian took two long sips before bringing a car into gear once again and driving away from the parking lot.
"Well, lets go find him, shall we?", she winked at her sister.
Grace bit her lip watching as the road led them to their next destination.
The theater where they watched "Nutcracker".
Grace quickly left the car and walked toward the theater cash desk. As she stepped back down the stairs, her eyes, having a will of its own, looked in the direction of that street…
The street through which they walked from restaurant to theater that night.
The street that held that small passage between two buildings…
It wasn't visible from where she was standing, but Grace still remembered it vividly.
How he stopped walking and turned left taking them both in that small passage…
How she thought that there was some danger lurking around and that it was why he took them there, to hide…
And how all air was knocked out of her lungs as he kissed her passionately…
And how her back hit the wall of the building behind her as Lucas kissed away every reasonable thought from her mind.
How his body pressed into hers…
How his glorious lips and tongue worshiped her neck…
How did I live without you?
Grace let out a strangled breath, her fingers shaking at the sensual memories of their passion and love as she opened the envelope and pulled the note out.
"That night was everything I dreamed about and more. To have you by my side the entire evening, to watch you enjoy the show…and to kiss you until we were both out of our breaths…
You had your cup of hot chocolate, my special.
Can you guess what's next?
I love you, my angel.
Lucas"
Grace smiled through her tears as she walked back to the car.
Lillian smiled at her as she finished her hot chocolate.
And as Grace turned to look up at her, Lillian smiled widely.
"Are you ready?"
Grace creased her eyebrows slightly in confusion as Lillian started the car once again.
"Ready for what?", she asked.
But, once again, there was no reply from Lillian.
And if they went driving through Capitol City more, Grace would probably try to squeeze the truth out from Lillian.
But, as her sister turned on the left and stopped the car in front of the Governor's mansion, the only thing Grace was able to do was to quickly open the doors of the car and run up the stairs.
She knocked at the doors impatiently and just as Lillian came up the stairs, Simon opened the doors.
He softly smiled as he saw who was at the door.
"Hello, Miss Grace. Miss Lillian", he nodded as he opened the doors to let them in.
They greeted him back and Grace stepped inside, completely missing the conspiratory look that Lillian and Simon shared.
Lillian came closer to Grace and whispered.
"I have to go to use the bathroom, but you go ahead. I'll wait for you here", and before Grace could even turn around, Lillian gently pushed her toward the grand staircase and disappeared in the dark corridor.
Grace was about to call Lillian back when she saw Gustave coming her way, his hands behind his back.
She let out a breath of relief.
"Gustave, where is Lucas?", she asked breathlessly as she came toward him.
Gustave shrugged his shoulders.
"He is somewhere in the mansion, I think I saw him upstairs", he pointed to the grand staircase.
Grace nodded and started to walk toward the grand staircase, but Gustave stopped her.
She turned around only to see Lucas' cousin giving her a paper bag, a single red rose and a small envelope
Her breath got caught in her throat as she accepted the items. Opening the paper bag, she let out a small sob when she saw what was inside.
Half burned blueberry cookie.
Her special.
"The idiot wanted me to burn the whole batch of cookies. Why did he want it half burned, je ne sais pas. My cousin's brain can be such a mystery for me sometimes", grumbled Gustave in his thick French accent.
Grace wiped her tears and smiled at Gustave.
"Merci, Gustave", and with those words she rushed upstairs.
Gustave watched her leave, a soft smile on his face.
"I guess she knows why", he mumbled to himself and walked back to his kitchen.
Grace reached the top of the grand staircase and gasped as she looked down the long corridor.
The floor was sprinkled with red rose petals in the shape of arrows.
Her shivering fingers opened a small envelope and pulled out a note.
"Welcome home, my love.
Please, follow the arrows.
And know that I love you more than anything.
Lucas"
Grace smiled through her tears as she rushed to follow the direction of the first arrow that led her to the ballroom.
She stepped inside looking around for any sign of him.
But, he wasn't there.
She slowly walked through the ballroom, looking around until she noticed a note on the table covered with a single red rose.
She quickly reached the table and picked up the note and a rose.
"You looked perfect that night. You looked like a vision as you entered the ballroom. I couldn't believe how good it felt to have you so close to me while we danced…and that was nothing compared to what we have now.
This is the place where you saved my life once again. I wish I could spare you the tears you shed worrying for me. I knew it that night more than ever that you were my guardian angel.
So, please, follow the next arrow.
I love you, my angel.
Lucas"
Grace quickly went back to the corridor, her heart feeling like it would burst from her chest.
Where was he?
She followed the next arrow that led her downstairs and opened the doors to another room.
And let out a smile mixed with a sob when she recognized it.
It was the room he pulled her into to steal a few kisses after she gave a box of cookies to Gustave and started to walk toward the room where Lillian, Susan and Harry waited for them to talk about adoption.
Oh, my, how he kissed her then…
She looked around but there was no note and no red rose.
Grace quickly turned around thinking he would show up from somewhere.
But, he was nowhere in sight.
As she searched for any sign, Grace remembered his words.
Please, follow the arrows.
She looked down at the floor and saw it.
Another arrow leading toward the doors that led into the garden.
She quickly reached the doors and pushed them open.
And gasped in surprise.
A snowy blanket was sprinkled with red rose petals and at the center of it was a small table with a note and a single red rose on it.
Grace ran toward it and quickly opened the envelope.
The note held only one sentence.
"Turn around, my love."
Grace silently gasped and turned around.
But he was nowhere in sight.
Her eyes frantically moved across the windows of the mansion.
And her breath stopped as she finally saw him.
Once their eyes met, Lucas opened the doors that led to the yard and just stood there and watched her, not coming out from the room.
And then he gave her a gentle smile and slowly picked up his hand in front of him…holding a single red rose.
Grace let out a sob as she dropped the roses that she collected and ran as fast as she could straight into Lucas' arms!
His arms wrapped themselves around her waist and he picked her up, giving her a twirl, making her both laugh and cry at the same time.
A few moments later, he put her down on the floor and she looked around.
And gasped.
They were in their little rose garden. In the room where he kissed her for the first time.
The room was full of red roses, petals sprinkled all over the floor and candles burning on the table and on the walls.
Her eyes misted with fresh tears as she looked at him.
"Lucas…", she whispered as she looked into his eyes "What is going on?"
She thought he will come closer to her and kiss her.
But, nothing could prepare her for the sight that followed.
Lucas went down on one knee in front of her and Grace started to cry and laugh at the same time.
His palms opened and she saw a small red box on one of them. And as his fingers slowly opened the box, more tears escaped Grace's eyes.
Lucas took one of her palm in his and looked up at her, a nervous, but excited smile curling up his lips.
"My dear Grace, you changed my life for better. You brought me back to life. You showed me what does it mean to be truly loved", Lucas started to talk, his fingers gently squeezing her palm "From the moment we met, you were always there for me. You healed my heart, you pulled me out from darkness from which I thought I would never be able to escape. You didn't save my life twice, you saved it three times. Twice after the attacks and one glorious time when you let me in your heart, when you let me love you, my beautiful angel. You are the first thought I have in the morning and the last one I have before I go to sleep", he took a breath in and continued "I want you to be the first person I see in the morning and the last one I lay my eyes upon before I go to sleep", his nervous and excited smile widened a bit and he asked her "Grace, will you marry me?"
Grace bursted to both cry and laughter as she nodded, her shivering hand on her lips.
"YES! Yes, I will marry you, Lucas!", she exclaimed through smile and tears.
As those words left her mouth, Lucas breathed out in relief and pure happiness before he took a ring out from the box and slowly put it on Grace's ring finger.
As the diamond sparkled from her hand, Lucas placed a soft kiss on her ring finger and quickly got up.
He wiped her tears with his fingers, his lips gently kissing away the salty drops that just kept on rolling down her cheeks.
She touched his bearded cheek, bringing his gaze back to her eyes.
And the time stopped.
And as the most beautiful smile graced Lucas' lips, he leaned down and kissed her hard, passionately, making her toes curl, making her entire being tremble and eliciting a moan from her so powerful that he felt it send electricity down his spine.
He pulled her flush against him, his arms hugging her like he would never let her go. His tongue caressed her mouth so passionately that Grace gasped, feeling her knees buckle. She grabbed tightly on his shoulders, pulling him closer, kissing him like he was holding her last breath in this life.
Pulling back just for a second, Lucas eyelids went half open, his dark eyes caressing her heart.
"I love you, Grace", he whispered, every word brushing over her lips "I love you so much!"
Grace smiled warmly as his lips kissed her again…and again…and again.
"I love you too, my Lucas", she whispered between their kisses "I love you more than anything!"
—--
The book of love is long and boring
No one can lift the damn thing,
It's full of charts and facts, and figures
And instructions for dancing.
But I
I love it when you read to me.
And you
You can read me anything.
The book of love has music in it
In fact that's where music comes from
Some of it's just transcendental
Some of it's just really dumb.
But I
I love it when you sing to me
And you
You can sing me anything.
The book of love is long and boring
And written very long ago,
It's full of flowers and heart-shaped boxes
And things we're all too young to know.
But I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings.
And I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings,
You ought to give me wedding rings.
("The book of love" - Peter Gabriel)