A week in Orlando,Florida.
That was my surprise for Jacolby. Going to every theme park and waterpark in the tourist city. On both days that we spent at Universal Studios and Island of Adventures, I made sure that she had the proper attire to walk around Harry Potter World. She loved everything about Harry Potter. Read every book more than twice. Had her own personal collection of cloaks and wands.
I made sure I didn’t come half stepping either. She was a proud fan and member of Gryffindor's house, so I had three custom outfits ready for her to wear when we went.
She screamed so damn loud and thanked me in ways I didn’t know whether to propose or interrogate her on who taught her how to be more of a seductress.
Today was our last night in Orlando and it started great like all the others. Breakfast at Keke’s. Taking pictures of her fully dressed in Harry Potter gear from head to toe. Riding rides, well we didn’t get to ride many rides since she started vomiting everywhere. At first, I thought nothing of it. She’s been eating so much junk food this past week that I’m surprised she hadn’t gotten sick sooner. We left after walking around and doing a lot of the activities that weren’t rollercoasters, but she still wasn’t feeling good.
On the drive back to our hotel I became worried watching her sit in the passenger seat biting her lip, fidgeting with her fingers, and on the verge of crying. Her body was stiff. She looked scared. When I gripped her thigh asking what was wrong the last thing I expected was for her to flinch at my touch. Now that had me worried as hell. Jacolby has never ever flinched when I touched her. Even when she ran into me months ago after getting off the elevator. She always melted into me, not becoming scared.
She spoke five words since we left the theme park – “Can we stop at Walgreens?”
That’s it.
Thinking she needed to get some medication I was about to get out and get it until she damn near yelled for me to stay in the car. If it was her time of the month, she had nothing to be ashamed about. When we were in college, I learned more about a woman’s changes during her cycle than I have in my whole life. I knew she had a heavy flow and that she sometimes bled through her clothes making her so self-conscious that she slept laying on towels. She came out of the store with several bags and said nothing.
As soon as we made it to our room, she barricaded herself in the bathroom and hadn’t come out yet. I’ve ordered food, responded to emails from work, and was seconds away from busting in there when she finally came out looking refreshed from her shower and light. Like whatever had stressed her out within the last five hours had vanished.
“So, I know you have questions but…”
I cut her off. “We’re not talking with you standing up. Come here.”
Walking on the balls of her barefoot she made it over to my lap and sat down, curling herself into my chest just how I liked. All the pressure I felt, all the tension building in my neck from not knowing what was wrong with her. I started to feel light the minute she hugged me and tilted her neck giving me the perfect access to where I liked resting my head. In the crook of her neck. Nose breathing in her scent and lips kissing along her thumping veins.
“When I started to get sick, I thought nothing of it until the nausea wouldn’t leave.” Hmm. “I-I got an alert on my phone from this period app I use to track my cycles and it alerted me that my period was coming, and I thought that was the reason I was getting sick until I checked my app and realized I never got my period last month.” Aha. I get it now. She and I have been making up recklessly and to be honest, I wasn’t at all concerned about protection. Part of me was hoping that one of my soldiers did make it but I wasn’t pressed if it didn’t.
“Did my shooters hit your target?” I mumbled against her neck.
Hitting my arm, she giggled. “Paxton, that is not funny.”
“It is.” I sat up hearing her stomach growl. Reaching my free hand out I grabbed a slice of pizza and fed her. “Open.” Right as she opened her mouth and leaned in to take a bite I snuck in and kissed her before feeding her.
“Hmm. You and the pizza taste good.” She snatched the slice out of my hand stuffing her face.
I wasn’t going to let her favorite meat lovers pizza distract her from telling me what I was anxious to know. “Am I going to be a daddy?”
Swallowing, she looked at me with sad eyes biting her lip. “Not this time but I need to get on the pill. We can’t keep playing like this.”
“Why not?”
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I want to be your wife before I’m the mother of your children.”
I completely understood.
Though we haven’t had many talks about kids since we got back together, I knew that she wanted them. In college, she had a notebook dedicated to our future. Names of kids, places we’d travel, where she wanted to get married and have our honeymoon. What our house would look like. A big fury contraption of our future. She literally wrote the vision and made it plain.
“I agree.” Reaching down into my bookbag that was down my feet I pulled out two velvet boxes and placed them on her lap. She went from dancing in my lap enjoying the greasy pizza to yelping putting a hand over her mouth, wide eyes, and almost dropping her slice. “We can go to the courthouse tomorrow. I don’t want to rush you but I’m all in.”
“Is…Is…” Puffy chipmunk cheeks couldn’t talk and probably could barely see with eyes drowning in tears.
Chuckling, I rearranged her on my lap so I could hold both boxes. “It is whatever you’re thinking. Both represent the future I want to have with you. I had a more elaborate plan planned but this is perfect.” I’d still go through with my plans tomorrow. It would be more of our engagement shoot which would work out perfectly. “I’m all in, Jacolby. If life didn’t teach me anything else, it damn sure taught me not to wait on a perfect moment but to create one. I want to create as many memories with you as I can. Memories of us falling deeper in love, growing older together in faith and in spirit. Memories of watching you walk down the aisle and becoming my wife. Memories of life growing in your womb.” Placing the boxes on the coffee table in front of us I placed my hand on her stomach and she released a gasped breath as tears streamed down her face.
“Memories of us raising our children. Memories of us learning to grow with each other in all of our seasons.” Opening the first box I took the key out and placed it on her trembling palm. “I want to wake up to you every morning and go to sleep with you drooling on my chest.” Opening the second box I took out the yellow diamond and placed it on her ring finger. “If you’re not ready that’s fine. But if you are, tell me what you want and need. If you’re unsure tell me how I can make you sure that I’m worth the sacrifice of you spending the rest of your life with.”
“I…I…” she kept trying to speak but couldn’t get the words out.
“Shh.” I kissed her quiet, loving the feel of her warm tears on my lips. Rearranging her back in my lap, all curled up like a baby, I kissed her temple holding up a slice of pizza. “Let me feed you, baby.” She nodded opening for a bite.