“I’ll get you later, you—”
“That’s enough!” I intervene. “She’ll be here any second. Get yourself together, all right? Everything is ready on the terrace. This is it, guys.”
Rushing forward, we line up in front of the elevator doors in our father’s antique apartment and wait breathlessly. The elevator shaft rumbles as the cables work on the giant pulleys just above our head. Finally, I see the light rise through the security window. A hand pulls back the accordion grate.
Bunny glances up, her expression immediately changing to a confused smile as she looks at each of us, one at a time. We must look sort of intimidating, all lined up.
“Um, guys? What’s going on?”
From behind us, I hear a coo and know without looking that Magda has brought Sophia into the room as a witness. Bunny’s expression softens as soon as she sees her, but she still doesn’t know what’s going on.
One by one, we all drop to one knee in front of her. As the oldest, I have the honor. I pull the box from my jacket pocket and hold it out to her, opening it. I swear that even in the afternoon light of this dark, dusty apartment, the light through the diamond catches fire and reflects in her wide eyes.
“Bunny… you’ve made us so happy. You are the woman we’ve always been searching for,” I tell her, my voice choked with emotion. “And we need to know… will you marry us?”
Her fingers drift toward the ring, but then she pulls her hand back.
“Marry you?” she repeats, startled. “But that’s… I mean, that doesn’t even actually makes sense, does it? You can’t marry five guys. Is isn’t legal.”
“Actually, we can do whatever we want. Sky’s the limit. We’re rich enough to buy our own country, make one law that says you, Bunny Norris, can marry five men, and then hold the ceremony there if you want to.”
She bounces on her toes, smiling giddily. “That’s how rich you are? You didn’t tell me you were island-buying rich. Do we have one of those?”
“I can have one by the end of tomorrow,” Sully answers confidently.
“You know… I totally believe you,” she replies. “Well… if I said yes… that’s it? We’re husbands and wife? Just like that?”
“One step at a time,” I caution her. “First, what’s your answer?”
Her eyes sweep back and forth, gazing at all of us who are humbled before her on one knee. Her fingers slide unconsciously over her belly, which hasn’t changed yet with the new life inside her. But any day now, it will.
“Um… yes!” she smiles. “And yes! And yes! And yes! And yes!”
Standing, I pluck the ring from the box, a four-carat, marquee-cut perfect diamond set in a brushed platinum band. She holds her hand up to me and I take it in mine, feeling the birdlike tremble in her fingers as I slide it onto her ring finger, then draw her hand up to my mouth and kiss her palm.
“Well, now that that’s done,” Mrs. Webster chirps, appearing with a satisfied smile, “I need you to come with me. I have something to show you in the bedroom.”
Mrs. Webster whisks her off and I hear my brothers breathe a collective sigh of relief.
“She said yes. She really said yes!” Trey marvels. “I mean, I don’t see why she wouldn’t, but then, it feels really good to know she would!”
Spencer claps his hands together and then rubs them. “Okay,” he says nervously. “Time for act two. You ready?”
We are all ready.
The sun is just starting to set and the lights are all on in the terrace, trees illuminated with tiny fairy sparks, garlands of slowly twinkling lights all around the perimeter. Breathlessly we watch the French doors, waiting for the moment she will appear.
When she does, I am awestruck. Mrs. Webster beams proudly from behind her, nudging her to the rose petals-strewn white carpet at her feet. Bunny stands, resplendent in a white silk gown that falls to the floor. The thousands of hand-sewn crystals glitter subtly in the fabric as she sways back and forth, beaming at us.
“Oh my God,” I hear myself say under my breath.
At that instant, a string quartet begins softly playing the bride’s processional march. Startled, Bunny glances at them… then begins to giggle. Her eyes fly wide in alarm, but the giggles overtake her. She holds up her hands as if begging us to wait.
But she doesn’t stop. The sound of her laughter is as musical as the quartet. Mrs. Webster takes her by the elbow and begins to lead her down the aisle, even as Bunny attempts to gain control of herself.
“I don’t know why this is happening!” she hiccups pitifully. “Honestly! I mean, it’s just all so beautiful!”
“Pregnancy symptom,” Spencer adds sagely. “Uncontrollable laughter and bouts of emotion are perfectly understandable, Bunny. It’s just part of this whole, wonderful process.”