“I’m right here!” she yelled back as she bounded into view. Her backpack was thrown over her back and her hair was falling all over her face.
“Did you brush your hair?” I asked. Annoyance seeped into my voice.
“Um…”
“Come here,” I ordered. I grabbed her quickly and ran my fingers through her hair, forcing it to lie flat. It didn’t look much better, but it wasn’t in her face anymore. “Go on. Your dad is waiting.”
I followed her into the kitchen where Logan was making her lunch. He threw a bottle of juice into the lunchbox and zipped it up quickly.
“Morning, kid,” he said, tossing Lili her lunch. She caught it easily and grinned at him.
“Is it peanut butter?” she asked.
“What else would I pack?” he asked. “Let’s go. We’re late.”
“Okay, okay,” she rolled her eyes and gave me a quick hug. “Bye Mom!”
“Bye! Have a good day!”
Logan gave me a swift kiss and hurried out the front door with Lili following close behind. I waited until their footsteps faded completely before I let myself sink. My stomach was tied in knots as I checked the clock above the stove. I still had two hours before my first meeting of the day.
I walked back to the bathroom and dug underneath the sink for the pregnancy test I hid two days before. When I pulled it out, I felt my heart race wildly. I had a horrible sense of déjà vu, only this time, I wasn’t entirely dreading a positive result.
It had been over a year since Logan moved in with Lili and me. He moved to New York and took a private security job, which meant he was able to take Lili to school and pick her up. His job only kept him busy in the evenings and it paid great.
Things at the law firm were better than ever. I was working like crazy, but I with Logan’s help I was able to spend more time with Lili. We were a family. It was hard adding Logan to the mix at first, but he made Lili so happy that I couldn’t help but feel the same way. Having him around made me believe in the fair
ytale again
As I opened the box and pulled out the stick, my hands began to sweat. I sat down quickly before I talked myself out of it and took it. When I was done, I set it on the counter and waited. I paced back and forth in front of the counter, not knowing which result I was hoping for.
***
Logan
I dropped Lili off at school and hurried back home. For weeks, I’d been planning this moment. It was the anniversary of the day Piper and I met seven years earlier. There was no better day.
With my heart racing, I ran through the city. I hurried up our street and hurled myself into the apartment building. I took the stairs two at a time, not slowing down until I made it to our front door. Once outside, I paused for a second.
I took a deep breath and reached my hand into my pocket. I gripped the ring box tightly, turning it over and over in my hand. It felt heavy. Like the most important thing I’d ever held in my life. For weeks, I’d been picturing this moment. I wanted it to be perfect. Piper deserved for it to be perfect.
When I pushed open the door, I was barely breathing. My hand was still stuffed in my pocket, my fingers wrapped about the box. I walked through the apartment, quietly looking for Piper. I wanted it to be a surprise.
I finally found her sitting on our bed staring at the wall. She looked lost in thought, her face pale and her eyes round. I sat down beside her and took her hand in mine. She jumped and looked around at me. She hadn’t noticed me come in.
“Hey,” I said. “Are you okay?”
“I’m good,” she said with a determined nod. “Just about to get ready for work.”
“Before you do,” I said. My hands began to shake as I stood up in front of her. I slipped my hand back inside my pocket and held tightly to the ring box. “There’s something I need to ask you.”
“Okay,” Piper said uncertainly. “What is it?”
I pulled the ring from my pocket and slowly lowered myself down onto one knee. When I opened the box, Piper’s eyes flew open even wider. She stared at the ring like she’d never seen one before. Her eye flicked back up to mine.
“Piper,” I said slowly. “This past year with you and Lili has been the best year of my life. I never want to lose either of you. Ever. I love you so much. I can’t even tell you how much. Will you marry me?”
The question hung between us for a few seconds. Everything was silent. We were both frozen in that moment. Even the air felt stiff, as if the world itself was suspended just waiting for Piper’s answer.