The crowd erupts.
“I’d like to invite Peyton down to join me out here.”
The fans start chanting her name as security helps her navigate her way through the mess of wires, cameras, media and players on the field. “As she’s making her way onto the field, I want to thank our families, who are with us today, for being the best parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings that either of us could ask for.”
When Peyton steps into our logo, I smile brightly and drop to one knee. In my hand is a black velvet box with her engagement ring, if she’ll marry me. “Captain, you have been my best friend since forever. We may have been brought together by our mothers and forced to hang out, but secretly I have loved every single minute of it. It never bothered me that you were younger; it only bothered me when you weren’t around. You’ve shown me what determination looks like, how to persevere through whatever life throws at you, and how true love feels. Without you, I’m a shell of the man I need to be. With you though, I’m confident, self-assured and the man I want to be. With that, I want to tell you that I love you and I’m going to hold onto you forever.”
Peyton’s hand covers her mouth and she starts nodding. “Yes, Noah.”
“Yes, what?” I ask as her eyes go wide.
“Oh my God.” She looks around and covers her face.
“Hey, Peyton?”
She looks at me through her fingers. “Will you marry me? Maybe add Westbury to your already long last name?”
This time she tackles me to the ground and peppers me with kisses. Thankfully, I dropped the microphone or everyone would’ve heard it when she called me an ass. When I’m finally able to slip the ring on her finger, I keep her with me for the coin toss before I help her back to the stands, where our families congratulate us.
Before heading back to the field she calls my name.
“Yeah, Captain?”
“Did you ask my dad?”
I nod. “Both of them,” I say, winking and pointing my finger up to the sky. After I asked Harrison for his permission to marry Peyton, I took a trip to Beaumont and had an in-depth conversation with Mason.
“I love her.” It’s difficult to talk to someone who isn’t here. I did this with Peyton when she was lying in her bed, wondering if she could hear me. Over the past few months, I’ve dropped hints about things I told her, hoping she’d remember or feel like I’ve said these things to her before, but she hasn’t said anything.
I read a book on dying and the afterlife, wondering what Peyton might be experiencing, and also curious if she saw anyone. Where was she? And is there a bright light waiting for us? I don’t want to ask her though because I feel like it’s her personal journey, something only she can relate to. It’s not like taking a trip to the zoo and sharing it with your friend who has also been there.
But this journey I had to take alone. I can’t recall the last time I visited Mason’s grave. Probably with Peyton on his birthday before I left for college. Even with Katelyn living in California, Mason’s marker and plot are taken care of. Mr. Powell is too old to do it, but I know Katelyn pays for someone to make sure it’s pristine.
I lay next to him with my ankles crossed, telling him about Peyton, and how amazing she is. I want to believe he knows this, and that maybe he was there with her in the hospital. Would he have told her to stay? Or encourage her to come with him? The latter I can’t even think about because not having her in my life would kill me.
“She’s beautiful and smart. You’d be so proud of her,” I tell him. “I’m sure you never thought I would be here to ask this, but I’m seeking your permission to marry Peyton. Now you’re probably thinking I’m nuts because I’m older and we grew up together, but I’ve been in love with her as long as I can remember. I want her to be my wife, have my children, be my voice of reason and call me out on my shit when I need it. You know, she’s really good at that, by the way. My girl doesn’t have an ounce of fear in her body.”
The cemetery is peaceful. There are a few people milling around, but no one bothers you here. The trees sway in the wind and off into the distance car doors slam, music plays softly and voices carry over the acres of land. I don’t expect an answer or a sign, but knowing I’ve been here and have asked the question; it gives me a peace of mind. I imagine I’ll have to tell Peyton about coming here, and have a feeling this is where we’ll get married… Beaumont, not the cemetery, so she has both her dads with her on her big day. Honestly, I wouldn’t want it any other way.