CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

TIMOTHY ARRIVED A few minutes early at Cheryl’s house for their date and eager to start the rest of his life. He rang the bell and Cheryl answered.

“For me?” she said as he handed her a dozen roses.

“For you.”

“They’re beautiful. Thank you.”

Cheryl leaned forward and kissed Timothy.

“Boy, tonight keeps getting more special. Going to Mantia’s twice in the same month and now flowers? A girl could get used to this. You’re going to spoil me.”

“This girl deserves some spoiling.”

“You’re sweet. I’m going to find something to put these in.”

Cheryl left the living room, and Timothy looked around. Cheryl’s father was reading his newspaper, and her mom was needlepointing.

“Evening,” Timothy said.

“Good evening, Timothy. The flowers are beautiful,” her mom said.

“Yes, it looks like you’re trying to steal my little girl’s heart,” her father said with a smile.

“I’m trying,” Timothy said.

“I understand you kids are going to Mantia’s tonight?” her mother said.

“Yes, kind of our special place.”

“That’s nice, dear. You kids deserve a night like that.” Her mom went back to needlepointing.

Cheryl’s father took off his reading glasses and placed his paper on his lap. He looked at Timothy and flashed him a slight grin. Timothy responded with a grin and nod.

“Here, how do these look?” Cheryl said as she returned with the roses in a vase.

“They look perfect.”

“They’re lovely, dear,” her mom said.

Her father grunted his approval.

“We’re out of here, Mom, Dad,” Cheryl said.

They walked arm in arm to the car. Timothy opened the door for Cheryl and went around to the driver’s seat.

“This is so wonderful that Scoot fixed your car,” Cheryl said. “He is such a good friend.”

“That he is,” Timothy said.

“Gosh, with the car and the TA position, do you feel things are beginning to turn for you?”

“For us,” he corrected.

“Yes, for us,” she smiled.

They drove in a few moments of silence. Cheryl noticed he did not take the usual route to Mantia’s.

“Are we taking the long way to Mantia’s?”

“Sure. There is more than one way to get there, you know.”

Cheryl laughed. Timothy liked the sound of her laughter. He liked the sound of his own laughter. It sure beat the crying he’d heard lately. He stopped the car at the pavilion in Chambers Park. He shut off the engine and looked at Cheryl. She stared back at him, puzzled.

“Why are we stopping here?”

“You remember this place, don’t you?”

“Yes. We met at the summer concert series here. Ebony was playing,” she said.

“Yes, Ebony was playing that night. Let’s walk up to the pavilion.”

“Tim, what’s going on?”

“Come with me. Trust me.”

They held hands on their walk to the pavilion. The air felt cool and crisp but not stinging cold. Neither said anything. When they reached the pavilion, Timothy turned to Cheryl and took her hands in his.

“This is the exact spot where we met. This was the first time I looked into your eyes. This is the place where my life changed for the good. This is where I fell in love, the moment I met you. That’s why this spot is special to me.”

“Timothy.” She hung onto her next words.

“Cheryl, you’re the brightest star in my sky. You’re my true north, my soul mate.”

“Tim—” She stopped.

“When I think of my future, the only thing that seems certain is that you must be in it. There’s no future in my life without you. There’s nothing ahead of me more important than what’s in front of me.”

Her eyes welled.

“You’ve stayed with me when most people would walk away. I’m damaged goods, but you never made me feel that way. You made me want to believe I was worth something. You have always made me feel like my world was coming together, not breaking apart. I tried pushing you away, but you refused to leave. You knew you had to stay. I knew you had to stay. We’re standing at the doorstep of destiny. I look forward and only see you. You have seen my past. You know where I am today. But when I look at you, all I see is my future, and that future is you.”

Cheryl smiled, her tears of joy now spilling.

“Yes. Yes. Oh God, yes,” she said, unable to contain the words.

“Will you marry me?” Timothy asked.

“Of course. We’re supposed to be together. It has always been that way and will always be that way.”

They kissed and embraced, holding onto each other and the moment. Timothy pulled back and looked into Cheryl’s eyes. He saw the light in her soul. He showed her the light in his soul. Then, he took out the ring and asked for her hand.

“Please, give me your hand.”

She extended her hand, he slipped on the engagement ring, and it fit as if it were made for her. She looked up, surprised.

“You remembered. How did you do this? How could you afford to—” she said.

“Not now. We have a dinner table waiting for us. I have a lot to tell you, so I think we need to crack open a bottle of wine and drink to the future.”

“To our future,” Cheryl said.

“Yes, our future,” he said.