In The Stars To Hold Our Destiny

Puppies and proposals

One month later. 

I put on one of my nicest outfits and leave the house. After that, I set up everything I needed to prepare for Everly's parents and Everly's arrival.

Julie came to California to simply support me with everything, and it paid off when it turned out beautifully. Mom is dressed up, while my dad is dressed up, and Julie is dressed down in jeans and a t-shirt. What counts, I guess, is that Julie showed up. Then Dylan and Caden arrived, dressed nicely.

When Everly's sisters and parents arrive, all with smiles on their faces, I begin to feel nervous. Then I see Everly walking towards me, her hair all done up and dressed up in a long dress with converse shoes on.

I approach her and embrace her. "Hello, Travis," she greets me. 

"Hi Everly," I say with a smile as I kiss her on the lips, but I quickly pull away and lead her somewhere.

Everly inquires, "Where are we going?" 

We're almost there, so I say, "You'll see."

Then we made it. "Do you remember that old house near the field that you like?" 

She gave a slight nod. "Yes." 

"So, I took care of it for you. I repainted it, filled it with furniture, and turned it into a small home for us." I said. 

"For us?" she asked, her brows furrowed. 

I take Everly's hand in mine as I take out the velvet box containing the wedding ring I had purchased for her.  "Everly Ray Parker, you make me the happiest person on the face of the planet and I wouldn't want to be with another girl, except you. Will you marry me?" 

Everly's eyes glowed, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Yes!" she exclaimed without hesitation.

As my friends and family cheered and the camera clicked, I hugged and kissed her and placed the beautiful ring on her finger. 

After that, just Everly and I went to Wood Ranch, our favorite restaurant, to celebrate. A short lady with red hair and glasses greeted us as we entered the restaurant. As she began to pick up two menus, the lady grinned at us. "Are there just two of you for tonight?" she questioned.

"Yes," I said with a smile. 

"All right, then, come with me." the lady said. 

While we sat down, she seat us in a booth and put the menu on the table. "A waiter will take care of you both as soon as possible," she said. 

"Thank you," I said with a smile.

I read the menu to Everly and placed her order when the waiter arrived. I had a surprise for her when we got home after we finished dinner.

I guided her to my room once we arrived at my house. I closed the door and told her to wait while I went to get her gift. I sat her down and put the gift in her lap. 

She joked, "Travis, you got me a box you shouldn't have."

"Funny, but it's more than a box. Open it," I exclaimed, giddy. 

She untied the ribbon I had wrapped around the box and then lifted the lid. Then tiny sequels began to appear, and she picked it up to discover that it was a puppy.

I could tell she was happy. "Travis, you got me a puppy!"

"You are most welcome. When I asked your parents what was the one thing you always wanted, they said it was a puppy. This is a seeing-eye dog, a yellow lab who is almost one year old." I felt so happy. 

She leaned in and kissed me on the lips without saying anything, then turned away to play with the puppy on the floor. "What should I name her? 

"How about the name, Bella?" I suggested.  

Everly cocked her head to the side. "Bella? That, on the other hand, makes me think of Twilight. Let's name her, Maggie."  

I sent her a friendly smile. "It's fantastic," I almost leaned in to kiss her, but then I remembered something, "I want to bring you to the beach." 

"Right now?" She said while she was still playing with Maggie. 

"Yes," I grabbed her hand and was leading her down the stairs, "my parents can watch Maggie. Let's go!" 

I open the front door for her and helped her get in, as I get into the driver's seat and drive us to the beach.  

We were sitting on the beach's shore, and I was gazing up at the dim night sky with the stars sparkling down on us. I smiled as I looked at Everly, grateful that I was able to be with her right now. 

"Why, do you want to be with me, Travis? I'm going to die soon, when I turned six I had a stye in my tear duct so they did sugary on me and after the sugary, they removed the stye beautifully, but I became fully blind. Every day I would hate myself, and I would cry because I knew that I would never be able to see something or someone ever again." Everly started to cry.  

I encircled her with my arm. "No matter what happens, I will always love you," I said. 

We'd been sitting on the beach for two hours and were still there. I checked my phone and saw that I had received 16 messages from my mom. My parents are probably asking where I am because I didn't read them or respond.  

"How did you get into surfing?" Everly asked me.    

"Well, my friend thought me how to surf when I moved to California. Ever since I caught my first wave I've been in love with it. I go to the beach almost every day. I want to surf competitively and eventually become a professional surfer, but if I do my parents might kill me because they want me to become a heart surgeon just like my dad or a lawyer. Fun, right? Wrong, not fun. When I lost my surfboard I knew that my parents won't buy a surfboard for me because they don't even like it that I love to surf." 

"Wow," Everly said, "I-I'm sorry Travis. I had no idea." 

"We should be leaving," I said, looking at my phone.

I came into my house after dropping Everly off at her house. My parents are both seated at the table, staring at me as though I have interrupted their conversation. My parents exchange glances until my mother instructs me to take a seat at the table. I'm worried about what they're going to say, and I could tell my parents were debating whether my mother or my father should talk. 

My father swallows his saliva and clears his throat. "I-I understand that you've just asked Everly to be your wife, Travis, but-"

"I know she's sick," I said, pausing him. "But I don't care, dad."

"Travis, we know Everly is sick," my mom said, "but that isn't what we want to talk about."

"Then what is it?" I ask, drawing my brows together.

"Travis, we're -we signed you up to serve in the military," my father sighs.

Tears flow down my face as I get up, disappointed. My mother comes to my side when I am unable to talk, but I back away because I am angry. After all, they signed me up without my approval. I don't want to fight in the army because I know I'll die or see people die. 

"Travis, we signed you up because we felt it would be nice for you to forget about Everly's tumor; you know, next month you'll be leaving, and it won't be for too long; it'll just be four years, and Everly will be waiting for you." My father said.

"How could you two do this to me?" I scoff.

I walked up to my room and closed the door; I'm joining the military, and Everly would die when I'm away fighting for this country.