Us

"I can't marry you Noah," I hear Tiff say to me.

"I'm sorry I thought I just heard you say that you can't marry me?" I ask looking right at her.

"I can't No," she says shaking her head and starting to cry.

"What the hell happened?  What did Anslee say to you Tiff?"

"Just drive home and I will tell you there," she says wiping her face.

"No you are telling me now.  Not two hours from now.  You just told me that you don't want to marry me and I deserve to know why," I say a lot angrier then I intended it to come out.

"You want to know what she said to me?" Tiff asks looking right at me.

"I do.  I want to know so we can talk it through," I say grabbing her hand.

"She told me she was not sorry for trying to kill me and in eight years when she gets out she is going to make sure she finishes the job.  I can't marry you and have this timeline on us.  I can't have kids with you knowing that I may not be around to see them grow up," she screams at me.

I know she is not mad at me, but mad at Anslee and scared that it may come true.

"Anslee will never hurt you again.  I promise you.  We are going to grow old together and watch our kids have families and die holding hands like Noah and Allie in the Notebook," I say.

I see the littlest of smiles appear on her face, but it quickly disappears.

"She is manipulative and cunning. She will find away to get to me. You didn't see her No. There was nothing in her eyes, but pure hatred for me. I can't risk her hurting you or our children."

"I will protect you with my life and I mean it. I will hire the best damn security money can by to keep you and our kids safe," I say looking at her.

"And what kind of a life is that to lead. Always having to look over our shoulders. I can't do that to you."

"And the alternative is better? Not being able to wake up beside you every morning and fall a sleep beside you. Never seeing what beautiful children we could have brought into this world? That is a life I don't want to live. I want this, us. Planning a life together and living that life together. I know you want that too, you are just scared right now," I say pleading with her.

She looks at me and I can see it in her eyes that she wants all of that too. I wipe away the tears that are freely falling down her face.

"I love you so much No and I want all that too with you. I am just so scared of losing it all and that I have to live my life on some timeline that has an expiry date."

"Then don't. This is what Anslee wants, she wants to push us a part and make you miserable. She is sick and twisted and I am sorry that she ever came into our lives. We are going to get married, have lots of kids and live our lives to the fullest. I am not going to let you settle for anything less."

She smiles and this time it doesn't disappear. I finally broke through all the fear and doubt she had been holding inside. She places her hand on my cheek and says, "When you say lots of kids. Just how many are we talking about?"

"I want a whole line of hockey players and a goalie," I say.

"Six kids. I am not too sure my uterus can handle that many pregnancies," she says laughing a little bit.

"Well then we better hope for a set of twins or triplets during one of those pregnancies. I want a big family with you. I love you so much," I say leaning over the centre console and kissing her. lips.