We Go Together Or We Don't Go Down At All

I Want To Marry You

Zack sat nervously across from Helen at the coffee shop, stirring his latte absentmindedly.

Zack sighed. His nerves getting the better of him. "Helen, I wanted to talk to you about something important."

Helen looked up from her own coffee, concern flickering in her eyes.

Helen looked at Zack curiously. "Sure, Zack. What's on your mind?"

Zack smiled softly. "Well, you know how much I love Alex and Everly, right?"

Helen nodded, a soft smile playing on her lips.

"Of course I do Zack! You're like family to us all. Everly calls you 'Daddy Zacky' for a reason honey. Zack, you and I have weekly coffee dates, you do preschool drop off, you live with Alex and Everly. You are a part of our lives whether you like it or not!" Helen said with a light laugh.

"I've been thinking a lot lately, and I realize that I want to spend the rest of my life with them. So, I wanted to ask for your permission to marry Alex." Zack said with a bit of apprehension in his voice, worried she would say no.

Helen's eyebrows shot up in surprise, a chuckle escaping her lips.

"Zack, you don't need my permission for that! You are grown men. You're already a part of our family." Helen said blinking fast, trying not to tear up.

"I know, but I'm a bit old school, Helen. I believe in honoring traditions, and I want to do this right by asking you for your son's hand in marriage." Zack said a bit shaky as he felt a tear fall.

Helen's eyes softened, her tears of joy falling now. Someone wanted to marry her boy. Helen reached across the table to grasp Zack's hand.

"Well, in that case, consider my permission granted! I couldn't be happier to have you officially join our family. Alex and Everly are lucky to have you, Zack." She stood and reached over the table and embraced Zack.

After a moment of shared joy, Helen sat down. "So, what is your plan for proposing?"

Zack smiled and as they finished their coffee date, he launched into his plan.

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After his talk with Helen, Zack had one more hurdle to jump over. Everly. It was really important to Zack to get Everly's permission to marry her Dad.

She was the number one priority in Alex's life, and he never wanted to make her feel out of place, or make her uncomfortable. Asking Everly to marry her dad was something that Zack felt like he had to do. Zack knows she's only four years old, but... He's joining her life just as much as he's joining Alex's, so her input is just as important.

Zack sat across from Everly at their favorite diner, as they ate waffles. A tradition for them. Once again, Zack was nervous, and a smile was playing on his lips as he tried to find the right words.

Zack put down his fork and knife and leaned forward to speak to her in a hushed tone. "Everly, there's something important I want to talk to you about."

Everly looked up from her waffles, her face sticky with syrup. Zack took a second and wiped her face clean.

"Thank You Daddy Zacky." She smiled sweetly.

Zack smiled. She always knew how to  calm him down. She was one of the greatest joys in his life.

"Of course Evie. But I am serious we need to talk." Zack said, his tone a bit more serious.

Her eyes went wide and her lip quivered a bit. "Did I do something wrong Daddy Zacky?"

Zack looked at her and moved over to her side of the booth to comfort her. He wrapped her into his arms.