Girl Meets Collection of Stories

Marry Me

Shawn had been carrying the ring in his pocket for weeks. He was just waiting for the right time. This particular night, Maya's 16th birthday, seemed like the perfect night. They were at the Matthews apartment as they always were for her birthday.

He had been dating Katy for a year and half and he couldn't see his life with anyone else. He had felt that way since their first date. For many dates, he thought he was crazy to be that sure that fast, but one conversation with Cory proved to him that it wasn't crazy at all. It was love.

For so long he had felt like an orphan, but now he was in a room full of people who had become his family. Even Amy and Alan had come into the city to celebrate Maya's birthday.

Topanga, Katy, and Amy were in the kitchen getting the cake ready. Maya and Riley were off on the window seat looking at her presents. Cory, Josh, and Alan were completely entranced in some silly thing Auggie was doing.

He thought of himself at 16 and how alone he felt. He wanted nothing more than to make sure Maya never had to feel that way again, though sometimes he questioned if he actually could. In these moments it was almost as if he could hear his father's voice.

"When are you gonna ask her?" Chet would say, "We both know you've been carrying the ring with you for months."

"I don't know," Shawn wanted to tell him, "How can I be sure she wants to? If I ask her and she's not ready, it could ruin everything."

"Don't be stupid! I've seen the way she looks at you and I know you see it too. Don't be afraid of being happy. You've earned the right to be happy," Chet would reassure him.

"Thanks, dad," Shawn whispered to the air.

"Alright everyone, the cake is ready!" Amy called everyone back to the kitchen. The three generations of Matthews gathered around as Katy held the cake out for her little girl. Shawn took his place next to Katy as the whole group sang 'Happy Birthday'.

"Make a wish!" Riley coaxed as they finished the song. Maya smiled at the whole group assembled just for her. Her gaze came to rest on Katy and Shawn and she couldn't believe how lucky she was to have them in her life. She closed her eyes, made a wish and blew out her candles.

"Maya, can I ask you something?" Shawn asked when she finished.

"Sure," Maya responded taking a lick of the frosting before Topanga started cutting pieces.

"Would it be okay with you if I asked your mom to marry me?" Shawn asked knowing everyone could hear him.

"What? Really?" Maya responded, stunned at the question as Riley and the women gasped and stopped what they were doing. Everyone's eyes were on them, waiting to see what happened next.

"Yeah. What do you say?" Shawn asked again.

Before Maya even said another word she ran into his arms, allowing a few tears to moisten his shirt. After a moment she pulled back, looked up at Shawn and smiled, nodding.

Maya released her embrace and Shawn moved over to wear Katy has been standing, frozen her tracks, with plates of cake still in her hands.

"Katy," Shawn began, helping her set the plates down and taking her hands between his own, "For so long I thought I might never be happy again, I mean really happy. But then I met you and Maya. And everything changed. The weight of the past is gone. For once I could actually see future and be excited about it, about sharing it with you, both of you. I now have what I always dreamed of having, with you."

Shawn pulled the simple solitaire diamond ring from his jeans pocket and got down on one knee.

"I love you, Katy. Will you marry me?" Shawn asked holding between his fingers.

"Yes, Yes! Of course I will." Katy answered after a few moments, with tears forming in her eyes. He slid the ring on her finger before she brought her hands to his face as he stood and kissed him. They kissed for a few moments before they noticed the clapping from their audience.

They pulled apart allowing Maya to hug her mom. Then she turned to Shawn and hugged him again allowing her tears to fall harder now. The little girl, who had wished on every birthday cake for her dad, a dad or any dad, and on the last few for this particular dad, was getting her wish.

"Happy Birthday, Maya" Shawn whispered to her as her hugged her while she cried.

"How did you know this what I wished for?" Maya looked up and asked him when her crying stopped, just knowing that he knew she wished for this.

"Because this is what I wished for too," Shawn responded, his eyes also becoming misty.

Within moments order returned. Topanga and Amy were gawking at Katy's ring, Maya and Riley celebrated, and Alan, Cory, and Josh congratulated Shawn like a proud father and proud brothers.

Shawn used to feel like an orphan, but now he had more family than he knew what to do with. Soon even a family of his own.