last summer - jack gilinsky

forty one

3 years later

"mommy, look!" mason grinned, holding his drawing. it was just scribbles, but i acted like i had just seen the mona lisa .

"that's beautiful, mase!" i accepted the drawing, my son running back off to his drawing table.

"is jade still watching him tonight?" jack asked, wrapping his arms around me. i nodded, kissing his cheek.

a lot has happened in the last three years.

when i went to la three weeks after scott and marcella's attempted kidnapping and followed the exact directions from sam, i ended up in a field. i went to the tree that i was told to go to and dug a little. eventually i found a small wooden box. when i opened it, pictures of sam and i filled the box.

a letter he had wrote that was dated a day before he came to alabama was there.

rosie,
if you are reading this, i'm guessing it worked and i have you. i'm so glad to know you rose, and i love you with everything in me. beneath this letter is a ring. a ring i will be asking you to be my wife with. jack was never good for you. thank you for coming back to california with me.
- sammy

i kept the ring on my right ring finger, telling jack it was from my mom. it had been a little dirty, but i took it to get polished.

jade and bryce got married a year ago. she is now six months pregnant and it's a girl. we're both silently hoping mason and her daughter fall in love so we can be not only best friends, but a family eventually.

as for jack and i? we moved back to california after i graduated a semester early from louisville, with a bachelors in sports medicine.

"i need practice with toddlers anyways." jade laughed, holding mason's hand. "have fun you two! you deserve it!"

jack and i headed off to the restaurant and sat at a table i vaguely remembered.

"you want dessert?" jack questioned towards the end of dinner, holding my hand across the table.

"of course. tiramisu." i replied, closing the menu as soon as i saw the item.

"cool. sounds great." jack smiled.

jack whispered something to the waiter and i silently prayed he wasn't telling them what i thought.

my birthday is tomorrow, but this is dinner was our celebration before the one at my parents house tomorrow.

23.

"you didn't." i said as soon as the waiter left.

"maybe i did." he joked, kissing my hand. i texted jade to make sure mason was alright and put my phone away as soon as the dessert arrived.

jack's was set down first, then mine.

"enjoy your dessert. congratulations."

"congratu- what?" i turned to jack, confused.

"look closely, baby."

i looked down and my eyes widened.

across the plate in a thin chocolate drizzle, i saw it.

rosalina, will you marry me?

a ring was set delicately on top, and i felt stupid for not noticing it.

"oh my god." i screamed, a few people around looking.

jack took the ring off of the dessert and got on one knee.

"yes! yes yes yes!" i jumped into his arms and felt tears fall down my cheeks.

people around us clapped and i kissed jack, my hands shaking. it was completely unexpected, more unexpected than the first proposal. this time, nothing would break us.