Lifeline

Chapter 37; Olivia.

"Keeping skeletons in your drawers never been a good idea
.." By Ethan Veron.

ETHAN'S POV.

'I can't marry you.'

The words played in my head over and over again.

"What?" I asked the woman whom I had learnt to give my heart to.

She came down form the bed, hugging the sheets very tight to her body before slowly taking my hands in hers and bringing me to my feet.

"Ethan, you don't understand. We don't know each other well enough yet-"

"I know enough to know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Enough to keep you by my side and find out the rest on our life's journey." I interrupted her.

"But... but... I haven't met your family, your friends, what if they don't like me for you, what if you find out something about me which you hate, huh? What if-"

"What if I love you enough to see past whatever it is you're talking about? And my family and friends will love you. Trust me." I interrupted again.

"Ethan-"

"No. Listen to me Kendra. I love you so very much and I'd be damned if I don't get to put this ring on you. The past may have been terrible, but right now, in this moment, I see only the woman I love so much, and tomorrow, it may be uncertain, the future always is," I chuckled "but what I am certain of is, I will always be by your side. Even if I lose track of you, I promise to always find my way back."

A tear unconsciously ran down her beautiful rosy cheeks.

I used my thumb to wipe it away and place a lingering kiss on her forehead.

"Say you'll marry me.." I whispered placing my forehead against hers.

"I'll marry you."

My heart couldn't beat any faster.

I gently took out the ring, wore it on her finger and placed a kiss on it.

"It's really beautiful." She awed, more tears rolling down her beautiful face.

"It was my mom's, my dad gave it to her on their first date." I told her.

"First date? Wasn't she scared?" She chuckled.

"My dad had told her to hold on to it, because he just knew that looking into her eyes at that very moment she was going to wear it proudly one day." I chuckled too, remembering the looks on their faces when they told me the story.

"Wow, your dad is a pretty straightforward man." She smiled.

"He was," I laughed.

"Was?"

"Yeah, he was until my mom threw his ring at his face, cursing and dropping a twenty dollar bill to pay for the water she took." I was full on laughing.

"Woah!"

"Woah is right. But, that only made my dad know she really was going to wear that ring someday. He lived in a world where everyone befriended him for their own gain, a world of truly selfish people and hypocrites as friends, so to watch her walk out on him like that was a beautiful thing for him to experience. Three months later, and he got her to wear this very ring. My dad is a very persistent man, so was my mom." I gave a little sad smile at the end.