no questions asked | ethma

22

Ethan

I woke up to Emma's thumb stroking my face, and her smiling at me.

"Hi." She whispered. I pecked her lips.

"Hey, monkey."

"You're awake." She said, still stroking my face with her thumb.

I gave a soft smile, closing my eyes at her touch. "Mmhmm."

Her warm lips met mine for a second before she softly ran her fingers through my hair. "I love you."

I opened my eyes and pulled her flush to my frame, kissing her on the cheek. "I love you too." I replied as she giggled.

Emma wrapped her arms around my neck. "Today's our day off." She said.

I smiled. It was Sunday. Emma and I decided to give ourselves Sunday's off, but still have the shop running. We hired a great group of people that are capable of running the shop, so we were doing a trial run for a few weeks to make sure it'd run smoothly before Emma and I can take more time off.

I dipped my head down to her neck, lightly nibbling on her skin. "How about we spend the day right here?" I asked.

Emma leaned her head back to give me more room to kiss her skin, and I relished in the taste of her.

An hour later, Emma and I climbed out of bed and got into the shower. We needed it after the two rounds of lovemaking we just underwent.

It was a lazy day, just lounging around and watching tv together.

Emma was laying with her head on my chest, and her legs tangled with mine. She was partially on top of me. My arms wrapped tightly around her waist.

It was nice to have a day off once in a while. We ordered food, so neither of us had to cook, and we simply enjoyed ourselves and each other for the day.

We deserved it after all of the hard work the pizza shop has put us through so far.

Although we've been putting most of our time into the business, Emma and I have been falling harder for each other everyday.

Every time I looked at her, I just knew I needed to make her my wife someday.

It's only April, but I know what her Christmas present is going to be this year.

-

Emma

Ethan and I have been so busy lately, that we've completely quit drinking. Even Ethan.

I mean, as long as he's been an alcoholic, I'm proud of him for stepping away from the bottle.

He was doing great for a while. Even getting good exercise between work and everything else going on in our lives.

Four months later, and our business was still running smoothly. Smoothly enough that Ethan and I took a trip to visit my family. It was an amazing weekend.

It was around early September when Ethan started acting like he was drinking again. But this time, he tried to hide it from me as if I didn't know. I knew he was drinking.

I didn't say anything. I thought that maybe he was just stressed, and he'd slow down again.

But, it got to the point where I would wake up in the middle of the night to find Ethan passed out in the living room.

I was right about the slowing down thing, but not in the way you think.

It was a Sunday morning when I woke up, and I knew something was wrong. I just had that feeling.

The sun was shining abnormally bright for the middle of October, but my heart sank. I just knew something terrible was happening. I was right.

I found Ethan passed out on the couch once again, but the problem was much worse this time. He wasn't just passed out.

I don't know how I figured it out because I have absolutely no skills in the medical field, but somehow I knew to check his pulse, and his heartbeat was so slow that he would've died if I didn't check. I called the ambulance.

I was so scared that it was all a blur. I thought I was gonna lose the only person who's made me happy in the last year.

I cold only hold his hand and cry. I prayed. I cried some more.

The doctors said I saved his life. If I had waited another five minutes to call, he would've been gone. The alcohol slowed down his heart to the point where he was comatose.

His parents came to visit the hospital as soon as they could get to Long Island. His mom even offered to stay with Ethan whole I went home and showered, but I just couldn't leave him.

I didn't want him to leave me either. First my sister, then Mark. I can't lose Ethan too.

It took three weeks, but one day when I was sitting next to him on his bed, and holding his hand, I told him all about how the pizza shop was still running smoothly some how. I wasn't really around the shop, but lots of phone calls to trusted employees took care of everything.

I placed my hand on his cheek, a tear running down my face. "Please, Ethan. I need you to wake up, baby. I need to hear you call me monkey, and I need you to kiss me, and hold me, and tell me you love me. You don't know how much I need you. You can't leave me here alone. I need you with me. I'm so sorry I couldn't help you. I wish I could go back and help. I'm so sorry. Please wake up. For me."

Still crying, I nuzzled my face into his chest. It was full of tubes and monitors, but I didn't care. I just wanted my Ethan.

"I miss you so much." I cried.

Suddenly, I felt his touch. For the first time in weeks.

"Emma?" He asked. "What happened?"

I pressed the call button, so a doctor would come in since Ethan woke up. Once they got the breathing tube out, and got him situated again, I took his hand and sat back down next to him. "You drank yourself into a coma." I said. "You almost died."

"Emma, I'm so sorry I did that to you."

Pressing my forehead against his while running my hand through his hair, I shushed him. "You're still here. That's what matters. I love you so much."

"I love you too, monkey. I always will."

In the usual story, the guy always asks, but life is short, and I think I've realized this more than anyone lately. So, I didn't surprise myself when the next words I said were "Ask me to marry you."

"What?" He asked.

"Just ask me to marry you."

"Emma, will you marry me?"

Pressing my lips to his, tears streaming down my face, there was only one word left to say.

"Yes."