Carmen & Gray: A Tale of Two Thieves (Book 2)

The Question

Ilyg sm 🥺🥺🥺 enjoy

Gray's PoV

Carmen had fallen asleep on my shoulder on the plane ride back from Argentina. She thought we were going back home to Florida, but we were actually on our way back to San Francisco, California. Everything seemed to move by so quickly, yet also so slowly. It was beautiful. When we exited the plane, she looked at me in confusion.

"Uh, Gray? This isn't the Florida airport."

"It's the San Francisco one! C'mon, let's go!"

"Uh, ok then!" She laughed as I grabbed her hand and began running down the street. She was always so carefree and was totally fine with moments-notice change of plans. Carmen.

I unlocked the door to our old apartment, and she smiled. "Wow! It's been so long!"

"I know, right? I just... really wanted to bring you back here again."

"What for?"

"Oh, nothing. What time is it, by the way?"

"5:15, why?"

"Ok... I can work with that. Meet me by the willow tree at 8pm, alright? Wear your favourite dress!"

"Gray... what's going on? You're smiling like a kid in a candy store!"

"You'll see!"

The next three hours went by in a flash. The food, the music, the lights, it was all ready. I took a deep breath as Carmen peeked her head around a tree. She covered her mouth with her hands as she gasped and smiled in awe.

"Gray! What's all this?"

"Remember when I said I would bring you back here? The night we got together?"

"How could I forget? It was beautiful!"

"Well, here's me fulfilling that promise. Now, let's eat." I pulled out her chair for her, before sitting down in my own. We at a small, two person table, with a candle in the middle and two plates of sushi.

"Now this is how you eat sushi!" she said with a bright smile. We both laughed, before digging in. We laughed and joked for an hour, before finishing our meals. I took her hand, and brought her to the small grassy clearing. I pressed play on the speaker, and a mellow waltz tune began to play.

"My lady, may I have this dance?" I said in a fake accent, reminiscing on the time we had to pretend to be the Baron and Baroness of some fictional country.

"Of course, kind sir," she said follow suit. We began to dance in a three step pattern, adding in the twirls and dips every little while. We began slowing down gradually, until it was just a simple three step pattern we repeated every 5 seconds. I looked up to see the moon shining through the branches of the willow tree that was decorated with a few strands of fairy lights. I took a deep breath, and Carmen looked at me worriedly.

"Gray, what's wrong?"

"Nothing... Close your eyes, ok?" I took a small breath. "It's just... I remember when we first found each other again. That was the happiest day of my life. Then, I somehow became so fortunate to be able to call you my girlfriend and my partner in crime. Or, well, partner in stopping crime." She giggled lightly. "And then, last Christmas... I almost lost you. And I never want to lose you again." I took another deep breath. And I kneeled down to the grassy floor.

"So, maybe I am just some guy. But I'm that "some guy" who's willing to go to the ends of the Earth for you. Or rather, that "some guy" who was the last to raise his paddle at the auction that I mentioned." She opened her eyes slowly, and gasped. "Carmen Sandiego, will you make me the happiest guy in the world, and marry me?" Her eyes filled with tears, as she saw me kneeling on the ground, looking up at her, holding open a box with the garnet ring from the auction.

"How's that even a question? Of course, Gray!" She laughed as she fell forward on me, wrapping her hands around my neck and hugging me tightly. I slid the ring on to her finger, and she held it up to the moon. It twinkled in the bright moonlight, just like her eyes.

"Perfect."

"Just like you."