For the Love of Nancy (on hold)

chapter four

The smell of Italian cuisines filled the air and Nancy found herself devouring the delicious food, her eyes wandered to Nathan who seemed just as eager to eat the cuisine. Nancy scrunched her nose in disgust. Hasn't he heard of table manners? Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her shin. She looked over at Drew who narrowed her eyes at her.

"So, Nathan", began Nancy's mom. She toyed with her food and gazed curiously at Nathan. "How's the hospital so far?"

Nancy couldn't help the small smirk on her lips. Ever since Drew first brought Nathan over for the first time, her mom has been very cautious about him, especially when he proposed to Drew last October. They've dated for about a year or two and It was when the leaves were finally a rainbow of red, gold, and brown. The breeze was bitter, and tickled its cold fingers on Drew's and Nancy's cheeks and noses. Nancy's hair was a long tumble of brown and Drew's a whirlwind of light brown.They walked on the sidewalk, talking about nothing and everything.

"Of course, I'll tell you the name of the baby", explained Drew. She had just updated Nancy on her job as an Ob/Gyn for an expecting couple. "I think they're going to name her something to do with nature, they seem nature-y, and for all I know it could be the name of a flower".

Which they did. Azalea.

"That sounds nice. As soon as the delivery is over, call me, or tell me when you come home".

Drew rolls her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah". It was a thing that Drew and Nancy started when Drew delivered her first baby. On the phone, Drew seemed frazzled from the recent delivery and was happy to tell her little sister the name of the child. It was a beautiful one, fit for a boy and unique. In that moment, Nancy couldn't have been more proud of her sister.

They were coming up to their driveway when a Toyota truck pulled up. They were both surprised to see Nathan hop out and run up to Drew. He seemed flustered, his cheeks a rosy pink and his eyes bigger than usual. Drew laughed but spoke her concern.

"I have to ask you something, something really, really important".

"But why do you look like you just ran a marathon?" Drew asked, amused.

Nathan ran a hand through his hair.

"My car broke down at the hospital, so I borrowed Dr. Carter's truck, which you know I can hardly drive sense it's a stick. Anyway-" By then they were walking up the porch steps. The flowers around them had weltered and stopped blooming, but like every spring they'll blossom beautifully. "-rushed through the traffic which is always horrendous and that would usually bother me. But the only thing that was important to me was to ask you something".

Drew looked up at Nathan curiously, but the excitement behind her eyes didn't go unnoticed. She loved seeing Nathan like this - flustered and stumbling on his words. Usually he was composed and calm, and logical about a lot of things. But this Nathan she adored, this Nathan she wished she saw more.

Then her eyes got really wide when he pulled something out of his scrubs pocket. It was a small, velvet box and he held it carefully.

"Nathan".

With hopeful eyes, Nathan kneeled down on one knee and proposed to Drew who didn't say anything at first. Her jaw slack, she gazed from the opened box and back at Nathan. Part of Nancy was nervous that Drew would say no, it seemed to have hung on her lips. But then Drew did the unthinkable - she started to cry. Don't get her wrong, Drew cried as much tears as anyone, but these tears were of utter happiness.

"Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. A million times yes!" Shouted Drew, dropping to the floor and wrapping her arms around his neck. And when Nancy realized that they won't be getting up any time soon, she went inside.