Probably

Chapter 19

Sounds perfect

Antoine

"Then marry me and let me keep you happy." I said, still looking down at our linked hands. I kept fidgeting with the ring on Ronnie's finger because I was terribly nervous and worried and apprehensive about the answer I was going to hear.

She didn't say anything. And this just made my heart pound faster. I turned my face towards her to look into her mesmerising hazel eyes. She looked up at me and I don't know whether I make sense but, I just fell in love with her all over again.

Everything about her was perfect. She had perfectly rosy cheeks, big eyes, naturally thick and curled eyelashes, a sharp nose and to top it all of, her lips were arched even better than the cupid's bow. She didn't need make-up to enhance her features. Instead all she had to do was just flash her white, dazzling smile and that was enough to win me head over heals.

Her eyes always gave me a sense of security. It always found a way to assure me that everything was going to be fine, no matter how grave the situation was. And as I continued to find my stability and confidence in them, Ronnie climbed on top of me and sat on my lap.

Our hands had not parted yet. Neither had our eye contact. And as the silence that enveloped us deepened, so did our affection for each other. She had tears rolling down her eyes but along with that, there was a sweet smile that had finally appeared. She looked down at my shirt, breaking our eye contact and she simply started fidgeting with the button on my shirt.

As time passed, I got restless from within because I wished to know her answer to my question. I was about to ask her once again but before I said anything, she sighed and cleared her voice before uttering one word out from her mouth with a soft and shaky voice-"Why?"

Why? -  a question whose answer I have literally been  practicing for the last 2 years, more specifically over the past one week. I mean, one might think I would have been quick to answer this question but truth being told, I actually didn't know what to say. I felt as if I lost my voice. You see, no matter how many times I practice an answer to this question, I will still take my time to accumulate my feelings, summarise them correctly and then frame it with the perfect words such that she has to say a yes.

So naturally, I took my time and calmed myself. All I did was simply place a strand of her hair, that had escaped from her bun, behind her ears and I wiped her tears with my thumb. I placed my hand on her cheek and immediately, I felt her warm hand over mine, trying to ensure that my hand stayed on her cheeks firmly. As I caressed her cheek, I pulled her body close to mine and placed my free hand on her lower waist gently.

She flinched on my touch. I got scared, thinking that she might not be ready yet. I moved my hand away from her waist but she immediately grabbed hold of it and placed it back on her lower waist. I smiled as I felt happy know that we were on the same page. I looked into her eyes and I no longer felt afraid to answer her question. All of a sudden, I had a feeling that I knew exactly what I had to say to her-

"Because... you were my past, you are my present and you will always be my future. Because... I want to wake up every morning to your beautiful face and also end my day looking at it. You are the very reason I wake up, every morning, and every night I go sleep, knowing that I will wake up to see you again. I want to be your dream and fantasy just the way you are mine.

I want to make you breakfast in bed everyday. I want to pack you your lunch before you leave for work and eat dinner with you everyday, no matter how late you come back from work. I want to play fortnight and fifa with you and win against you so that I get the chance to see that cute little pout on your face and give my everything to make it up to you. I want to raise kids with you, make mistakes with you and learn from them with you by my side.

Every time you go on stage to receive an award I want to tell people proudly-' That's my wife, the love of my life. The reason for all my achievements.'

I want to have a barbecue in our back yard and I want to go on picnics with you. I want to shoot videos of you having fun with our kids. I want to travel the world with you. I want my experience to be our experience.

I want to say many other things but you know I prefer actions than words... so in short - I want be with you, no matter how much time we have together because the only thing that matters to me now is you, and you being a part of my today for the rest of the tomorrows that we will share."

She had tears rolling down her eyes as I spoke and to be honest, I myself got emotional because all the things I said, came straight from my heart and I meant every single one of those words. I cried because I was finally able to confess my true feelings and desires to the woman I love. She looked down and placed a hand on my chest where my shirt had become wet because of our tears. She smiled and said- "I am sorry about the shirt."

I laughed through my tears. I looked at her still expecting an answer to my question when I realised she still had some more enquiries. I lifted her face with my fingers and as we made eye contact again, she spoke-

" I really want to answer your question Toine but before I do, there are certain things I need to know...Do you have any idea what you are signing up for when it comes to my disease? Things are just going to get worse from here on. I don't want to be a burden to you and I surely don't want my presence to effect Mia. And secondly, you live in Madrid and I live in London. It's not possible for either of us to displace ourselves and permanently move to a different place. So even if I do say yes, how are you proposing that we deal with this distance?"

I looked at her and smiled. I liked hearing her talk about us and our future together.

" I am going to honest with you, I don't know what I am signing into but whatever it is, I am ready to face it as long as you let me be by your side, holding your hand. You never were, you aren't, and you never will be a burden to me and you could never effect Mia. She loves you.

I don't promise that we will always have good times with zero problems. There will be bad days, days where either one of us or both might want to walk away but the only thing I can promise is that we will always work things out. I know it's scary and to be honest I have been shivering ever since I asked you to marry me and I didn't get an immediate answer. But all this still doesn't make me want to not be with you.

And about the distance, I am shifting to England in June. I left Atletico and I have signed a contract with Manchester United because I wanted to be close to you at all times and also because I didn't want to displace you. So will you marry..."

Before I could finish my sentence, I was engaged by a soft yet passionate kiss that I have been dreaming forever about. She broke from the kiss and as she bit her lower lip, a pretty and shy smile formed on the corners of her mouth. I blushed looking at it and I couldn't help the smile that formed on my face.

As she rested her forehead on mine, her fingers kept playing around with the hair on my neck. It felt so satisfying to know that she was there with me right now. I felt like I was melting. Although I know the kiss meant 'yes' I just still wanted to be absolutely sure.

"Is that a yes?"

"Do you have a ring?" She asked laughing.

"Um.. yeah.... yeah. It’s right here in my pocket." I said taking it out,  completely confused. I showed it to her and she simply took the ring from the box and wore it on her finger. She stared at it for some time and then looked back at me amused.

"What do you think Mr. Griezmann?" She said flashing the ring on her finger.

"I think it's perfect Mrs. Griezmann." I said smiling widely.

"Mrs. Griezmann uh?"She said raising her eyebrows. My heart skipped a beat, thinking of the worst yet again. She looked at the ring on her finger again. After a great deal of thought and silence, she finally spoke, making me hold my breath.

"It has a good ring to it... I think it will suit me - Mrs. Veronica Griezmann... you know what? I love it."

"Then I shall call you that for the rest of my life."

"Sounds perfect." Was all she said before she kissed me again.

A/n: when i wrote this chp Antoine had just announced his departure from the team. So I didn't know which team he was going to choose. So I chose Manchester United because of the plot. Anyways I am happy he is in Barcelona now.