One More Valentine. [ManxMan] 🦂

Clayton

“ He is tired,” I say. Pouring a glass of wine to mom. And Ewen and Charles. Then Evan and his date Kent. Then some old handsome guy who came with mom.

I look back at mom and she winks at me, sipping her wine with a grin on her face.

“Damn woman, you still got it don’t you. That man is fiiiine.” I tease her.

“I know.” She teases back. A copy right of her son lance. From the confidence, to their soul. They are wonderful people. And I am glad to know them. To have them in my life.

And just as a cue, lance is running down the stairs, then stops.

My heart stops.

Oh no.

That’s not what I meant.

I start walking to him and he stops me. Raises his hand and tries to take a breath.

He looks around, then his eyes land back to mine. Shit shit shit.

“lance, babe.”

“you…”he tries to say something. The papers on his one hand, the ring on the other. Tears threatened to escape his eyes.

How many times do I make this man cry?

“I love you.” I say. I say the words we both know. In a language we both love. “ I love you,” I say again. taking steps to follow him at the top of the stairs.

He looks at me. Relief washes over him.

“but?” he raises the ring. I nod.

“but listen to me. I have  a lot to tell you. To ask you. And I hope you will say yes.” I reach the stair he was standing, took his hand in mine then lead him down where everyone is waiting.

I feel him shaking. Trembling.

I need to say this fast before he breaks down. He needs to know.

“There is a reason why I took off my wedding ring.” I tell him.

“you never did.” His voice is hurt. Uncertain.

“I know. And I never will.” I assure him.

He nods. Skeptically.

“We have been through a lot together. An emotional roller coaster if I can say that and the last thing I want to do is put us through that pit again. but lance, it's through that pit that I got to love you more. It's through that pit I got to know the man I married loves me to the moon and back.” I say.

“I do.” He whispers.

“I know. And that is why I want to ask you one question. But before that, I wanted to know if you still want to divorce me.”

Lance answers me by shredding the papers into tiny pieces with a  speed I have never seen. Then he looks at me, saying nothing else.

He takes a breath. I do too. Only I know what I want to ask is a good question. The best one if not. “Will you let me love you for the next 70 years?”

The question lingers in the air before it settles in his mind. Then his heart.

It looks like he is letting my words sink in. his expression changes every millisecond.

I don’t push him. I wait for him. Something I will do as long as I have him beside me.

He is everything.

“I don’t want this one more valentine to end just because the day is over. I want to have an everyday valentine with you. I want to make you happy every single time. To cherish you and love you with everything I have got. I want to make love to you every day. When I am happy, when I am sad. Even when I am apologizing.”