Beautiful Mistake

xlvii

"So Vienna and I talked and we have our first prenatal appointment this Saturday," Warren tells me, sitting down on the couch with me.

"Have you heard the rumors about her War? Are you sure you're even the father of the baby? And didn't you hear she already has a kid!"

"Yes, I heard all of that. I asked her about it and she does already have a kid, I haven't met her yet but Vienna said that she's so kind. And I believe her when she says I'm the only person she had sex with three months ago," I roll my eyes. He's got to be kidding me! He can't take responsibility for somebody else's kid!

"Warren that's so stupid! Why would you take someone's kid as yours?"

"No, it's not stupid. That little girl needs a father figure in her life. Vienna lives alone, she has a daycare to babysit her daughter while she's at school and then after she takes her daughter home, leaves her with a nanny as she works. That little girl needs a stable living environment and if it takes getting her mom pregnant to have that then I guess that's what happened."

"Warren you know I love you, but you need to watch yourself, I don't want you getting screwed over by her if all of those rumors about her are true," This time, Warren rolls his eyes.

"Okay, when we go to the clinic I'll ask for a test. I hope that doesn't ruin the relationship that Vienna and I have built a foundation for," I give him a hug, "I have to go, but I'll see you next weekend Care," I nod and he gets up to leave.

"Don't be mad at me!" I shout as he walks away.

"I'm not mad! Just upset you won't understand my decisions!" I hear the front door shut and sigh. I don't know what the hell he's getting himself into, but he really does need to get everything situated before he hops on the bandwagon of fatherhood.

-

Friday! The day of the free! Valentine's Day is coming up and Collin has decided that we celebrate it today. Whatever that means. I leave my last class of the day and Collin stands where he normally does, waiting for me.

"Hey! Do you wanna go home and change before we go or do you wanna stay in that?"

I look at my clothes and raise my eyebrows, "Do I have to change?"

"No, you don't have to," I nod, "But I'd like to pick up our bathing suits," I give him a look but he just smiles.

"C'mon," He takes my hand and leads me to the car. We go to our apartment and Collin tells me he has to run in by himself for a few minutes. I wait impatiently in the car, playing with something new every fifteen seconds.

Collin comes from around the corner and throws a couple bags into the back seat.

"Okay, keys, wallet, clothes," He checks his pockets before starting the car up again. We get on the freeway and drive for a while, "What do you think we're gonna do?"

I shrug, "I don't know, you won't tell me, but I do know that we are using our bathing suits for something."

"It's a surprise that's why," Collin continues driving, "Do me a favor and put this on will you?" He reaches in the backseat and shows me a blindfold.

"Is this gonna get kinky?" I laugh, taking it from him. The entire thing covers my eyes and I can't see a thing, "I'm fully blinded," I say, laying my head back on the seat, "I'm gonna take a nap."

"We're almost there but okay, take a nap."

-

I regain my consciousness and take the blindfold off. The outside is dark and the dash reads a bright 9:48 pm. I look to my left and Collin is nowhere to be found, did he really let me sleep this long? I rub the sleep out of my eyes and check my face in the mirror.

I get out of the car and look around at my surroundings. I'm at the beach. Whitmore again. I walk down to the shore and see Collin, sitting on a blanket with a picnic set up.

"I didn't expect you to sleep so long," Collin says, smiling as I approach him.

"Why didn't you wake me?" I ask, sitting down next to him.

"Because everyone knows we don't wake you up, you'll be grumpy," He kisses my cheek and pulls out a bowl of fresh grapes, "They probably taste weird now, they've been in here for five hours."

I laugh as I take one, "We'll see," I pop one in my mouth and it tastes a little bitter but nonetheless is still good, "So, what's all this for?"

The sounds of the waves crashing on the rocks sound beautiful and calming. He has a tiny lantern in between us and the picnic blanket is full of cute decorations.

"I've realized we've never really been on a date and I just wanted to let you know how much I really do appreciate you in my life." I can't contain a smile, but when Collin reaches into his pocket and pulls out a white velvet box, my heart skips a beat, "This relationship we have established was really rocky at the beginning because I was being difficult as hell, but I just want to say I'm sorry for all of that. All that I put you through was shitty of me and I'll forever regret that. You and the twins mean the absolute world to me and I don't know what I'd do without you three."

"Oh, Collin," He opens the box to reveal a beautiful ring.

"I got rose gold so it'll match your phone," I laugh and feel the tears pool in my eyes, "So, Caroline Marie Folsen, I have made many mistakes throughout my seemingly short life, but I know for a fact that loving you is definitely not one of them. Will you marry me?"

I put my left hand out and it shakes uncontrollably, "Yes," I say, my voice breaking.

"Holy shit, I didn't expect to do that well," Collin says breathlessly, taking the ring from the box, "I also video chatted your dad and asked him for his blessing, not to mention the fact that him and his buddies threatened me with their grenades," His hand is also shaking but he manages to slide the ring onto my finger.

"I love you," I pull him closer to me and give him a long, passionate kiss. If you asked me seven months ago how I felt about Collin, I would've told you I had a major crush on the soccer player. Now, I'm gonna marry him.

"I love you more," He whispers, kissing my forehead.