EPILOGUE
You're the coffee that I need in the morning
You're my sunshine in the rain when it's pouring
Won't you give yourself to me
Give it all, oh
—Best Part
H.E.R.
3 years later
I STEERED in sporting a t-shirt that said 'I need my morning caffeine'. I grinned when Ray turned and scanned my T-shirt.
His lips curved up in a wry smile and his eyebrow arched up.
"Couldn't have guessed." He rolled his eyes as I pecked him on the lips and took a sip from his cup. When it reached my lips, my face twisted in distaste.
"What the hell?" My head lowered and looked inside the mug.
Green tea.
"Not everybody "needs coffee to live" there are other options as well, you know?" He smirked while air-quoting my go-to line.
I frowned as I handed him his cup back and forced myself to move forward and lethargically reach for another cup.
"So dramatic." Ray muttered.
I pursed my lips and turned towards Ray to pester him for not making coffee for me. I found him holding a steaming cup of coffee towards me.
"You might as well as have proposed." I beamed as I took a sip, my lips finally met with the magic dose.
He looked at me with wide eyes.
Oh shit.
Did I just drop the marriage idea?
Just like that!
Ugh.
That's the reason I need my coffee. So I don't do stupid stuff like this. My eyes met his while sipped from the cup. I inhaled the aroma to calm my nerves.
It worked.
Always does.
He turned and rested his cup on the kitchen counter. I observed him as his hands reached for ingredients without even glancing at them. He worked in the kitchen with such finesse. Sometimes I wondered, a ballet symphony might start. And he will perform a ballet performance while cooking.
I think weird sometimes.
I blinked my stupid thoughts away. I watched Ray turn on the tv to catch the morning headlines. I rolled my eyes and put on my headphones with my piano melodies. I needed to align myself in the morning. Not get devastated hearing the world being its usual cataclysmic self.
He glanced at me and his eyebrows arched up questioningly.
"I have absolutely no interest in getting acquainted with what's going on in the world first thing in the morning." I explained.
We had moved in together a few weeks ago. It's amazing how even though you know the person after all these years, living with someone takes it all to the next level. It's like a natural way of getting acquainted with the person. Knowing their needs and wants. When you see the same face you had fallen in love with all those years ago the first thing in the morning. It kicks some different kind of emotion in you. You realise there will always be something unknown and you get excited because you want to know every bit of it.
I realised there was still a lot to learn about the person in front of me and I was thrilled to go on that journey with him. I loved that the first thing I saw in the morning was his smile. He always woke up before me. The warmth in his eyes never faded. Sometimes they were tired when work was pushing. Sometimes they were naughty when he was planning things that made me blush just by the thought of. Sometimes he just stared with that thoughtful look on his face. But he was always there. Right beside me.
Living together is the best.
"Well, you should've mentioned that before I'll just read the headlines online." He picked up the remote to probably shut off the tv.
"Oh no no, you continue with your routine." I raised my hands up and waved him off.
He raised an eyebrow and shut the tv off.
"If I can't do these little things for you then what kind of a man am I?" He shook his head and cracked the eggs into the pan.
My eyes passed over this man dreamingly.
"A very bad one." I teased.
He shook his head with his lips curved up from the side. He was clean shaven and freshly showered. Plain white T-shirt and tailored navy blue trousers that fit him perfectly.
I smirked.
"Enjoying the view?" He muttered without even looking at me.
My lips spread wider.
I put off my headphones and set them on the counter.
When I brought the mug for another sip I heard a tinkling sound from my cup.
My eyes widened and I froze.
Ray had his hands in his pants and was looking at me with an adoringly smug expression.
My teeth pierced my lip.
My eyes moved to peek inside the cup and there it was, a platinum band resting in the dark liquid.
I gulped.
My lips parted and my eyes locked with a beaming Ray.
"You're kidding." I whispered.
"If kidding means proposing, then yes, yes I am."
Oh my god.
"Emilia Kyra Hawthorne, will you be my wife?" He looked at me intently and my eyes watered.
I gasped.
Shit.
This was really happening.
Holy pancakes. I was getting married. Me, myself, the person who used to once run away from the word of commitment was literally going to marry it. This man changed my life, in more ways than one. Without him, I wouldn't have realised how much I loved photography and there came the idea of my app for photographers all around the world. It had been doing great so far and I myself was contributing to it on a daily basis by uploading my own work on it.
The app was basically a job hunting site, but for photographers. I had squealed in glee when I had thought of the idea in the middle of the night and I was sure Raymond must have contemplated leaving me that night. I was jumping like a crazy high person and he was just staring at me with wide eyes. He didn't even ask what happened just waited patiently for me to cool down until I pitched the idea to him and he agreed it was quite a good one.
I don't think I could have ever found a man better than the man in front of me if I had even gone on a world scavenger hunt. But there he was, smiling adoringly at me, stayed through all my crazy phases and loved me regardless. And I still couldn't reckon how after so many years I could only love him more. I bit my lip and struggled to breathe as all thoughts left me and my mind, body and soul focused only on the man in front of me.
My steps rushed towards him and I jumped into his arms. His sturdy arms held me secure as I put my legs around his torso.
"Is that a yes?" He whispered with the tip of his nose brushing the sensitive skin of my neck.
"Yes." I whispered.
I squealed as he swung me around I held onto him tightly.
"I love you." I voiced and giggled.
"I love you." He brushed his nose with mine.
I raised my head and rested on his chest.
"You have made me the happiest man on earth." His eyes were looking at me with so much love, so much happiness that it made me giddy with the sudden realisation that this was happening.
"And I am happiest woman on earth." I whispered as he slid the ring on my finger. I can't believe he remembered I hated diamonds. It was a weird thing to hate but I just couldn't fathon the rage. The simplicity of the platinum band made me realise this was the best ring he could've chosen for me. He really did knew me well.
I was getting married.
To the love of my life.
Unplanned.
And I wouldn't have it any other way.
*
"How did Zach propose to you?" He asked after we settled down to have my favourite food, extra cheesy cheeseburgers, spicy fries, nuggets and a bottle of coke.
He had burned the breakfast and I proposed to order for us.
Apprehensive at first, he was quite acquainted with my 'unhealthy' food obsession. He agreed, but not after making me understand that this was not something to get used to and was only a one-time thing.
Yeah right.
One kiss and this man melts for me quicker than ice cream in summers.
"Why do you wanna know, it didn't mean anything." I knitted my eyebrows.
"I just need to know for manly reasons." He nodded.
More like ego reasons.
"Nothing can compare to proposing through coffee." I assured him.
He grinned like a kid.
My heart squeezed. Man, I was whipped.
"Still? Out of curiosity." He shrugged.
I gulped some coke to prepare myself.
"Well, one day he just dropped the idea that we should get married, I agreed and then the next thing I know he got this ring and asked me to check if it was the right size. It was same one that you handed me the next morning after that well...night. And when I said it fit he said to just keep it. And so I did." I shrugged.
We were one weird couple might I say it.
Ray was speechless as he blinked at me.
"Ego inflated?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Hell yeah." He scoffed. I rolled my eyes.
I smirked as Ray eyed the goodies in front of him apprehensively. I could practically see his mind calculating god knows what.
"Just eat it already." I groaned.
His eyes met mine and muttered something along the lines of 'God help me' and picked his cheeseburger.
I watched him patiently as he took a bite in slow fucking motion and chewed in slow fucking motion.
This guy would be the death of me.
I would have eaten half of it by now.
I rolled my eyes at his antics.
"So...how is it?" I raised my eyebrows suggestively.
He swallowed slowly.
I resisted the urge to smack him.
"It's—" He ran a tongue on his lower lip and his lips curved up.
"God, you look so cute when you are impatient." He chuckled.
I scowled at him and raised an eyebrow.
"It's great." He ended me of my misery and I squealed.
"Told you it was delirious." I practically jumped up from my stool and pointed at his burger.
He laughed and nodded.
I finally sat down and took a bite of mine with a serene mind.
"Doesn't make it any less unhealthy though."
My head raised and met his serious eyes.
God, I love this man.
***
A/n: Hides in the corner shyly after being AWOL for almost a month. Comes out slowly and tries to give her best smile and then throws confetti out of sudden!
Hey guys! This was the freaking EPILOGUE and I hope you guys liked it! It was nice coming back to this book.
P.s. Another book is coming.
Edit: My next book is up on Wattpad exclusively! The name is 'Senseless Purpose' and you guys can check it out on my profile if you want :)
~Ria