"Dophin!" Harriet shrieks as she lunges at the railing.
Mae grabs her around the waist. "What did we say about the railings!? Jackson! Seriously, a boat with a 3 year old!"
He leans back in his chair and pushes his sunglasses up. "Mae, you are worrying way too much. Harriet has been on boats a lot in her life."
Mae sits Harriet beside her and sits back on the booth couch as she looks out at the ocean behind Jackson. "You never told me you owned a yacht." She says for the 100th time, looking at him as she tilts her head.
"It isn't mine exactly." He shrugs. "Will you relax?"
"Not when your kid is set on launching herself off the edge!" Mae tuts.
Jackson laughs and takes her hands across the table. "Just relax. We are here for a vacation, okay? You know what one of those is, no?"
She shoves his hands away playfully. "Never heard of one."
He laughs again and sits back. "I know you haven't." He winks and motions to the stewardess. "Can you take Harriet below and settle her? Mae and I will take our dinner on the upper deck."
"Yes, Mr Avery." She nods and reaches over Mae to take Harriet.
Mae watches and turns to Jackson once they're gone. "You're okay letting- no, no I know your answer."
"They aren't strangers." He assures her.
"Exactly that! Knew it!" She tuts teasingly.
He laughs and shakes his head. "You've got to get used to this." He says gently.
"It's your money, not mine." Mae holds her hands up. "I'm okay with my wage and pension."
"You old lady." He tuts.
"The oldest." She smiles.
They make their way upstairs, Mae holding the bannister tightly as she gets used to walking on a surface that rocks gently side to side. She pauses at the top of the steps to admire the setting sun on the horizon, admiring the reflection on the water, too.
"I was thinking that we go ashore tomorrow, do some shopping." Jackson suggests as he pulls a chair out for her.
She sits as she thanks him. "What about Harriet?"
"She'll stay with the crew, she enjoys their attention." He sits down and pulls the Cork from the wine.
"It's her holiday, too." Mae tuts.
"I know, that's why we'll take her to the water park the day after tomorrow. They're doing a Bluey thing and you know she'll go wild." He smiles. "Okay?"
Mae relaxes and sighs. "Okay okay."
"Shut up, relax and eat." He orders as he sets his napkin over his lap.
"You're so damn bossy." She smirks and smiles. "I like it."
"Oh yeah? Good to know." He smirks, a glint in his blue eyes.
-
"What exactly are we looking for?" Mae asks as she looks around at some of the stalls, the farmers market full of fresh produce she just wants to snatch up.
"We're just cutting through to the stores. Unless you wanted to look?" He says as he leads, pulling her gently by her hand.
"I'll go wherever you want." She hums with a soft shrug.
Jackson smiles to himself and leads her down a side street; Italy is one of his favourite countries. Especially Positano. Hence why he wants to propose to her here. He's thought of a thousand different ways to ask and none of them seem right. Nothing feels extravagant enough but at the same time, too extravagant. Too much. But not enough.
He casually leads her round some stores; she reluctant let's him buy her a new purse and some sandals. She oogles some of the necklaces in the windows and soon she leads him into a jewellery store; this wasn't his plan but god, its perfect timing.
"Which is your favourite?" He asks as she looks at some of the rings.
"They're all beautiful." She hums as she looks at them all. "But waaaay too expensive."
He rests his hand on the small of her back. "To you, maybe. If you got married, what ring would you want?"
She quirks a brow. "Weird question." She hums but her hand glides across the glass to point to one opposite her. Its an oval, thin diamond on a gold band with a matching wedding band, V shaped to sit around the stone. "That. It's like what my mom had." She says quietly. "I always remembered that she had a similar ring on top, it was like a trio, and it was all our birthstones." She shrugs.
"We'll take try it." He says to the woman.
Mae's brows shoot up. "Nooo my fingers are too stubby-"
"How will we know if its right unless you try it?" He smiles taking the rings from the woman.
"Maybe when we plan on getting married, we can look." She says, not lifting her hand.
"Oh right hang on..." He sinks to one knee. "Mae Wigan, it was incredibly rude of me to not ask any sooner. But now I've manned up and found the confidence, will you do me the honor of being my wife?"
Mae's jaw drops as she stares at him holding the ring up. "I - uh - huh..." she squeaks. She can't find words. Or movement. But she manages to slowly nod twice and half lift her hand.
Jackson gently takes it and begins to slide the ring on her ring finger; Mae holds her breath waiting for it to not fit but she gasps loud as it slides right on. "Meant to be." He muses as he stands.
Mae grabs his face and kisses him hard. "You didn't tell me you were planning this! How long have you been planning this!?"
He laughs and holds her close, passing his card over to the woman. "It wouldn't have been a surprise if I told you. And I've been toying for months but decided for sure about 2 weeks ago."
"When..." Mae realises.
He nods small. "I couldn't bare the thought of losing you without showing you how much I truly love you." He says quietly, brushing her hair back. "It would have killed me."
She wraps her arms tightly around his neck and buries her face in him, not saying a word. She holds tightly for a few moments before letting go. "You ass." She mutters. "We don't keep secrets."
"This was a good secret though, no?" He smiles and takes his card and the small gift bag containing the wedding band. "Shall we go call MJ?"
Mae gasps. "She doesn't know!?"
"I think she guessed but I didn't tell anyone. Well, except my guy." He shrugs, arm around her as they walk out.
Mae can't stop looking at the ring on her finger. "You have a guy. Of course you have a guy." She laughs to herself. "I'm engaged. I'm engaged! Ha! Look! Look at this!" She waves it at a few strangers they pass.
Jackson grabs her hand as he laughs. "Oh my god, will you stop?" He teases, pushing her to sit at a table in a shady spot just outside of a cafe. "Call you friend, I'm gonna grab us some drinks to celebrate."
Mae pulls her phone out and instantly hits call on MJ. She clears her throat and composes herself some, looking a little down as MJ appears. "Hi- oh god, what? Italy is meant to be a dream but you look like a nightmare."
"I uh I hurt my hand." Mae says and shrugs small.
"Hurt- how?" MJ frowns, sitting up a little. "You're a doctor, can't you figure it out?"
"It feels super heavy. And weird. And I can't figure out why..." she trails off and scratches her cheek with her left hand.
"You probably slept on it. Or Jackson's fat ass laid on it. Is he there? Was my insult wasted?" MJ says oblivious.
Mae coughs and scratches her nose. "He's grabbing drinks to celebrate."
"Celebrate? Celebrate wh- what the fuck is that!" MJ screams as she stands quickly. "Oh shit I think I peed." She mutters but then screams again. "You're engaged!?!"
"Fuck off." Bently yells in the background. "No way!"
Mae giggles like a lovesick teenager. "I'm engaged!" She holds her hand up close to the camera, keeping the phone at arms length.
Jackson slips in beside her. "I can hear the screaming from here." He jokes.
"You ass!" MJ snaps playfully. "You never said anything!"
"It was spontaneous." He defends with a smile.
Bentley appears behind her. "Congrats guys. Jackson, you've done the impossible - no one ever thought Mae would settle."
"Hey!" Mae whines.
"I'm sorry, its true." MJ giggles. "Oh you need to send me a picture of the ring, it's gorgeous. I bet it cost a looooot."
Mae realises then that she never considered that. "How much..." she slowly says as she looks at Jackson.
"Thirshyr fur thusnad." He coughs and clears his throat as he says the number. "But its perfect so price doesn't matter!" He quickly adds.
Mae swallows hard. "I suddenly feel like it needs to be glued to my hand." She nervously laughs.
"Glued and welded and taped in place." MJ smiles. "I'm so freaking happy for you, oh you're the cutest couple." She begins to cry.
Mae and Jackson laugh. "MJ, don't have this baby before we get back." Jackson warns. "She won't ever forgive me if you do."
"No promises." She sobs.
Once the calls ended, Jackson and Mae sit in a cosy silence, her hand in his as he plays with her new ring. They sit watching the people cliff dive just below the balcony they sit by, families run around, children laugh. Their bubble is bliss and they never want to leave it. Ever.