Chapter Twenty: Lazy Sunday Afternoon
TWO WEEKS LATER
CHRIS
"Chris do you want salted or sweet popcorn?"
"Err sweet will do love."
I turned back to the TV as I scanned through Netflix trying to find a film for the two of us to watch on this lazy Sunday afternoon. Being lazy people between the two of us we must have watched almost every film and TV show available which meant we needed to get lives outside the apartment. I sighed in defeat and turned Netflix off, it looked like we'd have to go old school and choose a DVD from our joint selection. Turns out we both liked different genres so our film collection was extensive, but this made choosing a movie to watch together quite hard.
I think I was busying myself with the movie selection to calm my nerves for the bigger thing I was going to do today. The guys had come over earlier to help me set up cameras and microphones around the living room to capture the moment, the moment I asked Rachel to marry me and spend the rest of her life with me. I bought the ring a week ago with the help of Phil because PJ and Dan could be immature in nice places sometimes; they all approved and didn't think I was crazy. The three of them loved Rachel like a sister and they admitted that if I was happy with her and she was happy with me then they wouldn't stop us from being happy together.
I needed to find the right moment. But that was harder than I first expected, movies and TV made proposing look easy and magical when in reality it was bloody stressful. Maybe I should just come out and ask when it felt natural; Rachel wasn't the type of girl who wanted hype and suspense. Would she say yes? I hadn't really planned what would happen if she said no.
"Here's the popcorn Chris, are you still choosing the film?"
I jumped back slightly at the sound of her angelic voice behind me, I glanced over my shoulder and smiled as she made herself comfortable on the sofa. She was beautiful when she didn't wear makeup, her hair was up in a messy bun and she was wearing one of my jumpers which swamped her with a pair of sweats because to quote her 'I know I don't need to dress up to impress you Chris because you love me for me and that's why I'm never letting you go'. Those words made me think that she wouldn't say no if I proposed.
"Yeah, we're probably the worst people to watch films with because we can never decide."
"That makes us unique."
I felt some popcorn hit the back of my head and slip down the back of my shirt causing me to shiver. Rachel laughed and nearly dropped the bowl of popcorn all over herself.
"Oh now you're going to get it."
Her eyes widened as I stood up and lunged at her before pinning her to the sofa, she squealed and dropped the popcorn causing the bowl to hit the carpet.
"Get off me fat ass."
"I'm you're fat ass though Rachel."
I bent my head and captured her lips; she wrapped her arms around my shoulders before deepening the kiss. It looked like the movie was forgotten for now. After a couple of minutes Rachel pulls back and sighs.
"You're my fat ass Chris. I love moments like these when it's just the two of us alone, no YouTube controlling us."
A huge smile creeped onto my face.
"I feel the same way Rachel; I could stay like this forever. Just the two of us and maybe a kid in the future."
The last part just slipped out and Rachel's face became unreadable as she shuffled from beneath me so that she was sitting up. I chewed my lip while mentally slapping myself for letting something that should have stayed in my head out of my mouth. What if this ruined our relationship? What if Rachel didn't want kids? This was something we'd never discussed before.
"Shit, I'm sorry Rachel I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable and now I've just ruined our lazy Sunday afternoon. I'm going to go and put my head in the microwave, feel free to hate me."
I hastily got up off the sofa wanting to be as far away from Rachel as possible, I also needed to make a mental note to delete the video footage before the guys had a reason to mock me for the rest of my life. But before I could move more than five steps her hand darted out and grabbed my wrist quite forcefully bringing me to a stop.
"Chris don't put your head in the microwave. It just took me a bit by surprise, do you want to know why?"
"Why?"
Curiosity got the better of me and I sat back down next to her, her hand left my wrist and entwined her fingers through mine.
"I didn't know you thought like that Chris. I mean yes I do want to have children in the future and I very much would like them to be with you. But we can't think of children until we're married, oh god am I freaking you out now?"
My mouth opened and then closed like a gold fish at her mention of marriage. Of course I was thrilled when she pretty much stated that she was going to have my children, but she wanted to be hitched first to keep it traditional which I understood. I shook my head.
"No you're not freaking me out Rachel, wow we really are an odd couple aren't we? But that does lead me to the whole point of spending the day together.'
"What do you mean Chris?"
She tilts her head to the side. It was now or never to ask the big question.
"I have an important question to ask you Rachel."
I got up and she gasped covering her mouth with her hand as I knelt down on one knee in front of her, which was a typical reaction you got in the movies and on TV. I fumbled slightly to get the little black box out of my hoodie pocket before taking a deep breath and looking the girl I loved in the eyes.
"Ever since you came into my life Rachel you've made it so much better than it was. Without you I wouldn't have an organised tea cupboard or a regular cleaning schedule. I also wouldn't have found a reason to smile and laugh again, we started off as friends and then we helped build each other up. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and hopefully you feel the same way or this whole speech is pretty pointless. Enough rambling by me, Rachel Watts will you marry me?"
I popped open the box and saw tears in Rachel's eyes as she admired the ring.
"Of course I'll marry you Chris, I wouldn't be anything without my lovable dork and fat ass."
I put the ring on her extended finger and had just enough time to brace myself before she jumped off the sofa and into my arms. This was probably the happiest day of my life; never in a million years did I ever think I'd find my other half and marry her. Yet here I was with an amazing girlfriend who I could now call my fiancé and then in the future my wife and mother of my children.
"This would have been so awkward if you said no Rachel."
She threw her head back and laughed before latching her arms around my shoulders.
"That's our thing Chris, we will also be that awkward couple. Now kiss your future wife."
I did as she commanded and kissed her passionately. We stayed in each other's embrace until Rachel pulled back and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively before motioning to the bedroom over her shoulder.
"I think we should continue this in the bedroom Mr Kendall. Because firstly I want to, and secondly because the guys really weren't that subtle hiding the cameras and I don't fancy them watching us having sex."
So she'd seen the cameras and didn't question me, I shuddered at the thought of three of my closest friends watching me have sex on their computers. We were close friends, but not that close.
"That can be arranged Mrs Kendall."
Rachel grinned before pecking my lips.
"I like the sound of that Chris, it has a nice ring to it."
I somehow stood up while still keeping a hold of her without being my clumsy self and falling over something. I carried her bridal style towards the bedroom but not before stopping and winking at one of the cameras.
"I'm going to be the best husband Rachel. I can't wait to plan the wedding together."
In my arms she scoffed and shoved my shoulder.
"You can help plan the wedding by agreeing with all my choices babe."
I rolled my eyes before shutting the bedroom door with my foot. I had a feeling just planning the wedding alone was going to be a whole new hurdle for the two of us to climb. Well at least we'd get to climb it together and hopefully we'd have a smooth ride, but since when has anything in our lives leading up to this moment been smooth? One word, never.