The task that faced us on that night sent shivers down my spine. Nelly had agreed to marry me, but that wasn't the end of my worries. We had to tell her parents...
Nelly and I stood hand-in-hand outside her house's front door, staring at it with our hearts shaking. She looked into my eyes and smiled. “It'll be ok.” She smiled.
I looked at our hands and the rings symbolising our commitment. “Yeah.” I nodded. With quivering fingers, I opened the door and we walked inside. It wasn't very late, and everyone was still in the living room.
“Hello, Snowflake.” Alexis called from the other room.
“H-hi, Mum...” Nelly spluttered back. We took a moment to hug each other, and then we went into the room, ready to face our challenge.
“Did you have a nice time?” Darragh asked, sat in the armchair by the fireplace.
“Yes, thanks...” Nelly replied. Her new little brother, Maruki, was fast asleep in Alexis' arms, clinging onto a small teddy bear. Bonnie was sat in front of the television, oblivious to our entrance. I caught Nelly's eye and she started everything off. “Mum, Dad...” She said slowly. “We have something to tell you...”
The mood seemed to transform, as her parents took full focus on her. Even Bonnie turned down the volume on the TV. “What is it, Sweetie?” Alexis asked, looking concerned.
“Toby and I...” Nelly went on, taking my hand again. “We're... W-we're going to get married... We're engaged...”
The silence that followed was awkward and cold. Darragh's eyes went from Alexis, to Nelly, to me and back. Her mother simply stared, expressionless.
“L-listen...” I swallowed, taking a deep breath. “I... I love Nelly... I love her more than anything in the world...”
Her parents seemed to try to say something, but no words came from their mouths.
“I promise you, I will always look after her. I'll protect her with my life if I have to... I know we're young, but... I know this is right. I love her... So... Please... Will you let me take Nelly's hand?”
“Are... Are you sure you want to do this, Nelly?” Darragh asked.
“It's a very important decision.” Alexis added.
“Of course I'm sure!” Nelly blurted. “I've always been sure! I love you both, but I love Toby too... With him, I feel special... I want us to eventually raise a family together... That's how sure I am...”
Alexis gently set the baby down and got up from the sofa. She wrapped her arms around Nelly and sniffed. “You really have grown up...”
“Mummy...” She croaked. Watched the two of them hug each other, and I felt a sense of relief. We did it...
“Toby.”
A hand was on my shoulder and I turned to see Darragh. “You had better take care of her.” He said sternly.
“O-of course! I will, always!”
We showed her parents our engagement rings and they both came to terms with the fact that their daughter had chosen her path. And by the looks of things, they accepted it. We also told them about sharing a bed every night, and the length of time our love had spanned. Both of which they heartily accepted too. Nelly was overjoyed, and it showed. So was I. The pressure was off of our shoulders now. We were properly engaged!
“Oh, Toby!” She smiled, throwing her arms around me. “I love you!”
“I love you too!” I grinned. We kissed each other there, in front of everyone for the first time. Alexis awed as Darragh smiled. Afterwards, even Bonnie cracked a little grin. Nelly and I pressed our foreheads together and stared into each other's eyes. It was like the start of a new life for us now. That night was full of the most wonderful cuddles I'd ever had.