Everyone felt better in the span of a few months and everything went normal again. Even my brother in law had been released since he had been found not guilty. And I moved in with Dick ever since.
All normal. Well, except that Rachel finally could ride a bicycle. She liked to spend more of her time by the manor and rode her bike every time she had a spare time.
As for now, one summer day, we had another beach trip. This time, it was just Dick, Rachel, Jason, Damian, and I. Also Roach the dog and Titus.
Rachel and I had been spending at least the last half an hour by the damp sand, drawing all the sea creatures she had in mind. After that, we watched the wave erased our drawing.
When the sun started going down, Rachel and I had already put our beach skirts and shirts on. We laid out a thin blanket and sat down, waiting for the sus to set while the boys... were being boys, still running around in their beach shorts.
Dick joined us a little while after I started playing with Rachel's hair. I ended up braiding Rachel's hair while Dick braided mine.
"Mommy," Rachel called out.
"Yes, honey?" I replied.
"Dad," Rachel called again.
"I'm listening, darling," Dick promised.
"Um... when are you gonna get married?" Rachel asked.
Thank God Dick happened to be braiding my hair behind me that he couldn't see my face.
"Oh, uh...," Dick chuckled, "That's a surprise."
"What about when are you gonna get engaged?" Rachel asked again.
"That's even a bigger surprise," Dick promised.
There would be no denial that I had butterflies in my stomach as if I was a teenager.
A few days later when I drove me to my work place before he drove to his, we talked about this accurance. We just thought it was funny that Rachel seemed to care about us as much as we cared about us. Though, it was really awkward.
Dick couldn't stop half chuckling half giggling, as what I concluded lately as what he did if he was nervous. I myself couldn't look at him without blushing.
"Well, uh... he he," I mumbled as Dick stopped the car in front of the nursing home. "See you later, Richie. Have a nice day."
"You, too, love," Dick said before we leaned in for a kiss.
I got out of the car and waited until Dick left. Instead, Dick rolled down the windshield that's closest to me.
"But, you'll marry me, though, right?" Dick asked.
I froze, leaving my jaw hanging, intending to answer at first. Dick himself lift up a finger to his lips.
"Don't answer it yet. Wait until this afternoon, okay?" Dick continued.
I scoffed half a grin awkwardly, "Okay."
With that, Dick sped off.
My day didn't go well. I kept getting flustered. I miscalled a few names and the seniors weren't really happy about it. I almost served the wrong food to the seniors with allergy.
I kept wondering if that was just a goofy question or if Dick was serious. I really couldn't tell. A part of me wanted to keep it casual and not exaggerate things in case Dick only asked a goofy question. Only... what if he was serious? Man's a goofy man, he took serious things in a goofy way.
Came lunch break, my mind was still full of things. Well, a thing. I didn't even realized I was eating soup with a fork until I got tired of my food not getting finished.
Then, it got even worse when I got my phone ringing. It was an unknown number that I ignored at first. Well, first and second time. However, on the third call, I picked up.
"Hello, is this Rome?" a strange voice asked.
I squint my eyes. Only Dick called me Rome.
"Dick's woman?" the voice added.
Woman?
"Oh... yeah," I confirmed. "It's Rome."
"Well, uh... I'm Wally, Dick's partner," he said.
My heart dropped.
Did Dick cheat on me?
"W-we were in the office and Dick was off since morning and suddenly he had a panic attack," Wally explained.
"What?" I hissed.
"He's in the ER in Gotham Central now," Wally added.
"What?!" I repeated.
"Are you able to come? I'll pick you up if that's necessary," Wally proceeded.
"No, wait there," I said before hanging up.
Following that, I quickly grabbed my stuff and probably told clear enough reason why I should leave to Marrie. Either way, she let me go.
I got myself an Uber to Gotham Central. The whole time, I'd been very nervous that the driver even sped up. I had a feeling that she thought I wanted to get to the ER myself. Which, wasn't completely wrong, but, I had my reasons that might be different with what she had in mind.
Someone who dressed like what Dick would look like before he went to work stood by the entrance. He had a DEA badge on his chest that he clearly tried to hide. However, I approached him, assuming that he must be the one calling me.
"Wally?" I hesitantly greeted the ginger haired man.
"Yes, are you Dick's, uh... are you Rome?" Wally stammered. "Sorry, he kept mixing up what he considered you as, so, I'm not sure if you're his girlfriend or his wife."
"Where is he?" I asked, not realizing right away that I ignored his later statement.
The man brought me in as if he owned the place.
On one of the bed, Dick had been lying down on his back. One of his forearms covered his eyes. He looked way calmer than I expected and I took it as a good thing.
Well, thank the doctors.
Dick removed his arm from his face when he heard someone coming. When were close enough, Dick turned his head towards us and sat up in surprise.
"Oh, man, you called my wife--I mean my girlfriend--my wi--my girlfri--my girlfriend that I don't know why I called my wife--my wife futu--my girlfrie--I...," Dick clenched his fists and looked down.
I turned to Wally and he gave me a polite nod as to excuse himself away. Dick only looked up to me when he was sure that his friend had left.
"Is it okay if I...," I gestured a hug.
Dick nodded.
With that, I came to Dick and we wrapped ourselves in each other's arms. I still felt his body shaking a little.
"I'm sorry," Dick said. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
"It's alright," I replied.
"I'm sorry," Dick insisted. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I asked that this morning. I'm so sorry. I just love you so much and I don't know what to do about it. And I don't know why I told you not to answer right away. I'm sorry."
"Oh, Richie," I hummed. "It's alright. I love you so much, too."
"Rome, I mean it," Dick said.
"I mean it, too," I promised.
"The question. I mean it. Will you marry me?" Dick trembled. "Please, answer me this time. Don't let me wait any longer."
It's happening, my brain said.
"I will," I eagerly answered, wrapping Dick tighter to me. "I will marry you."
"Fuck, you will? Shit, I'm not down on one knee. Let me redo it--"
"No! Just...," I pulled myself back.
Then, I kissed Dick.
***
Rachel would be the first one we told about the engagement. She told the rest of Dick's family right away which meant I had to tell my sister. Everyone seemed to be happy about it.
After Rachel fell asleep, Dick and I got into our bedroom and had the most emotional steamy adult night routine session in my whole life. We didn't say anything. Everything was silent at first.
Then, I felt something wet dropping on my face. I thought it was sweat or drool, but, I saw Dick crying. So, I asked him why he was crying.
"I just love you so much," Dick answered as he nipped on my neck.
That answer itself fetched my own tears. The both of us ended up crying while doing the rest of the steamy adult night routine session.
We stayed awake for a long time after we cleaned up. In fact, we got out to the living room and watched The Night Comes for Us. A lot of the time, we skipped paying attention to the movie and just talked about what we had in mind for the future.
"You know, fiancée, let's buy you an engagement ring tomorrow since I'm being a dick and not prepared for this," Dick said.
"First of all, fiancé, you're always a dick. Second of all, we have work tomorrow," I replied.
"We can skip work. We have a reason to," Dick shrugged. "I'll call Marrie. She'll be happy to hear it."
"But, your job is important, too," I insisted.
"You're more important," Dick insisted.
"Are you sure you want to put me there above the war against drug, drug violence, the cartel, money launderers, and many more?" I questioned.
"Are you sure you want to ask me that because I might say yes," Dick replied.
"You're too good of a person to say that," I pointed out.
"Wow, you're a detective now," Dick nodded. "That's so cool."
"I'll pass, thank you. I'll let you do the detective work and I'll do the taking care of the detective," I smiled.
Dick scoffed a smile and kissed me.
"So, tomorrow... engagement ring. Okay? Or should we start looking for wedding dresses for you?" Dick recalled once we pulled away.
"You're so eager," I teased.
"I mean, it's good timing. We have reasons to be irrational," Dick shrugged.