Falling Down

EPILOGUE

“I’ve got a surprise for you,” he whispered in her ear. She’d held onto him so long standing there with his duffle at their feet that already her arms ached but she didn’t want to let him go. Passengers jostled around them, calling to one another, many in a hurry to catch another flight, but they were both oblivious.

“Oh my god.”

She looked around in panic as Zach got down on one knee in the middle of the airport, taking a small, black velvet covered box out of his pocket.

He grinned. “You said that last time.”

“What are you doing?” she hissed, trying to pull him up as passengers continued to file around them.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” He opened the box, his eyes on hers, looking for a reaction. “It’s called a proposal.”

“Zach…” Her eyes filled with tears and she wiped at them as they fell.

“Will you marry me?” The hand that held the box shook. “For real this time?”

“It was always real,” she whispered, fingering the lid to the box, not quite ready to touch the actual ring. “I was afraid to believe it, but it always was.” He smiled, holding the box up higher, an offering. “Will you?” The ring was beautiful, huge and, as she squealed and said, “Yes!” a perfect fit as he slid it on. He stood to take her in his arms, their kiss sealing the deal, and she gasped when they parted, whispering in his ear, “I have a surprise for you, too.”

“Oh?”

She was wearing a jacket, although it wasn’t that cool outside, even for September, and she unzipped it slowly, opening it to reveal her secret. Puzzled, he stared for a moment, and then his eyes widened, coming up to meet hers.

“I thought…?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged, just as bewildered, but never more happy.

And then he was on his knees again, his arms wrapped around her waist, kissing the rounded bump of her stomach over and over where their child was growing.

“You win,” he grinned, standing and pulling her into his arms, and swinging her around. She squealed, laughing. “You had the bigger surprise.”

“Stop!” she gasped, still giggling. “You’re making me dizzy!”

“It’s okay.” But he did, putting her down and kissing her, his mouth full of longing and tenderness and promise. His words were whispered, just for her, “I’ll always catch you, remember?”

How could I forget? She smiled and pressed her ear to his heart, relishing the strong, steady beat there, the solid feel of him against her. She didn’t speak her response out loud, not there in the middle of the airport, but she knew he felt it.

And more importantly, she knew he meant what he said. He was willing to wait, willing to be patient while she learned to walk instead of crawl. Maybe, she thought with a smile as he kissed her again, feeling herself floating with him somewhere else away from everyone and everything… maybe, even, to fly.

And it didn’t matter if she fell.

He really would be there to catch her.