CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Derek and Chloe ate with her parents and afterwards when the band began to play, they danced. She was overwhelmed by everything, but she knew for sure that none of it felt as good as she felt in his arms. After they danced a few times, Derek took her by the hand and said, “I have one more surprise.”

“I don’t think I can take one more,” she said.

“Just one more and this is the best one I think,” he said with a grin.

“Okay, if you say so. Bring it on.”

Derek led her out the way they had come in earlier. There was a small tram waiting for them. The tram took them across the Island to a big wide-open grassy area. The sky looked like it had been painted on, just for the occasion. It was black, but it had a velvety quality. It looked like it would be soft if you could touch it. It was cloudless and speckled with stars.

“It’s so pretty out here,” Chloe told him.

Derek led her over towards a big oak tree with a bench underneath it. He held her had until she was sitting down

“Look over there,” he pointed out across the water.

The Manhattan skyline lit up and stretched out before them and Lady Liberty stood to lay a sentry at her post. Her torch was lit and from where they stood it looked like it was burning. Chloe had only seen her once before. It was on a sixth grade field trip. The Brooklyn Bridge rose up above the East River and cast its own glow out on the water.

“It takes my breath away,” she told him, honestly.

He turned her towards him and cupped her chin. He tipped her face up and said, “You take my breath away.”

He brought his lips down and covered her mouth with this. She automatically let her tongue reach out for his and once they found each other, they danced a more beautiful tango than anyone had been danced on the floor tonight. When Derek pulled back, he looked into her eyes with an intensity that gave her chills. Then he smiled and let his long body slide down to the ground on one knee. Chloe sucked in a breath.

He was looking up at her with those crystal blue eyes and said, “I love you, Chloe. I want to defend you with my life and comfort you during your difficult times. I want to dance and rejoice with you in good times. I’ll never give up on you. I’ll never betray you. Even during times of trial, I’ll always be on your side. I’ll forgive you when you’re wrong and I’ll apologize when I am. I promise to love you until I draw my last breath. I promise to never abandon you. Will you marry me?”

Chloe had tears freely running down her cheeks. She tugged on his arm so that he would stand up, but he held his ground, so she went down to him and wrapped herself around him. He held her like that while she cried for a really long time. Finally, with a worried look, he pulled back and looked at her face. “Are you okay baby?”

Choking through her tears, she said, “Yes. I’m so much more than okay. I never thought anything like this would happen to me. I thought happy endings were for other people. You’re my Prince Charming…Disney was right!

Derek laughed and hugged her back to him. “Is that a yes?” he asked cautiously.

She was still sobbing so she nodded into his chest. When she pulled her head back up, at last, she said, “Yes-yes-yes-yes! I love you so much!”

She grabbed his face with both of her hands and brought her lips to rest against his. They kissed softly and sweetly at first…but it quickly turned passionate and more urgent. They didn’t break it until they absolutely had to breathe.

In a husky voice, Derek said, “I love you, Chloe. I’m going to make sure that from here on out, you have the best life ever. Do you want to see the ring?”

“Yes.”

He flipped open the box he had been holding in his hand and Chloe sucked in another breath. It was a white gold band filled with chipped diamonds and leading up to a huge solitary diamond on top. Chloe didn’t know much about diamonds, but it had to be five carats at least.

“Oh my God Derek! It’s gorgeous. I can’t wear that.”

He laughed. “Why?”

“What if I lost it?”

“It’s insured.”

“What if I broke it or chipped it or dropped it down the garbage disposal?”

With a chuckle, he said, “Still insured.”

“What if it’s too heavy and my hand can’t hold it up?”

He cocked an eyebrow and looked back at the ring. “I could trade it for…” Chloe took the box from his hand and said, “Don’t you dare!”

Laughing, he plucked the ring from its velvet pillow and slid it on the ring finger of her left hand. He held her hand this way and that and said, “It’s perfect.” Then, he let go of her hand and said, “Can you hold it up?”

She lifted her hand and held it up for a few seconds. Then she put the right hand underneath it and said, “If it gets tired, I’ll use this one.”

Derek threw his head back and laughed. They stayed at the edge of the water for a while after that just enjoying the alone time before Chloe said, “We should probably go back.”

“I guess we should,” Derek agreed. Neither one of them made a move to leave though. They ended up standing there in each other’s arms for another fifteen minutes before they were both finally convinced to go back to the party.

When they got back, the dance floor was full and everyone seemed to be having a great time. Chloe sought out her parents first and once she found them, Derek said, “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” she told him, turning back towards her parents. She could tell by the looks on their faces that they already knew. Trevor looked like he was trying to control his smile and Samantha looked hardly able to contain herself.

“Derek told you that he was going to propose?” Chloe asked.

“He asked me for your hand,” Trevor said with a chuckle. “I know we’ve only really known each other a short time, Chloe…but I was honored by that.”

Samantha couldn’t stand it any longer. “Let me see the ring!”

Chloe laughed. She looked as if she would burst. Chloe held out her hand and Samantha gasped. “Oh honey, it’s gorgeous.”

“I know, huh?” she smiled and looked back over at Trevor and said, “I’m glad he asked you. Thank you for saying yes.”

“He would have had to deal with me if he said otherwise,” Samantha said. “You and Derek belong together.”

Chloe’s parents both hugged her at the same time and after several seconds Jake and Roxi approached and Jake said, “Is everything okay?”

Chloe pulled back with a tear-stained face and she could tell by the worried look on Jake’s face that he didn’t know. She searched for Derek and saw him leading his dad over towards them. When they approached Chloe said, “Can I tell them?” Derek smiled and nodded.

Chloe held out her hand and said, “We’re engaged!”

The party went on into the wee hours of the night, especially after everyone heard the announcement about the engagement. There was more to celebrate then and celebrate they did. Chloe cut her cake and they all enjoyed that and then she was once again the center of attention as she opened her gifts. She had never got so many presents before in her entire life…maybe all total in her life but the most special one of all…besides Derek’s of course, came from her parents. It was a journal, but it looked like an antique. The cover was brown leather and so soft that Chloe imagined it melting like butter in her hands. The lock was an emblem of two baby owls, and it was studded with tiny little rubies and emeralds. She opened it and on the first page in Samantha’s beautiful handwriting it said,

To our beautiful Chloe,

We’ve loved you from the second we found out you were growing inside of me. Our hearts ached for you every moment of every day that you were gone. The woman you are amazes us and we are in awe of your strength. We will love you and be proud of you until the day they lay us both to rest. Happy Birthday! May this be the first of many celebrations to come.

P.S. Thank you for the grandchild you’re bringing into this world. No greater gift was ever given or received.

Much Love,

Mom and Dad.

That night, when the party was over and everyone in the house was asleep, Chloe opened her new journal and she began to write.

September 29th

It’s been quite some time since I’ve written, but tonight my parents got me this new journal for my birthday, so I wanted to break it in. The last time I wrote in my journal was the night I was preparing to face Jesse one final time. That seems like a lifetime ago now…but that makes sense, since this seems like a brand new life that I am living now. I’m free. It doesn’t matter to me if Jesse’s father continues to have his hissy fit and if he sues me for wrongful death…, I’m free. Killing Jesse was my only choice and I believe my creator knows that. If I hadn’t killed him, he would have killed me. If not that night, another. I know that as sure as I know I need air to breathe. It was me or him.

Sometimes I think back to the days before he unleashed the monster and I wonder if all of that back then was an act…and something just snapped inside of him then…or if he had been that good of an actor. I know that it doesn’t matter now, but I wonder if it would make me feel better to think that I didn’t see the monster in him when we fell in love because it simply wasn’t there yet. I don’t know, but I guess I’ve wasted enough of this pretty new book on Jesse. Until the court mess with Vince is over, I suppose I’ll still have to think about him sometimes…but I wasn’t going to let him ruin my every day again in spite of him not being alive.

The most important things I want to document in this book so that my grandchildren or great-grandchildren might find it someday and know about me is this: I’m going to have a baby in March. I’m having Derek’s baby! This baby is a miracle because I’ve been told by more than one doctor that the chances of me getting pregnant were very, very slim. I will do my absolute best to be a good mother. I know that I have a lot to learn since I’ve never really been around kids. It’s funny though because I don’t even feel afraid. I’m just excited. I can’t wait to meet him or her.

The second thing I need to document here for posterity is that Derek proposed to me tonight. I felt like Cinderella earlier, but in this case, the magic didn’t end there. Derek and I will be joined together as man and wife and the magic will continue. I can feel that in my heart and soul.

If this is my child reading this, years from now, I hope that you are still holding me and your father dear in your heart. I hope that you’re dancing in the rain and holding your tongue out to catch it.

All my Love,

Chloe