“Dean,” Lola whispers and I look up with tears falling down my face. I can’t believe it. It didn’t feel real before. I was trying to stay positive because she had already been through too much. I thought this conversation would be ending differently, that we would have lost our baby, our first child.
I can’t speak, can only stare at the scan picture she holds in her fragile, cut-up hands. The past twenty-four hours have been a nightmare for me, and it’s all playing in my mind. The only time I remember it could have been worse is when I see her chest, watching it rise and fall with each breath she takes. The second I look at her broken body, it’s just another reminder that she was still hurt, no matter the outcome.
But seeing and hearing our baby, the life we’ve made growing inside her, it’s too much. I’m overwhelmed, and it’s all building up.
“You don’t want this?” she whispers, and my head snaps up. “It’s okay. I’m scared too, but we can do this. I know we can.”
“Are you kidding me, Lola? This is the best news since the moment you came back into my life. I’m just overwhelmed right now. We have a baby on the way. And yeah, that scares me, but what scares me the most is that I couldn’t look after you. I couldn’t protect you. I could have lost you because of that. I know you’re alive, but you’re still hurt, and this could have turned out a lot different,” I tell her, wanting her to understand.
“Dean, this isn’t your fault. You can’t beat yourself up for something he did to me. If it weren’t for you, I’d have nothing to live for. Nothing.” she sighs, then looks up at me through her eyelashes. “When I was… asleep, when I saw Mom and Dad, they told me I had to come back, that I had so much to live for. I felt broken having to leave them, but I knew I had you waiting for me, that I needed you. So I’m not going to let what happened come between us. I love you. I love you so much it hurts. It’s over. It’s finally over. We can be whoever we want to be, go wherever we want to go and not have to worry about him.”
I stare at her in awe before pushing back my chair and grabbing the box from my jacket the medic hung on the back of the chair. The nurse wasn’t lying when she said I hadn’t left her side. I saw my parents briefly before moving into her room. She frowns at first, and it’s cute, but her eyes soon widen when I kneel down next to her, my head reaching the top of the bed. I feel like a dwarf, and this isn’t exactly the way I hoped this would be going, but here goes nothing.
“I was going to do this yesterday after the store opening, but I think now is the right time,” I tell her and hold up the purple velvet box. I watch as her eyes fill with tears and I crack, my throat tightening.
“Dean,” she gasps, covering her mouth.
“I love you so much, and I’ll love you more tomorrow and a trillion times more in years to come. I’ve never wanted to spend my life with anyone, not the way I do you. I want to share all the good times, the bad times and even the hard times with you. I want to share everything with you, make a life with you. Lola Lawson, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”
I begin to feel nervous when her body starts to shake and she stares at me through tear-filled eyes, saying nothing. I can’t take it, and I’m about to open my mouth, to beg her, when she nods.
My chest squeezes and the nerves I hadn’t realised I had disappear. Standing straight, I lean over and kiss her forehead gently.
“Yes, yes, yes, yes. I love you, Dean,” she cries, and I smile big, pulling the ring out of the box and pushing it on her finger, mindful of her cuts.
I chuckle as she stares at the ring, bringing it closer to her face, but she doesn’t hear me.
“It’s the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen,” she whispers. I stare down at the white gold band that has a pink diamond in the centre with four tiny diamonds surrounding it and my chest swells with pride, seeing it there. It reflects the light, and I smile.
“I love it,” she whispers. “I love you.”
“I love you too Miss Soon-To-Be-Salvatore.” I grin, and she laughs, leaning in to kiss me. I kiss her back, savouring her lips and moaning, but a knock on the door has us pulling apart.
Turning to the door, Mom, Dad, Pagan, Sid and Brooke pile into the room. I notice Lola is quick to grab the tissue I handed her earlier to wipe her face, wincing in pain when she does.
“You okay?” I whisper, and she nods, turning to gaze at everyone in the room.
They all look tired, but I knew they wouldn’t go home for anybody. Once they get a good look at Lola, Mom, Brooke and Pagan start crying and Dad and Sid curse, Sid pulling at the ends of his hair.
I can tell Mom, Pagan and Brooke haven’t stopped crying. Fuck, my sister looks seconds away from collapsing. I know they’re all shocked; none of them saw her when she was brought in, so I know it’s unsettling. Fuck, I’ve been in here for twelve hours, and I’m still not used to it. She’s been through the ringer.
Mom’s the first to step forward, but then a booming voice echoes down the hallway, making Lola jump before she realises who it is.
“Where is she? Where’s my grandbaby!” he shouts, sounding seconds away from cracking before he’s in the doorway, his expression distraught and concerned.
I watch with concern as he says nothing, his eyes landing on Lola and giving nothing away. He walks over like it’s been practiced and stands there, staring down at her. Everyone in the room must be thinking the same thing as me because Dad goes to take a step towards Dwayne, but then Dwayne does the unexpected. He breaks down on his granddaughter, his face cracking and lowering as he falls to the floor, taking her hand.
“She’s okay. My grandbaby is okay,” he says before standing up and staring down at her. “You can’t leave me, young lady. Ever. I die before you, not you before me. I won’t have it. I can’t. What did he do?” he croaks hoarsely, seeing her injuries for the first time.
Lola’s face crumbles as she begins to sob again, shaking her head as she takes her granddad’s hand.
“I’m fine, Grandpa. And I can prove it, I promise. Dean and I, we have some good news, news that will make you forget what happened,” she whispers, looking around the room. They all stare at us, confused.
“I doubt that, my sweet girl,” he chokes out.
I notice Lola slip her left hand under the blanket before looking at me, asking permission. I give her an encouraging nod, knowing they all need this good news. Plus, I’m bouncing off the walls ready to tell someone that not only am I going to be marrying the woman of my dreams, but I’m having a baby with her too.
“We’re pregnant,” she blurts out. The room goes completely silent, so silent you could hear a pin drop.
When no one moves, she waves around the scan picture, wincing when she does. I take it off her chuckling, and all of a sudden my mom is on Lola, my dad next along with everyone else.
“Your mother will be looking down on you with a huge grin on her face. She’d be dancing in the heavens knowing her wish has come true. This is everything she ever wanted for you. Your happiness meant more to her than anything else. I’m so happy for you two. And I’m so glad you’re okay. You gave me quite the scare,” Mom says, wiping her eyes.
“Lily,” Lola sobs and I reach out, taking her hand.
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” Mom whispers.
“No, no! These are happy tears. I love you so much, and I’m so thankful to you for raising the man I love to be the man he is. Without him, I wouldn’t be here. I don’t know where I’d be. And now we get to spend the rest of our lives with each other.” Lola sniffles before she falls into heavy sobs.
“Calm, love. The baby,” I soothe and listen as she slowly calms down.
“Wait, is the baby okay?” she asks, going awfully pale.
“Yes mom. They did an ultrasound to check.”
“I’m going to be a nanny,” she whispers and falls into my arms, hugging me.
“I’m so proud of you, my sweet girl. I’ll be a great-granddaddy,” Dwayne whispers hoarsely, and I realise he’s been standing there staring at his granddaughter in awe since we shared the news.
“Does this mean you’ll retire and come move over here?” she asks him, and tears fill his eyes.
“I’d love to,” he chokes out. “Not the retiring part though. I’ve got years left in me.”
We all laugh and, one by one, everyone says their own congratulations. They also wish her a speedy recovery, each one looking worried. But when it comes to my sister’s turn, I sigh, knowing she’s blaming herself.
“I’m so sorry. All this is my fault.” Pagan sniffles.
“Huh?”
“Dean didn’t tell you?” Pagan asks, looking at me.
“No, he didn’t,” Lola answers warily, looking at me. I frown. Everyone else in the room has gone deadly silent.
“The man I met at the bar―”
“Was Rick, but how does that make this your fault?” Lola asks softly.
“You knew?” Pagan gasps.
“Not at first. He was watching me for a long time, Pagan. None of this is your fault anymore than it is mine. We didn’t ask for this. None of us did.”
“I love you,” Pagan says and bravely, but gently, leans in to hug Lola. “But if you turn into a bridezilla I’ll arrange your wedding without you.” She laughs through tears.
I could kill my sister. We were waiting to share that next.
“How?” Lola asks, stunned, shaking her head.
“What?” Mom asks, stepping forward.
“We’re getting married. I asked Lola, and she said yes.” I grin, and my mother looks ready to pass out. She starts crying, throwing herself at my dad who is wearing a huge grin of his own.
“Let’s go back to how Pagan knew,” Lola says, shaking her head as she ignores everyone’s second round of congratulations and cheers.
“Lola, you’ve been hiding your damn left hand since we all walked in,” Pagan reveals, smirking, and everyone laughs.
Lola pulls her hand out, showing her ring off proudly and I smile, watching her glow with happiness despite the ordeal she’s been through.
“But….” Lola starts, looking at me.
“She already knew. She helped me with the size and style. She also helped me set everything up down at the lake. I was going to take you out on the boat to a new spot I found. We had the candles and blankets all set up waiting for us to arrive,” I tell her, smiling.
“It sounds perfect,” she whispers, staring up at me in awe.
“This is perfect. You’re perfect. I love you, Miss Soon-To-Be-Salvatore.”
She grins. “I love you too, but are you going to call me that until you have me down the aisle?”
“Sure am.” I grin, leaning down to kiss her.