Beautiful Disaster

“You were there, too, Trav.”

He was quiet for several moments, and just when I opened my mouth to speak again, he took a deep breath.

“I don’t get scared very often,” he said finally. “I was scared the first morning I woke up and you weren’t here. I was scared when you left me after Vegas. I was scared when I thought I was going to have to tell my dad that Trent had died in that building. But when I saw you across the flames in that basement…I was terrified. I made it to the door, was a few feet from the exit, and I couldn’t leave.”

“What do you mean? Are you crazy?” I said, my head jerking up to look into his eyes.

“I’ve never been so clear about anything in my life. I turned around, made my way to that room you were in, and there you were. Nothing else mattered. I didn’t even know if we would make it out or not, I just wanted to be where you were, whatever that meant. The only thing I’m afraid of is a life without you, Pigeon.”

I leaned up, kissing his lips tenderly. When our mouths parted, I smiled. “Then you have nothing to be afraid of. We’re forever.”

He sighed. “I’d do it all over again, you know. I wouldn’t trade one second if it meant we were right here, in this moment.”

My eyes felt heavy, and I took in a deep breath. My lungs protested, still burning from the smoke. I coughed a bit, and then relaxed, feeling Travis’ warm lips against my forehead. His hand glided over my damp hair, and I could hear his heart beating steady in his chest.

“This is it,” he said with a sigh.

“What?”

“The moment. When I watch you sleeping…that peace on your face? This is it. I haven’t had it since before my mom died, but I can feel it again.” He took another deep breath and pulled me closer. “I knew the second I met you that there was something about you I needed. Turns out it wasn’t something about you at all. It was just you.”

The corner of my mouth turned up as I buried my face into his chest. “It’s us, Trav. Nothing makes sense unless we’re together. Have you noticed that?”

“Noticed? I’ve been telling you that all year!” he teased. “It’s official. Bimbos, fights, leaving, Parker, Vegas…even fires…our relationship can withstand anything.”

I lifted my head up once more, noticing the contentment in his eyes as he looked at me. It was similar to the peace I had seen on his face after I lost the bet to stay with him in the apartment, after I told him I loved him for the first time, and the morning after the Valentine’s dance. It was similar, but different. This was absolute — permanent. The cautious hope had vanished from his eyes, unqualified trust taking its place.

I recognized it only because his eyes mirrored what I was feeling.

“Vegas?” I asked.

His brow furrowed, unsure of where I was headed. “Yeah?”

“Have you thought about going back?”

His eyebrows shot up. “I don’t think that’s a good idea for me.”

“What if we just went for a night?”

He looked around the dark room, confused. “A night?”

“Marry me,” I said without hesitation. I was surprised at how quickly and easily the words came.

His mouth spread into a broad smile. “When?”

I shrugged. “We can book a flight tomorrow. It’s Spring Break. I don’t have anything going on tomorrow, do you?”

“I’m callin’ your bluff,” he said, reaching for his phone. “American Airlines,” he said, watching my reaction closely as he was connected. “I need two tickets to Vegas, please. Tomorrow. Hmmmm…,” he looked at me, waiting for me to change my mind. “Two days, round trip. Whatever you have.”

I rested my chin on his chest, waiting for him to book the tickets. The longer I let him stay on the phone, the wider his smile became.

“Yeah…uh, hold on a minute,” he said, pointing to his wallet. “Grab my card, would ya, Pidge?” He waited again for my reaction. I happily leaned over, pulled his credit card from his wallet and handed it to him.

Travis called out the numbers to the agent, glancing up at me after each set. When he gave the expiration date and saw my lack of protesting, he pressed his lips together. “Er, yes ma’m. We’ll just pick them up at the desk. Thank you.”

He handed me his phone and I sat it on the night table, waiting for him to speak.

“You just asked me to marry you,” he said, still waiting for me to admit some kind of trickery.

“I know.”

“That was the real deal, you know. I just booked two tickets to Vegas for noon tomorrow. So that means we’re getting married tomorrow night.”

“Thank you.”

His eyes narrowed. “You’re going to be Mrs. Maddox when you start classes on Monday.”

“Oh,” I said, looking around.

Travis raised an eyebrow. “Second thoughts?”

“I’m going to have some serious paperwork to change next week.”

He nodded slowly, cautiously hopeful. “You’re going to marry me tomorrow?”

I smiled. “Uh huh.”

“You’re serious?”

“Yep.”

“I fucking love you!” He grabbed each side of my face, slamming his lips against mine. “I love you so much, Pigeon,” he said, kissing me over and over.

“Just remember that in fifty years when I’m still kicking your ass in poker,” I giggled.

He smiled, triumphant. “If it means sixty or seventy years with you, Baby…you have my full permission to do your worst.”

I raised one eyebrow, “You’re gonna regret that.”

“You wanna bet?”

I smiled with as much deviance as I could muster. “Are you confident enough to bet that shiny bike outside?”

He shook his head, a serious expression replacing the teasing smile he had just seconds before. “I’ll put in everything I have. I don’t regret a single second with you, Pidge, and I never will.”

I held out my hand and he took it without hesitation, shaking it once, and then bringing it to his mouth, pressing his lips tenderly against my knuckles. The room was quiet, his lips leaving my skin and the air escaping his lungs the only sound.

“Abby Maddox…,” he said, his smile beaming in the moonlight.

I pressed my cheek against his bare chest. “Travis and Abby Maddox. Has a nice ring to it.”

“Ring?” he said, frowning.

“We’ll worry about rings later, Baby. I sort of sprung this on you.”

“Uh…,” he trailed off, watching me for the reaction he expected.

“What?” I asked, feeling myself tense.

“Don’t freak out,” he said as he shifted nervously. His grip around me tightened. “I kind of…already took care of that part.”

“What part?” I said, my head craning to see his face.

He stared up at the ceiling and sighed. “You’re going to freak out.”

“Travis….”

I frowned as he pulled one arm away from me, reaching for the drawer of his night stand. He felt around for a moment and I blew my damp bangs from my eyes.

“What? You bought condoms?”

He laughed once, “No, Baby.” His eyebrows pulled together as he made more of an effort, reaching farther into the drawer. Once he found what he was looking for, his focus changed, and he watched me as he pulled a small box from its hiding place.