“I,” he wrote slowly, “promise to marry,” (or ‘mary’ as Sam had written it. Somehow, as my heart pounded harder in my chest than I could remember it ever beating, Sam’s dyslexia was absolutely charming). “you, Helena Worth.” He signed his own name under the promise and finally handed me the puck.
The grin on Sam’s face was, I was certain, as wide as the one on mine.
“I’ll treasure it forever.” Somehow, that made Sam’s smile even wider. Most girls might want an engagement ring to wear, but this hockey puck made me happier than I’d ever been before! “But what about you?”
I hadn’t brought much with me, and even if I’d been willing to rip a page out of one of my law books, Sam would hardly appreciate that as a gesture. “Oh! I know!”
With slightly shaking fingers, I reached into my pocket, taking the Sharpie with my other hand. On the back of my boarding pass, I carefully printed “I promise to marry Sam Levesque.” After circling the date of my flight, my signature completed the gesture.
Sam took the ticket, his fingers brushing mine. “So that makes it official. We’re engaged!”
He seemed to stare at the ticket in amazement and then up at me with that same expression. “Yeah.” Sam nodded and then his smile widened. “We’re engaged! To be married! To be together forever!” His joy was intoxicating; I couldn’t help but laugh.
There were more kisses, only interrupted by the pizza delivery. I laughed when I heard Sam inform the delivery guy he’d just gotten engaged. There was a ‘congratulations’ quickly followed by ‘you still have to pay for the pizza’, which just made me laugh harder.
When Sam returned, it was to hold the pizza box up like it was a prize. “Engagement pizza, m’lady,” he teased.
“I’m so excited.” My heart skipped a beat, joy and anticipation and happiness sweeping me off my feet. My smile turned into a smirk. “About the pizza,” I teased, making Sam laugh almost as heartily as he had at the pizza guy.
Getting to my feet, it was clearly my job to go fetch the plates and drinks. Sam wasn’t quite grown up enough to have a bottle of Champagne saved for special occasions. Instead, we toasted our new engagement with classy imported beer.
It couldn’t have been more magical. Getting engaged to Sam was everything I’d ever wanted. Even knowing our engagement would be a long one didn’t dim our enthusiasm. We would wait together, just as we’d done everything else together.
PRESENT DAY
The days until the wedding flew by, faster and faster, until Charlotte was getting married tomorrow. There’d been so much to think about, so many details to cross-check, not to mention making sure I checked in with Charlotte to make sure she wasn’t coming down with a case of nerves.
The night before her wedding, I left her in the capable hands of her mom. They were going to spend the night together, getting in some last-minute mother-daughter bonding and advice.
And I had other plans. Ever since Charlotte had told me about the romantic first night she wanted with Pat, I’d determined that she was going to get it. At least, if I had anything to say about it. Obviously, Pat would have to do the actual romancing.
But I could help things along. I’d prepared a hamper, bought flowers and candles, and even tucked in a fancy new board game recommended by the internet that was supposed to be all about co-operative play.
It didn’t get much more co-operative than marriage, right?
I waited until late, making absolutely sure there was nothing more Charlotte needed from me. The promised storm had kicked up earlier in the evening. As I drove over to the new house, buckets of rain lashed against the windows of my car.
Protecting the precious hamper with my body and my coat, I hauled it up the driveway and under the porch roof. My new key - borrowed, of course - turned stiffly in the lock.
As the kitchen flooded with electric light, I couldn’t help but smile at how good the tiles looked that Sam and I had picked. We’d done a pretty great job. The refrigerator was already plugged in, containing milk for tea in the morning and breakfast after the wedding.
I added a few things: butter and jam for toast, cheese for grilled cheese, eggs, a pint of ice cream in the freezer. If they wanted a midnight feast, they would have options.
Making sure the kitchen was stocked took a while. But that was fine, because the wine, candles, and board game just needed to be dropped off in the bedroom. My fingers trailed up the lovingly-sanded banister, marveling at how good the house looked. Charlotte was lucky.
And Pat was lucky to be marrying her. I loved how they made each other happy.
The higher I climbed, the louder the wind roared, rattling the windows in their frames. It was a miserable night. I could only keep everything crossed that tomorrow would be all the calmer for it.
Luckily, most of Charlotte’s wedding was taking place indoors. But even so, she wouldn’t want the guests getting soaked as they ran from the church to the reception venue.
Thinking about the wedding the next day, it was hard not to let my mind stray to what my own wedding might have been like. We’d have had to get married in summer, I supposed, so that Sam would’ve been home from Salt Lake.
But thinking about Sam was doing me no good. I had a job to do, and it was very nearly done!
Pushing open the door, my mouth dropped
