Both of our moms said no at the same time, and I jerked back.
“What’s the problem?”
“Oh… I think they just mean…” Troy turned his head both ways, cracking his neck, and then he gave me a sheepish grin. “They probably want you to enjoy it while it’s fresh.”
“That’s right,” Mom said. “Don’t let it go to waste.”
Mrs. Littman nodded in agreement, while I took in each person at the table. They were all watching me closely as if waiting for me to do something. It was so weird. “Okay, if you insist, I’ll eat the rest now.”
Rather than use my fork to cut off a piece, I picked the whole thing up and was about to take a bite when my dad’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, and he seemed almost panicked. “Stop!”
I blinked and set the cake down, frowning. “What’s wrong?”
“Uh… You can’t eat it like that. It’s bad manners.”
“What? That’s crazy. I don’t see what the big deal is.”
Dad ran a hand over the back of his neck and glanced at Mom as if needing her support. She folded her hands on the table and gave me one her looks. “That’s right. We taught you proper etiquette and wouldn’t want the Littmans to think you were raised in a barn.”
Troy’s Mom chuckled. “Oh, we would never come to that conclusion. We just adore Kayla.”
My face heated from the attention over my “poor manners,” and I found myself annoyed. Why were they making a big deal over how I ate my cake? Was this what happened when people got older? They obsessed over strange details? I wouldn’t have cared if it had only been Troy and my parents, but I didn’t want Mr. and Mrs. Littman to think poorly of me, so I picked up my fork and sliced off a new piece. After chewing, I put my utensil down.
“Eat all of it dear,” Mom scolded. “Every last bit.”
I looked at her like she was crazy, but I bit my tongue. No use in arguing over cake of all things. I cut off another slice and was about to lift it to my mouth when I noticed something hard inside the remaining piece. Frowning, I touched it with my finger and then pulled it out.
My heart stopped, and I stared in shock at the diamond ring. Tears rushed to my eyes, and I looked at Troy in disbelief. “Is this what I think it is?” It all made sense now. They wanted me to eat the cake to get to the ring.
“Yes.” He looked at me with concern, his brows pinching together. “But if you’re not ready to put it on—”
“I’m ready.” I hastily wiped my tears and let out a laugh that was filled with joy. “It’s beautiful, Troy.” It was an oval solitaire that sparkled in the light, and it was so gorgeous, my mouth hung open in amazement.
He took the ring and kneeled in front of me, a smile spreading over his features. “First, there’s a question I need to ask you.”
My pulse quickened and warmth spread through me at the love flickering in his eyes. I nodded. “Go ahead.”
“Kayla Keller, this past year has been one of the best years of my life. I’ve never met anyone like you before, and it didn’t take long to realize I’d hit the jackpot. You’re kind and sweet and extremely talented, and most of all, you’re beautiful inside and out. I can’t imagine living without you. I love you so much, and I hope you’ll do me the honor—”
“Yes!” I didn’t even let him finish. “I can’t wait to be your wife.”
He slipped the ring on my finger and kissed me right then and there in front of our parents and about fifteen other bystanders who were all clapping at this point.
Troy stood and pulled me up into his arms, a huge grin on his face. He leaned down and whispered, “Did I surprise you?”
“Are you kidding? I was shocked.”
He laughed. “I thought for sure you’d caught on, especially with all the talk about how to eat the cake.”
“I should have figured it out, but I just assumed everyone was a little batty.”
Our parents all laughed at that and then one by one, they got up and gave Troy and me a hug. Mom had tears in her eyes when she hugged me. “I always knew you’d find love again. I just didn’t know it would be with someone as special as Troy.”
She hugged me again, and we stood like that for a good long while. She kissed me on the cheek and then released me.
“Honestly, I didn’t think I’d find a love like this a second time around,” I said, picking up where she’d left off. “But here we are, receiving God’s blessing, and I’m so thankful to have found another soulmate.”
“You had some very difficult trials,” she said, “but now you’re finally experiencing some of the joys of life. It thrills my heart to see you this happy. You’re practically glowing.”
She kissed me on the cheek again, and then Troy’s parents hugged us one last time before we walked out to the parking lot. From there, we would all go out to dinner to celebrate.
Troy put his arm around me, and we both smiled at each other. “Each day is a gift,” he said, “and I promise to never take that for granted. No one knows when God will call us home, but as long as I have life and breath on this earth, I will love you.”
“And I promise you the same. I will love you until the very end.”
And that was the commitment we made to each other. Life was full of surprises, but both of us pledged
