Two weeks later
We'd made it back to Barbados from the two week cruise and it had been perfect. In two more weeks I was sure I'd be Mrs. Ethan Maxwell. Ethan hadn't actually asked me to marry him, but we were on the same page and I figured he'd need to buy a ring before asking me so it would be after we got home. We'd disembarked from the ship just after lunch and then for dinner, Ethan took Mom and I to a very nice restaurant. We had an amazing dinner, and afterward Ethan invited us to go on a walk on the beach.
It was close to sunset when we arrived at a deserted stretch of beach and we took a walk along the shoreline. As we walked the sky turned to an orange color and was just so beautiful. I now understood why Ethan wanted to go on this walk before we had to return home, it was amazing and the perfect end to our trip.
As we turned to go back, I noticed that Adam, Seth and Mom hadn't walked nearly as far as we had. I'd gotten so use to seeing Adam and Seth that they were almost like fixtures that belonged in my life. I had been so caught up in the beach and walking with Ethan I hadn't noticed that they had lagged behind.
Ethan stopped so we could watch the sunset, and then stooped to pick up a rock. Or at least that's what he said he was doing. He actually went down on one knee and my heart stopped. Okay, not really but it sure felt like it. I had thought that the sunset beach walk was a perfect way to end our vacation, but this was definitely perfect. There in front of me was Ethan, on one knee holding a ring in a box, starring up at me with that look of love that makes all the butterflies flitter in my stomach. When was he able to get a ring?!? I realize my thoughts are crazy because that probably shouldn't be the first thought in my head at this moment.
"Sera, it's not often a man gets a second chance to make the right decision. The last two weeks have shown me that we are perfect together. I love you and want to be able to show you that love each day for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?"
I nodded my head and said "yes." At least I'd tried to say yes, but it came out as a whisper. Ethan slipped the ring onto my finger. It had an emerald and a sapphire set into an infinity symbol. I had described the ring I thought would be perfect for an engagement ring all those years ago, the emerald to represent my eyes and the sapphire to represent his. The infinity symbol was his idea but still I can't believe he'd remembered.
After he put the ring onto my finger, he kissed it, then stood up and kissed me. The past two weeks had shown me that my love for him never went away. It was easy to fall even more in love with him now. I still think I'm going to wake up in the morning and this is all going to be some crazy intense dream.
After he broke the kiss and I found my voice I said, "You remembered about the ring!"
"Actually, I had that ring made shortly after we had discussed it. I've held onto it since then."
"You have had it that long?" I was shocked.
"Yes, I had it in a safe box at a bank so I wouldn't lose it, along with all my memories of you." Ethan kissed my hand. I was so happy to know that he had still thought about me and treasured our relationship even if he didn't keep in touch with me. I know that he stopped contacting me as soon as our families had signed the agreement for him to marry Charlotte. He didn't want to lead me on, even though he could have. Ethan didn't talk about that time in his life, and whenever I'd asked anything or brought it up, I was became amazed at how quickly the subject changed. It had become obvious to me that I wouldn't get any answers from him.
"It's perfect, I love it. I love you." I said. I probably sounded like the cheesiest girl ever, but I was so in love with this man in front of me. I kissed him and then we started walking back, it was starting to get dark and even though I knew we'd both love to kiss a lot more, we did have an audience.
When we got back to Mom she pulled me in for a hug and congratulated us. "I'm so happy for you sweetheart." She knew I loved him, although she still didn't know our whole history, she did know that we had spent time together at summer camp and that's where I started crushing on him. After I'd told her that she'd warmed up to the idea of the two of us getting together a lot more. Mom had been pretty standoffish about the idea before I'd told her that. Now she was probably going to be our biggest fan.