Rock closed his eyes, a pang of guilt and sadness hitting him. "Vernice," he said softly, his voice steady but filled with unspoken emotion. He pulled back slightly, just enough to tilt her chin up so she'd look at him. Her tear-streaked face and red eyes were almost too much to bear.
"I'm not planning on dying anytime soon, you hear me?" he said firmly, his hands resting gently on her shoulders. "I'm too stubborn for that. And besides, who else is going to argue with you and keep you on your toes?"
Vernice let out a shaky laugh through her tears, her lips curling into a small, bittersweet smile. "You… you're just saying that to pacify me!" she sniffed, trying to hold back her emotions.
Then, without warning, she looked up at him, her eyes brimming with vulnerability. "Will you marry me, Rock?" Her voice trembled, but there was a quiet, desperate sincerity in it. "I want to stay with you… for as long as you'll have me."
