Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22169 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22169 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
I glare at him in disbelief. I didn’t think it’d be that easy. I still didn’t think it would be. There had to be a catch to all of this.
“I’m going to talk to the family. I’m going to suggest that it’s not the greatest for morale for us to be ruining a small town that’s precious to so many. Lot of the folks who are connected to us call Evergreen Valley their home, you know. There’s other ways of making the money flow and making it all clean. It doesn’t have to be this way.”
“Just like that?”
“It’ll take a bit of convincing, but if it’s for my boy, I’m going to do it.”
“I can’t believe you. Just like that?”
He nods his head. “Just like that. Fox, I got into this nonsense for you. For your mother. I only ever wanted the two of you to be taken care of, and for you two to be happy.”
I look at Tabitha, and just shrug more in disbelief. I was expecting to come into all of this and start shouting at him, and for there to be like, some threats of violence or whatever.
“Move on, Fox. But I’m going to suggest you divest yourself from any financial ties to the company or the family. I don’t want you being caught up in anything. I want you to make your own path, and that might be rough at first. But I hope I’ve raised you well in making it. Just be a good man, a good husband, and a good father.”
“Alright. Gotta start with basically nothing. That’s fair.”
Tabitha shrugs. She never gave a damn about the money. And that’s why I love her.
From there? The dinner was fantastic. They got to know Tabitha, and they seemed to really like her. This all is the beginning of a new chapter in my life. Not just with Tabitha, but with my parents, as well as everything else, really.
When the dinner is done, Tabitha and I head back out to my truck. All the driving around rough roads has given it a beating, and it’s the point that maybe I should look into replacing it. I should have done that before severing myself from my only source of income, but life can’t be absolutely perfect, I suppose.
“Well, that’s all a relief. No one had to go get whacked or anything. Just common sense and familial love prevailing,” I say, pacing toward the door. “There’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while, but I’ve held back out of fear of certain complications emerging.”
She cocks an eyebrow. “And that would be?”
I take a deep breath. Something that’s going to take me as nearly as much courage as telling my Dad that I don’t want to do illegal things anymore. “Tabitha, you’ve changed my life in so many ways these past few months. Every one of those changes for the better.”
Her soft smile grows wider.
“You’ve given me an even greater appreciation for this town, and a greater love for the nature surrounding it. Hell, you’ve technically turned me away from a life of crime, forever preventing me from doing hard time.”
She laughs, shaking her head in bemusement.
“There’s never anything I’ve been more sure of at this moment. I want you by my side for the rest of my life. I want to wake up every morning to see your lovely face. I want you to show me the beauties of the world, both natural and practical. I want you completely, Tabitha.”
I do it. I drop to one knee, as tradition expects of me.
“Marry me, Tabitha. Be by my side until we grow old and decrepit together, and never make me stop smiling.
I present her with a ring. One I believe to meet her bohemian tastes quite well. Emeralds around the diamond, with a sleek band of silver around it. She didn’t want the biggest, most typical diamond. She wanted something to remind her of our love, and the very nature it is built upon.
She’s smiling so wildly, and there’s clear but slight tears in her eyes. “I was wondering when you’d get around to asking.”
“So that’s a yes?” I ask, cocking my head slightly.
“Of course. Yes, I’ll marry you, Fox. There’s nothing I want more.”
My heart skips a beat. I’ve been certain, but there’s always that tiniest sliver of doubt you have until everything is truly confirmed.
I slip the ring onto her finger, and I leap up to kiss her. Our long, passionate kiss, and the first as fiances, the first of so many more to come.
I hold her close, and she buries herself against me, us keeping ourselves so intensely bonded. We are still in front of my parents house, so I’m wondering if either of them saw the whole scene. Regardless, they’d find out eventually.
I caress her hair, enjoying the scent of whatever self-made natural hair product she concocted. I sigh, realizing the problems that came with commissioning such a unique ring.