Page 79 of The Wonder of You
The crowd cheer.
“I am just glad no one died!” Maudie smiles. The crowd laugh once more and this time, they clap for what feels like forever.
“Thank you!” I say once they have calmed down. “We’re back on tomorrow if you fancy watching this all over again.”
We run off as the crowd claps again and get ready to make their way out of the tent.
As I get outside, Phoenix is standing there with a look of pride on his face. His eyes sparkle.
“Did you watch the end? Did I do okay?” It feels silly to ask when I did so little, but it was a big moment for me. A change in what I can offer the circus in the future. Maybe not always introducing the shows, but I can get involved more. I can help more. I feel such excitement in my bones.
“We all heard the crowd laughing when you introduced the show. I managed to catch the end. You were both amazing!” he tells us.
Maudie claps as I lean forward and hug him.
“I’ll be honest, I nearly wet myself when you asked!”
“Renée! You are silly!” Maudie chuckles. When she spots Lukas, she instantly runs over to him. I see his surprised expressions and know she must be telling him how she made the crowd laugh.
“So, the show is over. Are you free now? I was hoping for my own favour,” I say as I wrap my arms around Phoenix’s neck.
“I am done; what can I do for you?”
“I was just hoping for me, you and our cabin,” I grin at him and try to do my best wink. We both laugh at my rubbish attempt. It doesn’t stop Phoenix lifting me off the floor and carrying me back to the cabin though. I guess I’ll never quite get used to this again.
And the thought of this being forever is a magic show of my own.
Chapter 56
Due to a huge show of interest, Phoenix decided to leave the circus running for a month non-stop. No one minded, but it did mean by the time our two-week break came around, we were all the more tired. I wanted to be involved more with the circus, other than just painting my rocks, so I have been helping with moving equipment around and playing music for the performances. It’s a wonderful feeling to be contributing to the beauty of everything going on, but a two-week break is much needed. Sitting at my favourite spot overlooking the river, I feel the presence of Phoenix standing beside me. I look up and I realize that he seems nervous, his hands shaking ever so slightly as he hides them behind his back to stop me noticing.
“What’s up?” I ask, patting the grass beside me for him to sit.
When he finally joins me sitting down, he takes a long deep breath.
“Will you marry me, Renée?”
It’s a good job my cup of tea is now empty because I drop it. I watch as it rolls down the hill but my eyes shoot back to Phoenix.
“We never discussed it before; I suppose we never felt the need to. Maudie mentioned it though, how we’ve never had a wedding and I thought…” he gulps. “I suppose I thought she’s right. Why are we not married?”
I stare at him in shock.
He quickly pulls out a small box from his pocket.
“I should have started with this.” He laughs, his hands shaking as he opens it and shows me a ring. It’s silver with three purple gems. It’s beautiful. Just like this moment. I stare into his eyes, feeling a rush of love rising up through me.
“Phoenix, yes, yes, of course I will marry you!”
He grins which makes me smile in return because he looks so much like a love-struck, nervous teenage boy. Anyone would think he was asking me out on our first date.
“Why do you look so nervous? You didn’t think I’d say no, surely?”
“No, but I thought maybe you might not want a wedding. That it might not interest you.” He smiles sheepishly as I shake my head in disbelief.
“Of course I want to marry you! I suppose I thought we always were, you know? Spiritually, as weird as that sounds.”
“Okay, okay, perhaps I am silly, you’d have said yes that first day, wouldn’t you?” He smirks at me and I fall in love all over again.
