I laugh because honestly that’s the perfect way to describe Alice right now.
Robbie and Olivia notice us and we all hug as they congratulate us on our win.
“How’s my favorite niece?” Ash asks Valerie while grabbing her and flipping her upside down.
She’s giggling uncontrollably but manages to say, “Good, Uncle Ash.”
Robbie scoffs and says, “I think you mean your only niece?”
“Well, if Alice gets her way, she’ll have a whole football team of kids once they get married. Val will definitely have competition then. Won’t you, Val?” he asks the toddler and snuggles her.
“Are you excited to be the best man?” Olivia asks Ash.
“Hell yea, I have a speech they will remember for the rest of their lives.”
I sigh and shake my head. “Hani, you can’t embarrass them like that.”
“It’ll be fine,” Ash says.
“Okay, I am starving, what’s for dinner?” Olivia asks.
“Soo, about that... Do you two mind if we take a quick detour?” Ash says with his puppy dog eyes.
“Detour from food? Are you insane?” Olivia says as she stops in place and whips around to face him. I laugh and put my hands on her shoulders, making her face me instead. She has to tilt her head back further and her eyes are narrowed on me. This girl loves her food.
“We have an appointment at City Hall and your presence is required,” I say calmly, even though I am dying on the inside. I don’t think I can wait a moment longer and if she says no, I might actually throw her over my shoulder and kidnap her. That’ll get Robbie to follow for sure.
“City Hall? Why? Is someone in trouble?” Robbie asks, worried. Ash grins at me and I can’t help but grin back. “We’re fine, we just need a couple witnesses, that’s all.”
“Witnesses for…” he trails off, eyes widening, looking frantically between the two of us. “Wait, are you two getting married??”
“Yes, and we’d like to do it as quickly as possible, please,” I mutter.
“But what about Jordan? And Alice? Don’t you want them there?” Olivia asks.
“Honestly, we don’t want to make a big deal out of this. And besides, we already told them earlier this morning. Alice was a little mad but she’ll be over it. She’s got her own wedding to worry about,” Ash says.
“Holy shit, alright then!” Olivia says with a big smile. “Let’s get you two hitched.”
“Mommy, language!” Val says and we can’t help but burst into laughter.
“Yeah, language, honey,” Robbie chastises Olivia with a smile and kiss on her temple as he picks their daughter up and puts her up on his shoulders.
Ash and I fall behind and I steal a kiss from my soon-to-be husband.
“Are you sure you want this?” I ask, joining our hands together and bringing his knuckles to my lips. My sleeve lifts up and the little sailboat I got tattooed on my wrist pokes out.
“You? Forever? I’ve never wanted anything more in my life,” he says with absolute conviction. My heart bursts with pride at his rediscovered sense of confidence and how much he’s worked on himself, in and out of therapy.
This absolute goofball of a man has barrelled into my life and made everything better. He’s mademebetter. It feels like I’m falling more and more in love with him each day, and there’s nowhere in the world I’d rather be than by his side.
The End.
