Oliver: THANKS FOR HELPING ME GET MY FRIEND BACK.
I’d stopped singing a few moments ago and the last of the background music faded away, but the slideshow continued. Evidently, in my bid to add a few last-minute pictures, I’d messed up the timing. The slides rolled on in silence. The audience remained deathly still as I breathed loudly up on the stage, staring hard at Marley as the last images came on the screen.
Leo: I’VE NEVER SEEN MY LITTLE BROTHER AS HAPPY AS HE’S BEEN SINCE HE MET YOU.
Maureen: YOU DESERVE EVERYTHING. I BELIEVE JAMES LOVES YOU WITH HIS WHOLE HEART.
Miranda: NOTHING BASIC ABOUT IT, SIS. HE’S YOUR TEN. YOU’RE HIS TEN.
The last slide was my mom and dad, sitting at their kitchen table: YOU MEAN EVERYTHING TO JAMES. WE HOPE HE VISITS SEATTLE, BUT OUR SON BELONGS IN COLEMAN CREEK WITH YOU.
The projection screen faded to black. The entire crowd let out a collective breath before the room erupted into cheers and clapping. I could hear the whispered words of the students and some other folks as they clued in audience members who weren’t familiar with our situation. But the din of the people in the auditorium sounded like distant noise, something I barely heard above the whooshing in my ears and the thumping in my chest. Only Marley mattered.
Marley, who remained paralyzed in her chair.
I wasn’t sure if I should get off the stage or make another declaration into the microphone. I felt the weight of hundreds of pairs of eyes as they volleyed between me and the woman I loved, seeking some kind of resolution.
Finally, someone in the crowd—probably Coach—called out, “Go get her, you lug nut!”
That gave me the push I needed. I went down the stairs directly in front of the stage and into the audience. Everyone parted, clearing a path to Marley. She was only about five rows back, but it felt like a million miles.Did she like the presentation? Or was she embarrassed? Would she accept my love? Or keep pushing me away?How would she respond, other than staying frozen in her chair?
I reached Marley’s row, and Maureen moved out of her seat so I could sit down next to her.
She turned to me. The silence was deafening before she said, “That was really something, James.”
Her expression was maddeningly indecipherable. “I hope it wasn’t too mu—”
“I love you too.”
The words sounded like an alien language at first, and it took me a beat to process what she’d said. “You love me?”
“So much. It scares the stuffing out of me, but I do.” She reached out to cup my face. “I can’t believe you did that. And managed to keep it a secret. No one’s ever done something like that for me before.”
“Marley, you have to know by now—” I pulled her hands from my face and brought them to my chest. “I’d do anything for you.”
Miranda couldn’t hold back a high-pitched squeal. Marley looked at her younger sister with an exasperated expression before asking me, “What about teaching? What will you do?”
“I don’t know. We’ll figure it out. The bowling alley seems like a fun gig.”
She laughed, lacing her fingers around my neck across the armrest. I stood up, taking Marley with me, lifting her feet off the ground as I gave her a big kiss right in the middle of the auditorium. Dozens of approving glances were directed our way as people began filtering out.
