Chapter 199: Special moments

Avery’s POV

I don't know how, but I convinced Dario to let Abigail and Carl stay over for the week, because I found out from Vince that three days after the day they came around was Dario's birthday. I wanted them with me so that we could plan the surprise and everything together.

Today is finally the day, and I made sure that we were going to get everything ready before Dario woke up. I really doubt that that will work, but just in case, I made plans to knock him out completely, but I just wish it would be successful.

Last night, I made him and Dario play games whereby each person that loses would have to take a shot of the strongest drink in thee house, but what Dario didn't know was that I'd switched Carl's bottle out for water, and Carl being the grt actor he was always made it seem like he was drinking. At the end of the day, Dario went to bed high and senseless. I've been dousing him with water every time he wakes up to pee, because I don't want him getting up on his birthday with a throbbing headache, but I fear that I've given him too much water that every hint of the alcohol had been flushed away.

Vince was currently on a flight here, while Abigail, Carl and I were getting the food, decorations and cakes ready respectively. We had ordered for the presents we wanted to give him, and to our pleasure, it had all arrived this morning.

“Carl, how is everything going?” I whispered as loud as I could.

“It's coming along just fine.” He whisper shouted a reply.

Dario might be drunk and knocked out, but that didn't mean that we were going to try our luck in waking him up.

\~~~~~

We had gone far enough already when we heard a light rasp at the door.

“Go on, Carl. I think it's Vince.”

Carl went and got the door and indeed it was Vince.

“Well, everything's ready.” Vince said as he walked in.

“No. There's a little bit more table placements to be done and that'll be all, but for now we're not done.”

“I don't care about any of this. All I want is a slice of cake.” He sighed as Abigail rolled her eyes in reply.

\~~~~~

“What's going on here?” I heard Dario's groggy voice before I saw him dragging himself into the living room.

“Surprise.” I smiled as I went to kiss him.

He didn't seem to understand what was going on, but soon enough, he got it.

“How did you know it was my birthday? Vince.” He growled the last part, although there was a wide smile on his face.

We all gave him our presents, some heartfelt, some just some useless joke, and soon enough the day was over.

\~~~~~

Dario and I were both sitting alone at the side of the fire pit, as a huge, soft blanket draped our shoulders.

“I really loved today. I can't lie, it wasn't something I expected and it definitely wasn't something I thought I would like, but as usual, you always find a way to prove me wrong and show me sides of me I never even knew existed.”

“Well, that's what I do, isn't it?” I smiled and leaned further on him as we fell into a comfortable silence.

“I knew that I'd end up in a better place either in life or in death, but I can swear that I never knew it would be this good.” I muttered, my eyes trained on the fire.

“Avery,” I got up from him, my eyes going back to Dario's face at the hesitation I heard in his voice. “I want this — I want us to last forever, and I'd had this for a while but I - - I just didn't know how to ask you.”

I froze when I saw him get on one knee and pull a black velvet box out of his back pocket. I didn't want to believe it was what I was thinking, but there was too much to make me disbelieve it.

“My little vesper, would you do me the honor of being my wife?”

I couldn't even speak. I just nodded vigorously, the tears pouring steadily out of my eyes as I gave him my hand to slip on the gorgeous ring that was in it.

It didn't look new, but it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

He probably could read the question in my eyes because he started talking.

“The ring was my mom's. It's a sapphire. Her birthstone. It was given to her by her lover and she gave it to me. I've had it for a long time and no one has ever touched it. Until today, that is.”

I burst into tears as I lunged for him. He grabbed me by my waist. We were crying. Kissing. Touching in a very non sexual way. It was all just joy and comfort.

“You could have walked away from me a billion times Dario. Why did you choose to stay?” I asked a bit breathlessly.

“Because none of the paths I would have walked on led to you, and you're the only thing, person, being that matters to me. So yes. I stayed.”

“What's going on here?” I heard Carl's voice call from the door.

“Why are you crying Avery?” He rushed forward, a very worried look in his eyes. “Are you hurt? Did you get any news?”

I couldn't speak, so I just showed him the ring on my finger. He froze before bursting into uncontrollable jumping and screaming that attracted the rest of the house. Vince and Abigail were at the fire pit in a second, and when we shared the news with them, the reactions were the same. Abigail was squealing and jumping while Dario had the brightest smile on his face.

“We've got a wedding to plan.” Abigail said as Carl squealed in agreement.

“Umm, I think we'd like to wait a bit. Right, Dario?”

“Right.”

“Took you long enough, man.” Vince shook Dario's hand with a smile.

“Vince, how is the new guard doing?”

“Good.” He growled, his mood instantly souring.

Jackson was now a guard instead of being killed. He had pleaded his case, and just because he saved me, I decided to give him the opportunity. But there was a condition though. The day he did anything slightly suspicious was going to be his last day on earth.

Right now, it was time to celebrate special moments, so I wasn't going to be stuck thinking about people that had nothing to do with this.