Everything in Reyona constricted, stretched and laser-focused on the man stepping towards her in a tuxedo that was a replica of what Junior had on.
Everything else, including the kids in the background, faded as Reyona couldn't feel, see or think anything else as he stepped towards her and bent down to hold her hands.
He gently extracted the bouquet from her hand and set it on the seat beside her.
Then, with his gaze firmly on hers, he drew her up until she was in his arms.
His thumbs slowly wiped her tears away before he bent to kiss down the path of the tear stains on her face.
"Maxwell" she breathed in an overwhelmed tone.
He slowly turned her around and led her closer to the window.
The vastness of the beautiful landscape of blue and white-dotted sky was so mesmerizing to Reyona's eyes.
Her senses seemed to have sharpened doubly in the last few seconds as she could almost feel the languorous movement of the shifting clear clouds.
Or maybe that had to do with the bliss of feeling his warmth around her as he wrapped his arms around her from behind.
Reyona leaned against him and sighed in satisfaction.
Why had she never felt like this before in her life?
"I want you to take in all that beauty and remember how much more of it there is. Man has never been able to capture the whole of the sky, despite how much we have tried. Will you believe me if I tell you that my love for you is much more than the unending sky?"
"Hmm," Reyona crooned with a smile.
Suddenly, he had binoculars in front of her face which he tilted downward and Reyona's mouth opened in awe when she realized that they were directly above the ocean.
"My love for you is deeper than that ocean and wider than its reach can ever be as well."
"Maxwell" she sighed with overwhelming feelings, then her eyes widened for a moment as she saw two skydivers some distance from the window.
"What…?"
Reyona's curious statement was interrupted as Maxwell held her firmly just as the jet seemed to dip a bit.
She looked back hastily to see that the kids were already in their seats and belted too.
She looked back at the window and the divers were nowhere to be found.
They must have passed them, she thought.
What were they doing out there like some performers?
Then she realised something else.
"Wait, are we still moving?"
He had not said anything when her eyes caught something beyond the windows again.
The divers!
They were back in sight and this time, they had something else with them.
They stood suspended in the air as they both held something between themselves.
Reyona could see the shimmering letters on the banner-like material in their hands.
Her hand flew to her mouth as she read "REYONA, MAKE ME A FULFILLED MAN FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. BUILD A FUTURE WITH ME."
Her long-gone tears made an instant appearance just as she felt his hands leave her shoulders.
She turned around to see that he was no longer standing behind her.
Her breath caught in her throat as she looked downward to see him kneeling with a suede ring box in his hand.
As he slowly opened the box with his adoring eyes firmly on hers, he said, "Reyona Beatrice Dexter, I know we started unconventionally, but knowing you have been the best thing that has ever happened to me. Your presence in my life makes me realise how incomplete I have been before you. I cannot, and I do not want to imagine the rest of my life without you. Give me the chance of fulfilling your dreams. Let me be your knight, my queen." He paused and asked with a rushed breath "Reyona, will you walk with me for the rest of our lives and build a home with me?" He said with tears glistening in his eyes.
Before Reyona could swallow the lump in her throat to answer, they heard Junior whisper to Allysyn, "He is supposed to say, will you marry me? Right? Then we will say…"
"Ssshh! Shut up!"
Reyona laughed as Allysyn admonished him with her harsh whisper.
The tears she had been restraining gushed out with the laugh as she said "Of course, I will marry you. I am married to you, silly."
"I never did a good job of asking the first time. I want to do things right this time. I want the whole world to know that we belong to each other."
Belong to each other. Has there ever been a sweeter statement?
She stretched her finger towards him and beamed as he guided the exquisite diamond ring on her finger.
"Yes, I will marry you, Maxwell." The ring fit snugly on her finger.
Reyona's vision blurred as she held his hands to help him up. "I love being married to you. I want to do it for the rest of my life."
Maxwell kissed her again and again!
Then he pumped his fist into the air as he hollered "She said yes!"
Reyona turned to see Allysyn remove her hand from Junior's mouth and they both cheered.
The sounds of rushing footsteps sounded from the galley.
At the next second, Toria burst into the cabin with a bottle of champagne in her hands.
"Oh yes, baby!" She said as she high-fived Allysyn. "We did it!"
Reyona was shocked into speechlessness for a moment.
"Toria? What are you doing here?" Reyona asked with a huge smile on her face. "Aren't you supposed to be in Cyprus?"
"Helping to plan the most recent best day of your life, of course. How else would your ring have fit so perfectly?"
"You guys planned this? How…?" The calls.
Reyona remembered the furtive calls that Maxwell had been making. It was…
"Oh, oh…" she dissolved in tears as Toria quickly gave Maxwell the champagne and grabbed her in an enveloping hug.
She patted her back lovingly as Reyona sobbed in joy.
"Congratulations, Rey. You deserve this, sis. You deserve all the happiness in the world. I love you. I love you so much." She sniffled and buried her face in Reyona's neck, as they held each other in gratitude and joy at how times had changed.
Toria couldn't help but remember the only time that Reyona broke down and cried bitterly because of the heavy betrayal she had been dealt.
As she remembered how broken her sister had been in that car that day, she held her tightly with relief at the new path she was taking. "He's got you, Rey. He is the one."
Reyona's arms firmed more around her as myriads of emotions rushed to the surface again.
How had she got lucky? She wondered.
"Why are they crying? Will Toria still let us taste the…"
"Ssshh!"
Toria doubled over with wet laughter.