Chapter 126: EPILOGUE: Viva La Vida

THREE MONTHS LATER.

CARL

"Ughh! This dude doesn't know how to give up, does he?" I rolled my eyes as I fell on the couch next to Alma and wrapped my arms around her.

She was looking at her phone again, for the second time today. He just wouldn't stop sending her those pictures, would he? Alma snuggled closer, "I should just block him, right?" She joked. "Love really had made him mad. I mean, look at that smile!"

I shrugged. "I mean, did you see what it did to me?" A giggle ripped out of her throat and I snatched the phone from her playfully. "Is it just me or does he look fatter here?"

"Claire must be doing such a wonderful job!" Alma beamed, sighing. "I'm just glad he's okay! He looks so happy!"

"He does." I pecked her. "But I look happier, look at me alone." Rodney had been on vacation with Claire for the past two months, so we get blessed with pictures like this every second.

It was tons of Claire's pictures, literally every part of her had been sent to Alma and he just couldn't help it. We reached a truce months ago, and agreed that I, of course, was the better man. I respected him for how well he handled that.

And he was over her, relieving both of us. I snuggled closer to her. I might as well be made of the same skin as her if it made us closer. And my heart thumped in my chest for the next step I was going to take today.

I gawked at Alma. She was absolutely breathtaking and I found tears welling in my eyes as I looked at her. She filled my heart up and gave me reason. I didn't think I could ever do without her, ever.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Alma pouted as she shielded her face with her hands. "Don't look too hard or you'll start to notice that I'm ugly!"

I giggled, snuggling even closer. The couch barely contained both of us. "Ugly is such a far word from you and you don't even know it!" I lifted her face to mine and planted a small kiss on her lips. "You're stunning, my love."

Is now the right time? When was the right time? I was panicking!

Alma leaned closer and deepened the kiss. She pulled back and I was left wanting. "No, you're stunning!"

"No," I poked her nose. "You're stunning!"

"No, you are—" Her phone vibrated. Fuck! "Excuse me." She picked up and I could recognize the voice of the person she was talking to. It was Beverly.

Well, that certainly gave me little space to breathe. I'd never once been this conflicted. How do I even go about this? Alma talked to Beverly about the vacation plans and I just sat there, melting into the seats with my heart leaped to my throat.

Alma diverted her attention back to me. "Is that...sweat?" She asked as she cocked her head. I immediately wiped my forehead.

"Sweat?"

"Are you sick?" She reached for my forehead and touched it, then hers. "You have a normal temperature. So why? Is it the heater?"

My stomach flipped. Was this the right time? "Sweat?" I croaked. "How could I not? I'm sitting next to this... goddamnly hot woman after all!"

Alma burst into a peal of laughter. "You're so cheeky!" She pulled either of my cheeks and scrunched her nose.

God, everything she did drove me crazy! I just wanted to put her in my pockets forever! Why was she so adorable? Ugh! "But you like cheeky, don't you?"

"I like cheeky, when it's you..."

Was this the right time? One knee or both?! The fucking tutorials had vanished from my head, or do I grovel.

But what if—

What if she says no? She wouldn't, right? I mean, she obviously loved me, she wouldn't be holding my cheeks if she didn't, right? All these thoughts! I felt fourteen again!

Kill me already! "What else do you like?"

Alma flashed me a knowing glance and I almost folded into myself. I'm madly in love with this woman. "Hot...sexy," She whispered.

Shall I just carry her to my bed? "Do you want me to—"

"I love you, Carl," She cut in. "I love you so damn much and I will be forever grateful that you came back to me. I love you. I do."

It clicked. Right time. I stood up and stepped away from her, charged to the brim. It was time! "Alma..." I called and reached into my pocket but— it was empty!

I was covered in more sweat as the horror wafted through me! Where was the ring? Where?? I winced. Oh, my coat jacket, and it was upstairs. I hadn't felt like throwing myself off the cliff as much as I did right now.

"Carl?"

"Wait a second,'' I muttered, "You—"

"Dad?" Velma called from the staircase and grabbed both of our attention. She'd been taking a nap upstairs. My eyes flicked to her hand and guessed what she was holding!

The ring case! I rushed to her. "Oh, baby! Where'd you get this?"

Velma grinned, "From your pocket upstairs, Dad. You were looking at it all day so I was curious!"

I heard Alma getting close to us and I turned to catch her beaming, her arms folded across her chest. Again, kill me already!

"So...this was the reason for all that sweat," She mocked. "You're so funny!"

It didn't help the nervousness. I carried Velma without taking the ring from her. The room fell into silence and we just held each other's gaze.

I heard it everywhere in my heart, in my head that she was The One. That one woman that could never be erased, that could never be forgotten. That woman for me was Alma and I loved her so much, my heart could rip.

"I..." my voice quaked, trailing. "I want to marry you, Alma. I don't...want to ever spend a second away from you. I want to cherish you every day for the rest of my life. I want to love you, Alma, like you deserved to be loved. I want the world to know you as the woman who defines me. Though I'm not perfect, I know what perfection feels like. I know what perfection tastes like and that perfection is you, Alma...my love."

Tears welled up in her eyes, as they did mine. I lowered myself to the ground and got on one knee before her, still keeping her eyes on her. "Alma Jemima Jenkins, would you..." The bile in my throat seemed to grow larger. "Take a leap of faith and be willing to spend the beautiful years of your life with a clueless, lucky man like me? I don't...know what I'll do without you."

Please, say yes.

Please.

"Carl..." She paused and took a deep breath. "Hell yeah! Yes! Yess!" She hugged me, as well as Velma and when I finally pulled away, Velma had the ring on her finger already.

"Yay! This is like in the movies, mama!" She flaunted her fingers, "And I love this ring, but it's too big for me..."

We giggled and I slowly took it from her. "That's because it's your mom's. Yours is on its way!"

I put the ring on Alma and she kissed me. I want to do more than kiss her! I want to fuck her, live with her, and have her by my side all my life. I can't describe the feeling.

Alma pulled back hesitantly. "All in the mood of a good celebration, I uh...didn't know how to tell you this, but I'm...late."

Pause. Silence. This is it. This...is my life. My heart might rip.

"Late?" I echoed, trying to piece it together. My eyes widened when I realized. "You mean—"

"Yes, Carl." Alma beamed, as she threw her arms over my shoulders. "I'm pregnant."

THE END!