Page 101 of His Redemption
Then my phone goes off and pulls us from our little bubble of joy. It’s a message from Eva.
Eva: We’re all set over here.
Oh, god. I laugh to myself.
“What’s so funny?” he asks.
I look over at him. “I planned this whole thing for your birthday.”
He forehead scrunches. “Birthday thing? You already did enough for my birthday. And now…” he holds my hand up again. “You’ve given me the best present I could’ve ever asked for.”
“No, it’s a big thing. Like… all of your friends and family. I wanted to get everyone together in one place to show you that you are loved. And worthy of celebrating on your special day.”
Emotion tightens his features. He presses a soft kiss to my forehead. “Thank you,” he whispers.
I squeeze his hand and nod toward the picnic blanket. “Come on, birthday boy. We should probably pack up before Eli decides to share her applesauce with the ants again.”
Walker laughs— the kind that makes my chest feel weightless— and together we gather our things. He folds the blanket while I scoop up Eli who claps her little hands together like she’s cheering us on.
The sun hangs lower now, painting everything in gold. Walker locks up the stroller and comes to stand beside us, slipping an arm around my waist as we start walking back toward the street.
I look down at my ring glinting on my finger, then up at the man who put it there. He’s watching me already, eyes soft and sure.
“It feels like I was the one who got the birthday present today,” I admit as we both take in the ring resting on my finger.
He squeezes my side. “Trust me, baby. You saying yes is my present. Spending my life with you will forever be the best gift life can give me.”
Then we both look at Eli and smile. Well, maybe the second best gift life has ever given because Eli is definitely number one.
As we step off of the grass and onto the sidewalk my heart feels like it’s fluttering out of my chest.
We’re not just surviving.
We’re not just dreaming.
We’re finally living.
And we’re doing it side by side.
