"Guess what boys..!" Aunt Cindy squealed excitedly.
And we all turned our heads to her. We were all seated and were about to start to eat.
"What's that?" Uncle Jhon asked her wife.
And Aunt Cindy's smile widened
"Can you guess who cooked the 'cheesy pesto chicken and veggie stuffed spaghetti squash' for our lunch today?" all the boys looked at each other and then suddenly Gabriel beside me shouted his answer.
"For sure that's Nancy, Aunt Cindy."
He said loudly and chuckled which also earned laughter from the boys.
But Nancy just arched her eyebrow and winked at me. She didn't get affected by her brother's tease.
"No. Gabriel, you know Nancy can't cook, what are you talking about?" Nancy and I chuckled at him. But he playfully glared at Nancy.
Because the boys were already at the picnic site, they actually had no clue about Aunt Cindy's question.
"Then who?" asked of confused yet excited Phillip.
"Who else-----" she didn't finish her answer when she was cut off by Justine.
"You?"
"No. It's Madi. She cooked this delicious lunch for us." she said clapping her hands. And then suddenly all eyes were on me.
"Whoa! You cooked this, Madi?" I bite my lip and then smiled to Uncle Jhon.
"Yes. And also baked the chocolate liquor cake." Aunt Cindy proudly answered for me.
"Wow! You know how to cook, Madi?" Mr. Wilsons asked me.
"Yes, Dad." I awkwardly answered.
I can feel the stares of everyone in the table, but there's one pair of eyes which making my feet sweats right now.. and that person is just right beside me.
He hold my hand under the table and I looked at him. He's smiling at me... I was about to open my mouth when he suddenly cupped my face with his both hands and the next thing I know was that... he's kissing me.. in front of everyone.
He bite my bottom lip when I didn't respond on his kiss, so I kissed him back and put my hand on his waist and the other is on top of his hand which cupping my face.
When he pulled back, he still has the same smile before he kissed me. If I am going to judge it by my own eyes... it's a smile of proudness.
"I love you."
My breath stacked inside my throat when he said those three words. Why do I feel it was true? Why do I feel this is real? Or it's just my heart.. assumed that it can be possible to happen?
"I love you too." I smiled at him. The smile which was not fake or just an act. It was a real smile which comes from my heart.
Then he kissed me again. And all the people watching our little act.. clapped their hands and some boys let out a whistle. But when I thought that little act will end there.. then I was wrong. He suddenly stood up, kissed my forehead and then he walked to where the microphone at. Yes, there's a microphone and entertainment set because their family is a fan of music.
All of us watched him as he stayed in front of us with a microphone on his hand. And then he started his speech. At first, I was at the state of confusion but then I remember what we had talked about before we get here.
"I've been thinking of this so many times before...."
He started looking at everyone. And I wet my lips because it suddenly went dry.
"I've been in my worst part of my life before, and I know all of you knows about it.. even Savahna and Christian."
He paused and then smiled. All eyes were focused on him, waiting for his next words.
"I wanted to start a new life, a new beginning and a new chapter. But I think, I couldn't do that without this woman in my life. Without her by my side." He looked at me this time and my heart starts to pound inside my ribcage. "This woman who stayed beside me and let me realized the word 'second chances' in life. She made this new version of me.."
With his words, I shook my head and closed my eyes. How I wished all his words were true, and how I wished all of them were really for me. But no.. these are just lies.. we're just lying in front of these people who really believed that he's the new version of himself.. who wants to start his new life with me, but the truth is just.. he's only doing this for only one person and just for one reason.. to claim her back.
"I want you guys to know how thankful I am for having her in my life. How lucky I am for having someone like her to loved and to be loved back."
I bite my lip as a single tear flow down my cheek. Then it followed by another one, and then another until I couldn't control it anymore. All of them who are witnessing my tears, they thought it was because of love and happiness. Well, half of it was true but the other half were mixed feelings of hurt, conscience and sadness.
He walked towards my seat, make me stand and pulled me in front of everyone while holding my hand.
"Madielyn Davis, I want you to know how much I love you, how much it meant to me all the things we shared. I want you to be part of my life forever.."
I gasped when he suddenly kneeled down in one knee and get a small red box on the back of his pants.
"I was really trying to think of a clever way to say this. I tried to think of something romantic, ways to make this special, and come up with a poem or a song.. because I know you also love music. But nothing came to my mind... so, I'll just say it. Madielyn Davis, love... I love you with all my heart. You make me happy, you complete me and I want you to be my wife.. will you marry me?" he opened the red box and there is the ring with huge white diamond on the center.
Even how many times I tried to swallow the lump inside my throat, still I couldn't control the tears that keep on flowing down on my face. This is the next level. Am I really sure of this? Am I willing to help him up to this level? Am I willing to be his wife just to help him or I will have to decide right now to end this game?
All of them were cheering their yes and please in the air. I looked at them one by one and looked back again to Gabriel. His face held his silent pleads.. waiting for me to cooperate... I gulped.
"Yes. I will marry you."