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.I just wanted to make this place for you.For me.For us.I know it’s big.Lord knows I do.And maybe I should’ve talked to you about it first.I just… I wanted it to be a surprise.”Shocked, I asked, “How big?”“Forty acres or so.” He looked off into the trees.“And we can afford this? John, we’re opening another shop!”“Been savin’ for a while, Jackie.Nothin’ coming from the shop.My own funds.Set it aside for a while now.”I took a step toward him.“You keepin’ anything else from me, John Kemp?” It came out as a growl.“No.I swear! This… this is it.”“And you want to build a house here?”He shook his head.I was confused.“That ain’t it? What then? Where are we…” A shudder went through me and I felt tears prick my eyes.“Oh, John.” My voice cracked.I remembered.“Jackie?” He sounded worried and put a hand on my shoulder.“The cabin,” I whispered.“That day, by the lake.That first time we kissed.You said you wanted to build a cabin for just me and you and…”His eyes softened and that nervousness that had been there since we’d gotten into the car faded.He gathered me up in his arms again and kissed me sweetly.“The cabin,” he echoed.“You did this for me?”He shrugged.“For me too.For us.” He chuckled ruefully.“That’s a bit of a lie, I guess.Yeah, Jackie.For you.I did this for you.Is that okay?” He looked worried again.“Yeah,” I told him roughly.“That’s okay.” Because it was.“Show me.”And he did.He showed me where the cabin would sit, how it would be designed, with a porch we could sit on during the summer.A fireplace to keep us warm when the snow fell in the winter.He showed me where the garden would go for my carrots and cabbage.Where the apple tree would stand, its branches heavy with Granny Smiths.He showed me how we were not so far away from Roseland that we’d be cut off, but far enough that it would seem like it was just him and me.We’d keep the house in Eugene, he said, at least for now.Maybe someday down the road, we could live in the cabin for good and we’d be left alone, the way he’d always wanted us to be.“You’re my Jackie,” he told me.“All I ever wanted was you.”I stood looking into the forest when he said this, my back to him, only a few feet away.I took a deep breath and realized this was the moment I needed.This was what I was waiting for.I reached into my pocket and curled my hand around the little box and knew what it would mean.I’d already given him forever, and he’d given it back to me.It’d be nice to have a token to remind us of today.Without allowing myself to think too much about it, I pulled the box from my pocket.“John,” I said.“Jackie?”I closed my eyes and turned, sinking to one knee and holding the box out in front of me, opening it so he could see.I felt foolish, and my face was aflame.It was almost impossible to get the words out I’d planned to say, but somehow they came, and while I was sure they sounded halting and flat, I meant everything I said.“John Kemp, you are my life.You are everythin’ to me.Without you, I ain’t got a life.I ain’t got a home.I ain’t got a family.I can’t say I knew it on the first day I met you, but in the days that came after, I was sure that I would want you by my side for always.We’ve been together for a long time now, and I don’t plan on goin’ anywhere else.I know it can’t be real, that we can’t go down to the church and get hitched like other folks, but I don’t know that it matters.All that matters is what’s in our hearts and I know my heart would be mighty glad if you wore this ring.If you’ll marry me.Every day after today, every time you look down at this ring on your finger, you’ll know what you mean to me.” I took a deep breath.“Okay, that’s all I wanted to say.Uh, you can say somethin’ now.If you want.” I squinted my eyes up at him.He watched me with those dark eyes and that small smile.“Yeah, Jackie.Yeah.Yes.”My hands shook as I stood and pulled the ring from the box.I dropped the box to the ground as I stood forward and slipped the ring onto his finger.It was a little snug, but we made it work.Once it was on he pulled me into a crushing hug and I could feel the rapid beat of the heart in his chest and I thought, you best beat forever.You best keep going on and on and on
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