Camden and Lindsay were my future.
And it was time she understood just how permanent we were.
I stood from the couch and walked toward the kitchen where she stood with her back to me. Camden stood at her side tugging on her pants as she passed him bite size pieces of peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
He saw me coming and yelled out “Dada” as I knelt at his side. Fuck if that single word didn’t melt my heart every time I heard him say it.
Lindsay turned and looked down at the two of us with a huge smile on her face until she noticed what I held in my hand. Her mouth fell open just slightly and the surprise in her eyes was humorous.
The sticky fingers of my son wrapped around my forearm as I stared up at his gorgeous mother. “Zack,” she said in a whisper, as she looked at me and then the ring I held.
“I was gonna take you out to a fancy dinner, maybe take a walk afterward so I could propose to you in front of anyone who took the time to stop and listen to me confess my love.” I paused as I looked at Camden and then back to Lindsay. “But I realized we don’t need any of that. Everything we need is right here. So I’m asking you now.” I pulled the ring from the box and took her hand in mine.
“Lindsay Lauss, you changed my world. Without you and Camden my life would feel so empty. I go to bed every single night thankful that I met you, happy for the life you’ve given me. And every morning when I wake up, I feel like the luckiest man because you chose me.” Tears glistened in her eyes as I continued to convey my love for her. “I told you that one day I would ask you to marry me, and that day is now. I love you so much, and nothing would make me happier than you taking my last name.”
Her lower lip trembled, and it was the sweetest thing to see her bobbing her head without speaking the words.
“Will you marry me, Linds?”
“Yes,” she said just as the tears fell and she, too, dropped to her knees pulling Camden along with her as she hugged me close. “Thank you for giving us this life,” she whispered, and in the moment, I, too, felt raw and consumed with the love I felt for her. She was such a beautiful person inside and out.