Chapter 10 - The Garden Proposal And The Beginning Of Forever
Six months later, the Mercer estate looked entirely different. The iron security gates were still secure, but the grim aura of a fortress had been replaced by blooming hydrangeas, echoing laughter, and the bright, joyful chatter of twin six-year-olds running across the lawn.
It was a crisp Saturday afternoon in autumn, the trees painted in brilliant shades of amber and crimson. I was sitting under the old weeping willow tree in the backyard, grading some creative writing notes for my evening college classes, when two pairs of small arms wrapped tightly around my waist from behind.
"Claire! Claire! Daddy is setting up the fairy lights in the garden for tonight! We're having a giant party!" Lily shouted excitedly, jumping up and down.
"And you have to wear the sparkly blue dress! The one Daddy bought you!" Emma added, clapping her hands.
I laughed, setting my grading pen down and turning to scoop them both into a hug. "A sparkly blue dress? Is there a special occasion?"
"You'll see!" they chorused together, giggling as they ran off toward the main house to check on the preparations.
As I watched them go, a shadow fell over the grass, and I looked up to see Adrian standing there. He wore a crisp white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, looking effortlessly handsome. In his hands, he held a single, perfect white lily.
He walked over, kneeling down on one knee right in front of my wooden garden chair. My heart leaped into my throat, though we had talked about this a hundred times in quiet stolen moments over the past few months.
"Claire," Adrian began, his voice steady, deep, and filled with a tenderness that still occasionally amazed me. "Six months ago, you walked into this house as a stressed-out nanny looking to pay off student loans. You stayed because of your enormous heart, and you saved my daughters—and me—from a world of darkness."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, elegant velvet box, opening it to reveal a stunning diamond ring that caught the autumn sunlight.
"The contract I tore up six months ago was supposed to be temporary," Adrian continued, looking deeply into my eyes. "So I wrote a new one. Permanent. No probation period. Just a lifetime of shared sunrises, bedtime stories, and unconditional love. Will you marry me, Claire? Will you be their mother, and my forever?"
Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring the golden sunlight, but I didn't hesitate for a single second.
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"Yes," I choked out, throwing my arms around his neck as he slid the ring onto my finger. "Yes, a million times yes."
From the second-floor balcony, Lily and Emma cheered at the top of their lungs, clapping and tossing handfuls of flower petals down upon us like confetti. Adrian pulled me close, kissing me deeply under the golden autumn sky as the ghosts of the past finally faded into a beautiful, eternal beginning.
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