"You had it?" exclaimed Raymond as he looked at the box placed on his palm.

David nodded with a gingerly smile on his face. Raymond looked at him in disbelief and then turned to look at Katherine who also had a grin on her face and exclaimed.

"All this time David?"

"All this time!"

David just shrugged his shoulders and gave him a gentle push with the tip of his fingers and said,

"Well, to be honest, I didn't do any of the arrangements that you had asked for. But I definitely did this one. Make it worth it."

Holding the ivory box in his hands, Raymond looked at Akira and then taking a deep breath, he knelt down and said,

"Aren't I the luckiest man to be kneeling twice in front of the woman I love," and saying that he opened the box which contained the epitome of his love for her. A beautiful handcrafted pink diamond ring in a band of gold which the words 'Till Eternity' engraved in it. He had specifically customized it for her starting from the shape of the diamond to the cuts. It was a beautiful teardrop diamond that could move anyone with its beauty.

Akira couldn't believe her fate.

Where do two people who are madly in love with each other decide to propose each other on the same day? What were the odds?

Seeing her getting so overwhelmed with happiness, even his eyes became moist. He coughed a bit to get hold of his voice which was completely shaken. He looked up again trying to dive into her eyes and then said,

"Would you....."

"Yes yes yes... thousand times yes Raymond," said Akira even before Raymond could complete his question.

A smile etched on his face as he slid the ring onto her finger which was already carrying a mark of his possession from a couple of years back. He held her hand in his own and looked at her long slender fingers which were now graced with two rings.

He kissed her hand and said,

"I want to remember that even in the past I loved you and also in the present I love you. The old me and the new me, they have always loved you and only you. I hope you are ok with the new imperfect 'me'."

Akira slowly lifted her hands and looked at both the rings and said,

"I don't care how imperfect you are now. I don't even care how perfect you were before. All I know that you are the same guy who took a knife wound for me. You are the same guy who risked everything for me. You haven't changed Raymond, then how can you think my love will change for you?"

Hearing her words, Raymond couldn't control his emotions. He got up and grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her. Her hands slowly wrapped themselves around his neck and shoulder. In no time the kiss deepened and Akira could feel her heart already skipping beats.

He parted away from her for the fraction of a second to look into her eyes for a moment and then he resumed kissing her. It wasn't a kiss of passion, but an emotional one, but just in a couple of seconds it crossed the barriers.

Covering the eyes of her daughter, Katherine screamed,

"You two, there are kids here for Christ's sake. Watch out!"

Akira lowered her eyes as Raymond said, "I am sorry Kate, but it's all your Mom's fault after all. She should have told me everything then I would have chosen a better venue and then we wouldn't have blinded you guys."

Pulling away from the hands of her mother Kate yelled,

"But mom why are you asking them to stop? I have seen you kissing Shawn exactly like this. You know Raymond yesterday my mom took a grape and ..."

"You tiny evil...." screamed Katherine and covered Kate's mouth to prevent her from blurting out any more stuff.

"Aha!" exclaimed Raymond and then said, "My niece is the smartest. Thanks for saving me my Robin."

"I love you batman!", mumbled Kate under the grip of her mother's hand.

"Let her go, Kat! Let's have dinner," said Shawn and tapped on her shoulder. "Come on people, let's eat!", said Katherine afterward and walked towards the dining area with Kate.

Interlocking his hands with her, Raymond smiled looking at Akira and then whispered into her ears, "I am hungry but I don't want to eat food here."

Akira blushed like a peach and untangled her hands from his captivity and said in a hushed tone, "David is behind you. Can you just... Gawd...."

And then she stormed into the dining room.

Raymond chuckled and stood there and turned back at David and said,

"You know what, I am happy that you sided with her this time!"

Without saying anything more, they both walked towards the dining area. As Raymond sat on the chair, David handed him a pouch containing his prescription and the medications.

"Your new medication."

"Aaah... thanks..." said Raymond and kept in in his jacket.

"What new prescription?" asked Akira to which even before Raymond could reply, David, barged in,

"Dr. Nelson was following up on a new drug trial that was being held in Mexico. The recovery rate was pretty good and since the trial was concluded, he procured it for Raymond. The effect will be slow but we may expect a recovery in a couple of years."

"Really! Is that true Raymond?" beamed Akira.

"That's what Dr. Nelson said," replied Raymond and held her hand.

"I cannot believe everything that is happening today," beamed Akira and looked at Katherine, who was in all smiles, thanking her stars for there was a new hope for her brother.

"I am gonna call up Dr. Nelson and thank him," said Akira and went to the living to get her mobile phone. She pressed the dial button and stood and wait.

All she heard was,

"The number that you have dialed has been switched off. Please leave a message after the beep....."

[Author note - And the new month of privilege begins. The prices of privilege chapters have been SLICED. Yes, you read it right. 22 advanced chapters are ready for you to binge read. So what are you waiting for? Go privilege!!!]