Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Raindrops pummelled against my window, and I stared outside. Rainy days always made me feel so calm and relaxed. The smell of wet grass, the feeling of moisture in the air, the noise of drops of water hitting the roof... I loved all of it. I took in a gentle breath and let it out in the form of a sigh.

I glanced at the clock hanging from the wall, reading the time. 5:36 p.m. A smile spread over my face knowing that any second now I'd hear the door unlock and then it would swing open... My favorite part of the day.

I turned the page of my book that I was so invested in. 'The Hazel Wood,' it was called, by Melissa Albert. It was awfully creepy now and again, but the plot was really interesting. It's this story about a girl whose grandmother is an author of special fairy tales that leaned towards the horror side. The main character finds out that this fairy tale land her grandma created actually existed and goes to find it, along with a super-fan of the stories. Aphmau suggested it to me, saying it was really good. She was right. I started reading it this morning and I was already on the final page.

I sighed as I finally finished the chapter, and the book in general. I wonder if there's a sequel...

Where the heck is he?

He should have been home an hour ago... I was starting to worry... He hadn't even texted me to say he was gonna be late...

I paced back and forth in the living room, twirling the two golden, diamond encrusted rings on my right hand. I bit my lip nervously... It was a habit of mine whenever I was anxious...

"Maybe he was held back at a meeting and couldn't have his phone out? No, he'd find a way to message me anyways... Maybe hes stuck in traffic and his connection is down? Yeah.. But why would his internet be down? Oh my Irene where the heck is he..?"

I picked up my phone and punched in the password, opening my contacts and searching for his name. Finally I found it.

Angel 💞💍

I tapped the call button and brought my phone to my ear.

"Please pick up, please pick up, please pick up..." I whispered to myself as rings from the phone filled my ears.

One ring.

Two rings.

Three rings.

Four rings.

Five rings.

Six rings.

You've reached the number of Laurence Zvhal. Please leave a message.

I sighed and tossed my phone onto the couch. I was seriously starting to get worried... Where the hell is he?

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. I took a deep breath and walked over to the door. I grasped the door handle, turned it, and pulled it open.

"Where the hell were you?" I snapped. The man at the door chuckled and stepped forward.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, leaning forward and placing a kiss on my forehead. I pushed him back and glared at him.

"Why didn't you call me?! I was so worried something happened to you!" I yelled. Laurence's expression softened and he gave me an apologetic smile.

"Because I was outside setting something up," he said. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You were outside this whole time?!" He nodded. Looking him up and down, I realized he was soaked from the rain. "Why didn't you tell me you were here?!"

"Because then it wouldn't be a surprise," he stated simply. I gave him a confused look, and he just laughed and grabbed my hand. He pulled me outside, and once he did my eyes widened in shock. My entire posture relaxed and I grinned.

Sitting on the front lawn was a large tent. Fairy lights strung all around it on the inside, lighting up the area around it. I looked from the tent to Laurence, who simply gave me a small smile. He then took off his rain jacket and held it over our heads, leading me towards the enterance. Raindrops pummeled onto his jacket, making little tapping sounds. Once we both stepped inside the tent and I looked around, my grin grew even wider. A picnic dinner sat in the center of the tent. Two glasses of wine, two plates of alfredo, my favorite, and a tray of brownies in the center, also my favorite.

"Why did you do all this?" I asked Laurence. He smiled and took both of my hands in his, looking into my eyes.

"Because... One year ago today, I finally got the courage to get down on one knee and ask you to be mine forever. I feel like it's something we should celebrate, because it was such a huge step in our relationship. I also know how much you like the rain, so I thought I'd set up this tent so we can enjoy it together," he explained. My cheeks flushed and if it was possible for my grin to grow any more, it did. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him into a deep kiss, filled with nothing but love. He chuckled and kissed back just as passionately, placing his hands on my waist. Slowly, I pulled away and gave him a gentle smile.

"I feel so lucky," I told him. He cocked his head to the right with a raised eyebrow.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because I have the best husband in the entire world," I responded. His cheeks flushed a light pink but he smiled back at me, pressing his forehead to mine.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," I repeated the words.

"Now, come on. This food is gonna get cold," he said. I laughed and nodded.

Laurence's arms were wrapped tightly around my shoulders. I sat criss-cross in his lap, leaned back into his chest. His chin rested on my shoulder and the side of his head pressed into mine. The two of us sat in complete silence, enjoying the sound of the rain tapping against the top of the tent. The air smelled amazing and went perfectly with the feeling of warmth I felt in Laurence's grasp.

Irene, I loved this man more than anything...