by Shyla Colt
“What is this?” she asks, stunned, as she covers her mouth.
“Surprise!” they all yell.
“I thought it was time we had our families all in the same place.” Seeing her hug my parents and my sister fulfills a wish. We’d done plenty of Skyping, but nothing beats one on one. The conversation flows as she chats with everyone. As things die down, she returns to me.
“Thank you.” She wraps her arms around my waist, and I kiss her temple. “There’s a special ornament on the tree to commemorate it.”
“Oh, a hunt?” She claps her hands together, and I nod. I swallow hard as she rushes over to the tree and begins to look. They’ve done a great job of filling it. Even I don’t know where her surprise is hidden. My palms begin to sweat as she continues to inspect the branches. Ava catches my eye and winks. Fiona gives me a covert thumbs-up and my sister beams. The pride in my parents’ gaze means a lot. For my culture, engagements are a more of a family thing. I couldn’t take this step without them present. Her father gives me a respectful nod. He looks good today, dressed sharply in a pair of black trousers and a short-sleeved, white button-down he’s a healthy weight and clear-eyed.
“Yoon?” Her voice shakes.
That’s my cue. I kneel down in front of her as she holds up the one-karat diamond shaped like a heart.
“Hartley, I love you more than I thought was possible. I can’t see my life without you in it. Will you marry me?”
“Yes.” She throws her arms around me, and I marvel at the way life has set our paths to intersect to bring me the love of my life.
Epilogue
Four years later
Hart
I balance Yeona on my hip as I oversee the displays being arranged in my very first physical store, Hart’s Treasure. It turns out Seoul was the perfect place to develop and launch my skincare line. Once Fiona graduated high school, we both decided to relocate to Korea with my husband. Part older brother, and father-figure, he helped us get through Dad’s bout with the bottle.
Sobriety is an off and on state for him. It tears me up to think about it, but we all have our demons to face. This is his, and it wasn’t the only time he’s faced it. We visit him multiple times a year and stay in close contact via Skype and phone calls.
“There are my favorite girls.” Yoon steps up behind me and kisses me on the cheek.
“Say hi, Daddy.” I wave Yeona’s tiny hand as she giggles happily. The ten-month-old is the center of our world. Fiona is perfecting her Korean while attending a college, taking gen education classes while she figures out what she wants to do. Life looks far different than I expected it to, but I wouldn’t change it for anything.
About the Author
As a full-time writer, stay at home mother, and wife, there's never a dull moment in her household.
She weaves her tales in spare moments and the evenings with a cup of coffee or tea at her side and the characters in her head for company.
You can interact with Shyla Colt online via her website
www.shylacolt.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorshyla.colt and
Twitter: @shylacolt
