Chapter 15 - THE ANNIVERSARY THAT FINALLY BELONGED TO HER
Two years after the night I ordered a cake that said Happy Divorce to Me, I returned to the same restaurant.
Not with Daniel.
Not alone.
With Gabriel.
The restaurant looked almost exactly the same.
Soft lighting.
White tablecloths.
A pianist near the windows.
Oliver was still working there.
He recognized me immediately.
“Mrs. Mercer?”
I smiled.
“Sarah is fine.”
His face lit up.
“Of course.”
He glanced at Gabriel.
Then back at me.
“Celebrating something?”
I smiled.
“Yes.”
Gabriel looked amused.
“What are we celebrating?”
I turned toward him.
“My freedom.”
He smiled.
“An excellent occasion.”
We ordered dinner.
Wine.
Dessert.
And laughed about the strange ways life could change.
Halfway through the evening, Gabriel reached across the table.
“Sarah.”
I looked at him.
“Yes?”
“I have something to ask you.”
My heart began pounding.
He took a small velvet box from his jacket.
I froze.
“Gabriel.”
He smiled nervously.
“I know you've had reasons not to trust promises.”
My eyes filled.
He continued.
“So I'm not going to promise a perfect life.”
I swallowed.
“I'm going to promise honesty.”
A tear slipped down my cheek.
“Respect.”
Another tear.
“And a partnership where your dreams matter as much as mine.”
He opened the box.
A beautiful ring rested inside.
“Sarah.”
His voice trembled.
“Will you marry me?”
I covered my mouth.
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
Then I laughed through tears.
“Yes.”
Gabriel smiled.
“Yes?”
I nodded.
“Yes.”
He slipped the ring onto my finger.
The restaurant applauded.
Oliver appeared beside us.
Carrying a cake.
White frosting.
Red lettering.
I stared.
Then burst out laughing.
HAPPY NEW BEGINNING TO ME.
Gabriel looked confused.
“Did you arrange that?”
Oliver smiled.
“Compliments of the house.”
I looked at him.
Then at the cake.
Then at Gabriel.
And I laughed until I cried.
Because two years earlier, I'd sat in that restaurant believing my marriage was ending and my life was falling apart.
Now I understood.
My marriage had ended.
May you like
But my life hadn't.
It had finally begun.
