Chapter 14 - THE PROMISE HE MADE WITHOUT A RING
Two years after the train incident, I graduated from nursing school.
Gabriel sat in the audience with Wren and the triplets.
The children wore matching blue outfits.
They lasted exactly eleven minutes before Oliver began crying.
I laughed when I heard him.
Some things never changed.
After the ceremony, Gabriel handed me a bouquet of yellow roses.
"Congratulations."
I smiled.
"Thank you."
Wren reached for my graduation cap.
I lifted her.
"Mommy did it."
She grinned.
That evening, Gabriel took me to dinner.
Not a private club.
Not an expensive restaurant filled with dangerous men.
A small Italian place near the waterfront.
We sat beside the window.
Gabriel looked nervous.
I smiled.
"What's wrong?"
He laughed.
"Nothing."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Gabriel."
He took a breath.
"Claire, I want to ask you something."
I stared.
He continued.
"I want us to build a home together."
I smiled.
"We already are."
He nodded.
"I know."
He reached across the table.
"But I want to make it official."
My heart pounded.
He did not take out a ring.
Instead, he placed a small folded piece of paper on the table.
I opened it.
It was a drawing.
Four stick-figure children.
Two adults.
A house.
A garden.
And a dog that looked suspiciously like a potato.
I laughed through tears.
"Who drew this?"
"Wren started it. Ethan—sorry, Leo—added the dog."
I laughed harder.
Gabriel smiled.
"The children think we should all live together."
I looked at him.
"And you?"
He took my hand.
"I think they're right."
I stared at the drawing.
Then whispered:
"Yes."
Gabriel smiled.
"Yes?"
I nodded.
"Yes."
He leaned forward and kissed me.
No audience.
No expensive ring.
No dramatic speech.
May you like
Just a promise.
And for me, that was enough.
