Tides and Tidings

Chapter 55

Blythe

I was lost in my little world when I returned to the living room. I put the bowl in the middle of the blankets and didn’t notice Charlie, Wren, and Marsh on one knee next to the tree. Charlie had a small velvet box in his hands.

“What are you doing?” My heart sped up. This wasn’t happening…

“Come here.” Charlie motioned for me to walk over to them. He grabbed my hands and looked up at me with the most love I had ever felt. His palms were sweaty and his voice shook.

A smile formed on my lips.

“This isn’t how this was supposed to go, but the restaurant shut down and none of the places we went yesterday felt right.” He took a deep breath. “Right now, at home, this is the right time. Our life used to be so lifeless. Before you, Wren and I were barely making it by. We were going through the motions and didn’t know what true living was.”

Tears were already pouring down my face. I knew what was happening.

“Birdie, why are you crying?” Wren interrupted.

“These are happy tears, Little Bird.”

“You’re what we both needed.” He wrapped his free arm around Wren. “You’re the best mom to her. You take Marsh on walks every morning—rain or shine. You’re the walking definition of selflessness. You brought life into our lives.”

He took a shaky breath. “You’ve healed me, Bee. You took all my pieces and put me back together. You’ve brought me pieces I didn’t know I was supposed to have.”

Charlie swallowed hard as tears welled in his eyes. He opened the box, and my mouth fell open.

“You’re my best friend, and I want to live life with you until my last breath. Will you marry me?”

“And me!” Wren chimed in.

I let go of the breath I was holding and let the smile envelop my face. “I will happily marry both of you.”

Charlie slipped the most beautiful ring on my finger and placed a heated kiss on my lips, lifting me. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” I couldn’t help but let the tears continue to fall. I had no idea this was coming. I didn’t even know he had bought a ring.

“Were you surprised?” Charlie asked, coming down from the adrenaline high.

“I had no idea this was coming.”

Wren raised her hands for me to pick her up and I happily obliged. “What’s happening, guys?”

“Daddy just asked Birdie if she would marry me,” Charlie responded. The big sap wiped a tear away.

“I don’t know what that means.” Wren’s honesty was one of the best things about her.

“It means she will be my wife and your mommy.”

“Forever?”

It was my turn to chime in. “Forever and always.”

Wren’s bottom lip quivered. “Does that mean I can call you my mommy?”

Charlie and I made eye contact above her head. He chewed his bottom lip to bite back a smile.

“If you feel comfortable and that’s what you want, it’s okay with me.”

She wrapped her little arms around my neck, almost cutting off air. “I love you so much, mommy!”

“I love you too, my sweet girl.”

Like that, we all cried in front of our first family Christmas tree.

“We need a picture!” I suggested.

I snapped a quick picture of the three of us in front of the tree, smiles so wide our eyes creased in the corners.

Charlie looked at me. “We have people we need to call.”

“Rose first!”

“Wells next?” The left corner of Charlie’s lips lifted.

I placed a kiss on his cheek. “Absolutely.”