Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

It was August and we were sitting in the café alone when my cell phone rang. “Yeah?” I answered tiredly.

“Aimee you got your room assignment today.” Decima said.

“Okay I told them I wasn’t going to need a dorm room though. Remember? You, Jordan, me, Simeon, and Hope are all going to live in that house.” I reminded her wondering if she was dumb or trying to tick me off she knew better than to call during these times.

“I know but I thought you’d find this funny.”

“What is it Decy?” I sighed tiredly.

“You and Hope were supposed to be roommates.”

“You’re right that is pretty funny.” I smiled and laughed Simeon raised his eyebrows at me surprised by the sound. Nobody was used to me smiling or laughing still I had not done it in so long but now Ryan was in jail and I would never have to deal with him again.

“Well I’ll let you and Simeon finish your date.” she laughed, “Bring some latte mix home though.”

“Will do,” I laughed again happily with the reminder of next week’s move into a bigger house with fewer people. I hung up and reached over to Simeon he ran his finger across all off mine and I smiled at him.

“What was funny?” he asked.

“Oh Hope and I were supposed to be roommates.” I smiled at him and leaned over the table to kiss him he eagerly let go of my hand to hold my face there for a second.

“I love you.” he smiled when he pulled away.

“I love you too.” I promised smiling as I dipped another french-fry in my milkshake and ate it.

“I didn’t even understand that when I was human.” he shook his head once again as he took my hand.

“It’s good.” I smiled and then added, “Decy said we need more latte mix.”

“We always need more latte mix between the two of you.” he laughed and waved over Austin.

“Latte mix?” Austin guessed and we nodded laughing.

“The check too,” Simeon smiled at me.

“I don’t want to go home yet.” I whined.

“We’re not.” he shook his head.

“Then where are we going?” I smiled happy once again.

“Someplace else.”

“Ugh.” I groaned, “You know I hate surprises.”

“I know.” he smiled paying Austin and taking the latte mix before leading me outside and to the car. I stayed silent on the way figuring it was the least he deserved since he was doing something he knew I hated but he kept a smile on his face the entire way and it made me wonder what type of surprise he had in store. He stopped in front of Yvonne’s and came around to get me.

“You couldn’t tell me that we were coming to Yvonne’s?” I asked confused we had just left the café.

“We’re meeting a few people here. I wanted us to have some alone time first.” he explained and I smiled a little as I thought back to how much he’d been trying to get us out of the house and alone. We went out at least once a week and I always looked forward to it most of all. There were weeks where the only way I got through was to think about this day.

“Who are we meeting?” I finally asked when we sat down at a big table.

“Why were you smiling on the way in here?” he asked moving closer to me and wrapping his arms around me.

“I was thinking about how much I look forward to these nights.” I whispered putting my head in his chest comfortably. The first time we’d had one was the week after Graduation and he’d only done it as a way to trick me out of the house but he’d kept it going since.

“Which nights?”

“The ones that you set aside so that we can be alone... I like when we are alone.” I sighed and his arms tightened.

“I do too…,” he promised kissing my head. Then I saw the family walk in, though, and I looked up at him. “Our guests.” he smiled. I tried to hide my disappointment that our alone time was over but he saw it and just smiled a little more.

“Tonight we have a special person wanting to recite.” the owner said, “Please welcome to the stage… Simeon Cullen.” they finished and I looked at him. He smiled at me and got up pulling away from me.

“The poem I’m going to recite is ‘Love’ By: Roy Croft:” He said and then smiled at me before starting

“I love you,

Not only for what you are,

But for what I am

When I am with you.

“I love you,

Not only for what

You have made of yourself,

But for what

You are making of me.

“I love you

For the part of me

That you bring out;

I love you

For putting your hand

Into my heaped-up heart

And passing over

All the foolish, weak things

That you can’t help

Dimly seeing there,

And for drawing out

Into the light

All the beautiful belongings

That no one else had looked

Quite far enough to find.

“I love you because you

Are helping me to make

Of the lumber of my life

Not a tavern

But a temple;

Out of the works

Of my every day

Not a reproach

But a song.

I love you

Because you have done

More than any creed

Could have done

To make me good

And more than any fate

Could have done

To make me happy.

“You have done it

Without a touch,

Without a word,

Without a sign.

You have done it

By being yourself.” He smiled and walked off the stage back to me. Everybody’s eyes followed him when the owner did not get back on the sage after he left.

“That was beautiful.” I whispered when he got to me but then I gasped when he just smiled and lowered himself to one knee.

“Juliet…?” he asked, “I love you with all of my heart and will always love you. I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?” I felt a tear fall down my cheek. Decima elbowed me after a few seconds.

“Are you going to answer him?” she asked.

“Yes…” I managed smiling and he smiled back at me pulling me up into his arms eagerly. He kissed me softly at first but then I pushed it deeper holding on as tight as I could until he pulled away.

“Your ring.” he smiled putting it on me as everybody in the café clapped and smiled. I looked over to where Reuben had been sitting but he was gone so I pushed him out of my mind and just looked at my ring when Simeon pulled both of us into the booth. “What are you thinking about?” He whispered in my ear a couple minutes later when I was still staring at my ring.

“How beautiful my ring is… how lucky I am… how happy I am… how great you are…” I trailed off as his lips found mine again.

“Let’s go home.” he whispered and I quickly pulled away from him and he laughed as he got up with me. He led me to the car and then drove home picking me up when we got there and carrying me up to our room.

“I love you.” I promised when he laid me down on the bed.

“That’s why you’re marrying me right?” he checked smiling as he added, “It wouldn’t be that I’m an unemployed vampire?”

“I don’t know that unemployed vampire also looks pretty hot right now.” I smiled teasingly.

“So it’s my good looks?”

“No it’s your family. There I admitted it I only agreed to marry you for your family.”

“See now I know you’re lying.” he laughed rolling over on top of me and I laughed with him.

“Why do you know that now?”

“You tell me at least ten times a day that you absolutely can’t stand my family.” He said on my neck.

“Okay you win. I agreed to marry you because…” I paused smiling, “You are an unemployed vampire.” He kissed me softly on my lips and then pulled his lips away but stayed hovering over me comfortably where he could stare into my eyes.

“I knew that’s why you were marrying me.” he smiled.

“Can we discuss something without you getting into a foul mood?” I asked nervously.

“That depends on what we’re discussing.” he sighed rolling back over onto his side knowing that he was about to have to work hard to stay in a decent mood let alone in the joyous mood he’d been in a second ago.

“It’s just we’re getting married now…” I whispered and he tilted my face up to kiss me again.

“Yes we are.” he smiled happily evidently glad but nervous by the way this was starting.

“Well it’s kind of always seemed to me that if you wanted to marry somebody you’d want to keep them…” I whispered.

“We aren’t about to start fighting about Reuben not tonight… please Aimee.” he said getting up.