Chapter 9 - The New Definition of Family
That summer, Marcus took Lily and me to the beach in Cape May. It was a perfect July evening, the sun setting in hues of bruised purple and gold across the Atlantic. Lily was running along the shoreline, chasing the retreating waves, her laughter carrying over the sound of the surf.
Marcus reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box. He didn't drop to one knee; he just held my hand, looking out at the ocean, then down at me.
"Eleanor, I loved you the moment I realized how fiercely you protect the people you care about," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I don't just want to be your partner. I want to be Lily's father. Officially. I want us to be a family where no one ever has to wonder if they belong."
I opened the box to find a beautiful, simple ring. But underneath the ring, lined in the velvet, was a small silver engraving of a keychain ring.
"I asked the jeweler to add that," Marcus smiled, rubbing his neck nervously. "To remind us where the old life ended and our new one began."
"Yes," I cried, tears blurring my vision as I threw my arms around his neck. "A thousand times, yes."
May you like
We called Lily over, and Marcus knelt down to her level. "Lily, I asked your mom to marry me. But I also want to ask you something. Can I be your dad forever?"
Lily didn't hesitate. She threw her small arms around Marcus’s neck, burying her face in his shoulder. "You're already my dad," she whispered.
