Page 77 of Love is Grand
I walked over to where Shell was sitting, carrying a cup of soda with a straw for Weezie, and a glass of lemon-lime water for Shell. After wrapping herself in a beach towel, Weezie plopped down on the chaise.
“Your drink, little lady,” I teased her, handing her the cup. “And yours, miss,” I said to Shell.
“It’s like the Grand here,” Weezie said. “Pool, drinks, servers getting you stuff.”
Shell frowned at her. “Weez, remember when I was a server? Don’t talk like you’re better than others. It’s not nice.”
“Okay, Mom,” she said, frowning for a second.
I might not listen to Shell when she said not to buy dolls or sodas, but I knew better than to interfere with life lessons.
With an important question to ask, I sat at the end of Weezie’s lounger. The little sweetie immediately pulled her knees up to make room for me, sipping on her Coke, happy as a clam.
Taking a big breath, I hoped Shell would be happy any moment. “What do you say we go to dinner later? We can go to the Grand if you want.”
“Yes, please, please!” Weezie exclaimed, never one to turn down a good time.
“I can cook here,” Shell said, but I shook my head.
“I kind of want to celebrate.”
“What?” both of my girls said in unison.
“Well, I was hoping to ask you and Weezie to marry me today.”
I kept my gaze focused on Shell when I said it. She wasn’t wearing the shell band, but I wasn’t upset. I told her to take her time and figure out what she wanted to do.
“Marry?” Weezie asked.
“Yes, I’d very much like to be your stepdad and your mom’s husband. Would you like that?”
I knew Weezie still thought about her dad and didn’t quite understand why he left, and I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries.
“Yes!” She set her Coke down on the table next to her and started dancing around the pool area.
Turning my attention back to Shell, who was still sitting calmly across from me, I stood and then knelt in front of her, snatching Weezie’s towel and putting it under my knee on the concrete. With a hand extended, holding the second ring I’d hidden in the larger box to throw Shell off, I spoke with conviction.
“Shell, my darling, will you marry me? Will you allow me to spend the rest of my life adoring you?”
With a smile, she asked, “Did your mom make you do all this?”
I let out a laugh. “No fucking way.”
“Language.”
I glanced at Weezie dancing around. “I don’t think she noticed. And no, my mom didn’t make me do a thing. She was happy to hear I was getting around to it.”
“And the religion thing?” Shell asked.
“She’s happy that I’m happy,” I said, and I truly thought my mom was. “She’s a survivor, and she’s all about growing her family. So, yeah, she’s fine.”
Shell nodded, a tear slipping from her eye.
“What do you say?” I asked her. “I want to kiss you already. I’m old and still on one knee.”
“Mom! Can we live here?” Weezie blurted, interrupting. “With the pool?”
Shell gave me a coy look. “When should I tell her we’re moving to New York?”