An anxiety like I had never felt before grabbed hold of my soul when she said that. It took me a moment to even catch my breath from the shock.

Perhaps the pottery and the craft room hadn’t been enough to keep her occupied and she decided she couldn’t just mope about the mansion by herself. All the alone time made her crack, and she wanted to leave.

Leave, and leave me heart broken.

I had to reel it in. I couldn’t let my thoughts get carried away like that. No, I needed to hear her out before letting my mind run wild in such a way.

That woman had a grip on me, that was for sure. Nothing else and no one else could get me so wound up in such a little number of words like she could. Oh, did I have it bad for her.

"Our future?" I echoed; a bit taken back by the words she just said. "What do you mean? I thought we had agreed to stay together."

"Of course," Hannah nodded. "I want to stay with you. I just want to know what that means and looks like for the both of us, you know? Pick a pace we would like to go at. Get a better idea of what we see our lives as."

"A life with you is all I need," I said. "Whatever pace you need to go at is okay with me. I’ll accommodate any way I can. Get you an apartment in the city if you want to live apart, even open you a private pottery studio if you like..."

"You’re getting ahead of yourself," Hannah smiled. She reached across the table and took my hand tenderly in her own. Her thumb ran over the back of my hand in a comforting motion while her fingers squeezed my palm. "Who said anything about needing space? I just want us to both be honest about what we want, is all. No one leading the way and the other following. Both of us, voicing what we want and coming to an agreement. Communication, honesty, compromise... The cornerstones of a relationship, right?"

"Right," I nodded. I pursed my lips and analyzed her expression. I was getting the idea that she was only going to have favorable things to say, but I still wanted to hear her thoughts and see where she was standing while I gathered my own findings. "Well, let me hear what you want from our future."

Hannah bit the side of her mouth and eyed me for a long moment. "I suppose it’s only fair I go first since I’m the one who brought it up," she muttered. She never let go of my hand and instead, rubbed at the back of it anxiously. I found it endearing that she was so anxious. Maybe it was something we had in common, fear that we were emotionally ahead of the other in our topsy turvy relationship.

How many people can really say that they bought their wife with good intentions to set her free, had to fake a marriage to make it look real, and then actually fell in love with her in the process of taking down the human traffickers that sold her in the first place? It was unreal, and yet, it was my reality. There had been many ways I had seen my life panning out before I walked into the Auction House that day. A playboy for life was a prominent theme across all the ways, but now I knew Hannah was my future. It had been idea I toyed with before, but it was so clear to me then.

"I do want to stay here for starters," she giggled. "I... I like things how they are. I want to continue getting to know one another, day by day, like any other couple. Maybe eventually have kids if we see it fit. When big decisions come up, like houses, cars, trips, and the like, we make them together. You know? Do things as a couple. Maybe making more time for each other would be nice, though I know you’ve been busy with the business." Her eyes were growing fonder and softer the more she spoke. "I don’t know, I just like the idea of anything with you, Rome. Watching TV, going on walks, building puzzles while we drink wine, eating ourselves sick on takeout."

"Are you saying you want to grow old with me?" I asked her with a smile.

Hannah blushed and nodded. "I think I’m saying I like the sound of it. I think we’ve done enough excitement for one lifetime. Now I want to settle down and get to know myself, and you, better. That sounds enough for me."

I couldn’t hold myself back from the question. It wasn’t one that held any weight because I knew the answer already, but I just wanted to hear how she answered it. "What if I were to go broke?" I asked her. "I know you would still love me, but do you think you could be happy?"

"I would gladly eat packaged ramen every night if it was you I was eating it with," she replied in kind. "Who needs for more when you already have it all? Stuff and money, it’s all just a way to make life more comfortable, isn’t it? Doesn’t mean it’s any happier. That sounds alright with me."

The perfect answer from the perfect woman. I couldn’t have been more sure of anything. If someone were to ask me if I loved her at that moment, it would have had the same reaction as to if they asked me what color the grass was. Because the answer was obvious and only the blind wouldn’t be able to see the answer for as clear as it was.

"You sure?" I asked her. "You wouldn’t miss the lifestyle too much?"

"The only thing I would miss is you if you went away. Money always comes and goes. And I think we could slice out a nice little life for ourselves, no matter how much is in the bank account," she replied.

I couldn’t stop smiling at her. "Are you sure you want to grow old with a man like me? My family has been known to go gray prematurely."

She giggled and narrowed her eyes playfully at me. "I think gray makes a man look distinguished." She relaxed in her chair and withdrew her hand to cross her arms. "Nothing you can say right now would make me walk away, mister. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me."

"I’m afraid you’re right," I smiled.

We could only stare at one another for a moment, loving expressions on each of our faces. I was amazed by her every moment of every day. I couldn’t help but wonder if that was what it was like to have a soulmate, or if it was just the exciting embers of new love still burning brightly in our souls. Either way, it was intoxicating, invigorating, and addictive. I hoped it never faded; and something about being with her made me really and truly believe it wouldn’t.

"Go on, then. It’s your turn to share," Hannah urged. "What do you want out of our future?"

I like the way she said ’our future.’ It rolled off her tongue so sweetly.

There had been something on my mind since the day I opened my eyes at the hospital to see her face. It had been not much more than a fleeting thought, an idle fantasy, and a gesture I tinkered with, but I knew then that I had to do it. It felt a little strange and as I stood from my chair, that familiar flutter took over my chest.

She eyed me curiously as I walked around the table. When I stood next to her, I took her hand in mine, but didn’t pull her to stand. "You’re the most incredible woman I’ve ever met," I began. As I looked unto her eyes, I found my confidence. There was nothing to be afraid of with her. "You’re stronger than you realize. You carry a grace and beauty that feels so timeless to me, I know you’ll feel the same to me when we’re eighty. That is, as long as you don’t get sick of me by then," I smiled weakly.

I squeezed her hand. "While I’ve always thought of myself as a decent and kind man, you’ve unequivocally made me a better person. To think of myself before you came into my life, is like thinking of another person. Like a childhood friend you’ve long since lost contact with, you know? And I’ve always heard you should keep around the people you grow with, not ones you grow around. I don’t think we’ll only grow old together, Hannah Macalester Thaddeus. I think we’ll grow stronger, wiser, braver. Anything you can imagine. At least, that’s how I see it because when I see you, I see endless possibilities."

I smiled nervously. "I’m rambling, aren’t I?"

Hannah shook her head, her eyes growing teary. "I love it. Keep going."

"I think I would rather get to the point," I whispered. Sinking down onto one knee, I looked her deep in the eye. "Will you marry me for the second time, Hannah?"