Chapter 18 - THE SECOND PROPOSALBy early spring, the snow on Willow Lane had melted into green patches of grass dotted with yellow crocuses.
114 Willow Lane was entirely finished. The wrap-around porch was painted a soft slate grey, the roof was tight, and the garden bed out front was planted with fresh hydrangeas.
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, Adrien was sitting on the top porch step, sanding the corner of a cedar bench he had built for the garden.
Footsteps sounded on the gravel driveway.
Toby came running up the steps, his shoes covered in fresh mud, holding a brand-new craft project. It was a small wooden picture frame made of glued popsicle sticks, holding a printed photograph of the three of them sitting by the woodstove during the December blizzard.
"Adrien!" Toby called out, breathless. "Look what I made at school today!"
Adrien set his sandpaper down and smiled warmly at the boy. "That's incredible, Toby. The corners are totally square."
Toby sat down beside him on the step, his small legs dangling over the edge. He looked at the photo, then up at Adrien's face.
"Adrien?"
"Yeah, buddy?"
Toby reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, lopsided plastic ring he had won from a twenty-five-cent vending machine at the grocery store. It had a giant green glass jewel stuck in the middle.
"Mom says people who stay together forever wear rings," Toby said, holding the plastic ring out in his palm. "Are you gonna ask her to marry us?"
Adrien looked at the tiny plastic ring, then at the young boy who was looking at him with absolute, unshakeable trust.
"I don't know, Toby," Adrien said softly, his voice trembling slightly. "Do you think she'd say yes?"
Toby grinned, his two front teeth missing. "She said you're not allowed to leave anymore because nobody else knows how to mix the mac-and-cheese right."
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Behind them, the screen door opened with a gentle creak.
Nora stood in the doorway wearing a simple blue summer dress, her dark hair tied back in a loose ribbon, holding a pitcher of fresh lemonade. She had heard every word.
