most everyone had their mouths full, lots of moaning in pleasure at their first bite was clearly heard though.
“I’ll be right back, I’m going to get mine and Skylar's,” Becky said.
“I’ll get it, Becky,” Valor said, jumping to his feet. “I knew you were going to serve everybody else first. You always do that,” he said, pecking her cheek as he went by. “Have a seat, I’ll be right back.”
“I’m just being a good hostess,” she said.
“That you are,” Nina agreed, taking another huge bite of pie. “This is so good, Becky,” Nina said.
“Thank you. I’m glad you like it,” Becky said, taking a seat beside Valor’s chair.
Moments later he was back. “Here you go, Sky,” he said, setting her slice of pie in front of her on the red and blue plastic children’s table they’d bought her.
“Thank you, Daddy!” she said as she dipped her finger in the whipped cream topping it.
“And here’s yours,” Valor said, handing Becky a plate, then retaking his own seat and reaching for his pie.
“Thank you, Valor,” she said, taking her first bite.
“You’re welcome,” he said, winking at Feral across the table.
Feral hid a smile as he watched Becky closely as she swirled her spoon through more of the whipped cream.
Valor tried not to look as he saw Becky start to dig through her pie with her spoon.
“There’s something in mine. Ya’ll be careful, there’s something hard in mine, I don’t want ya’ll to break your teeth,” she said, digging through the whipped cream in earnest now. “What in the world could have fallen in here?” she mumbled to herself, as she finally located the item that was clinking against her spoon each time she dug through the three inches of whipped cream deeply enough to hit it.
Valor turned and looked at her innocently. “I don’t know. There’s nothing in mine. What is it?” he asked.
Becky’s mouth was agape. Her eyes wide as she stared at her dessert.
“Is there a problem?” he asked.
She looked from her pie up to him, then back down at her pie. She set her plate on the wrought iron table in front of her, then reached in with her fingers to pull out the item she’d found. She dropped it into her napkin and wiped it off, then turned around to look at Valor again. Only he wasn’t sitting in his chair anymore — he was kneeling beside hers, on one knee.
Her hand flew up to cover her mouth, and he reached out to gently take the now sticky diamond engagement ring from her hand. He smiled up at her and held the ring out between them. “I cannot remember a time that you didn’t rule my thoughts. Even when I didn’t know your name, I knew I belonged to you. I will always belong to you, Becky. Will you be mine, too? Marry me, promise to stand beside me for the rest of our days. Please?”
Becky shoved her chair back and knelt beside him. “Yes,” she said, holding her hand out so he could slip the ring on her finger. “Yes, I’ll marry you. I love you, Valor. More than I’ve ever loved anyone in my entire life. I’m yours forever,” she said.
Valor’s smile couldn’t be contained as he pulled her close to kiss her. “I love you. And now, I’ll never want for anything else as long as I live. I have everything I’ll ever need right here. You and Sky,” he said.
“Whoot! Whoot!” Feral shouted, then placed his fingers in his mouth and whistled loud and sharply.
Scorn leaned over to Two and nudged him. “Now that’s how it’s done. Pay attention. Just saying.”
Two scowled at Scorn and shoved the chair Scorn sat in so hard it flipped backwards, dumping Scorn onto the ground as he howled with laughter.
“Congratulations,” Nina said. “I’m so happy for you both.”
“Hopefully, we’ll all have this moment one day ourselves before we’re done,” Steel said.
Lethal raised his beer in the air. “To Valor and Becky. May you be forever at one another’s side.”
“Here here!” they all said, raising their beers in the air in salute as well.
“What do you think about Mama and Daddy getting married?” Shauna asked Skylar.
“Can I wear a sunflower dress?” she asked.
“You can wear whatever you like,” Becky answered, grinning ear-to-ear.
“Sunflower dress,” Skylar repeated. She didn’t really care if her mama and her daddy got married or not. She had both her mama and her daddy, and they both loved her, and each other, and they were all