Back to the present

“Okay what is it that you want to confess to me? Evangeline asked with a curious undertone. What had he done now?

John dropped his head down and quietly said,” Evangeline, I have fallen so deeply, madly, and completely in love with you that I wouldn’t know what I would do if I ever lost you. You brought me back to life after I lost Caitlyn. You should me how to love again you made me feel again.”

Evangeline sat struck by his words unable to speak at what he just divulged to her. He had never been this open and honest with his emotions. It not only scared her but it also scared him, she could tell by the way his head hung down but his eyes looked up at her.

“Wow, John, I, I…”

John motioned towards her to come and sit in between his legs. She crawled over to him and sat there still speechless really.

“I know, I know what you’re thinking. I am usually the one that shows his love not the one that says it. But if I remember correctly you once told me that women from time to time like to hear things like that from the men they love. You also said that you were in this all the way and completely. “

“Yes, I remember saying that. Why are you brining that up now?”

“Because I want you to know that I am in it all the way to Evangeline.”

“Really?”

“Yes Really.” He said reaching into his jacket pocket at the same time. He felt the felt box in his hands and gripped it tightly.

Evangeline leaned back into John’s chest and he could feel his heart racing and his breath was becoming heavy. “John are you alright?” she asked out of concern.

“Yes, could you stop talking for a minute I have something else to say.” “Evangeline Williamson, will you marry me?” he whispered into her ear and pulled the box from his pocket and held it in front of her.

“John…..”

“Listen, I know we have only talked about marriage a couple times. And I know you are afraid to get married for the fear of getting divorced that is why I do not want you to answer right now. Take the box thing about it and I want an answer this evening.. You think you can handle that?” he said as he opened the box revealing a Platinum band with three stones, the center stone was a princess cut diamond with two sapphire baguettes holding it in place.

“John… I …”

“I said, think about it and let me know tonight at dinner. I will pick you up at your place around 8:00 tonight okay?” He closed the box and handed it to her. He then kissed her on her cheek and wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. What he didn’t see was Evangeline’s eyes filling slowly with tears.

Evangeline stood up slowly, still holding the box in her hand. She wiped her tears with the other all way facing away from John. She didn’t know what to say or what to do. He was right she needed to think about what she was going to do. She turned and faced John and gave him a weak forced smile, when all she wanted to do was run back to her apartment and hide under the covers. She was scared, not of John , not of his words, but of her own feelings and thoughts. Ever ting that John and done and said today completely caught her off guard and she was scared, scared shitless.

John didn’t say a single word as he just sat there and watched Evangeline staring out in to the park. He slowly gathered up the basked and the remained food that they didn’t eat. He packed it all in the basked and grabbed it and Evangeline ‘s hand. He laced her fingers with hers and they left the park together.

They walked back to the police station not saying a single word to each other. Evangeline still had in her hand the ring box and about every few steps she took she would look down at the box in her hand . John squeezed her hand letting her know everything would be okay, either way. When they reached the parking garage where Evangeline ‘s car sat he took her keys opened the door and helped her into the car.

He bent down and gave her a small kiss on the lips and handed her the car keys. “I will see you tonight around eight okay.” he asked.

All Evangeline could muster was a small nod to him.

“Are you going to be okay, do you need me to get an officer to drive you back to your office?” he asked her tenderly. He knew she might not be in any shape to drive after their lunch date.

“No, no, John, I , I, think I will be okay. I will see you later.” She said just above a whisper.

John smiled and closed the door and stepped back away from the car. He saw Evangeline take a deep breath and then she started the car. She turned to look at him, Her eyes were glistening with tears, and he wondered if they were tears of joy or tears of sadness. She backed up and pulled off. She watched in the mirror as she saw John turn and head back into the station.

Evangeline pulled over to the side of the road the first opportunity she got. She turned off the car and started sobbing. She cried so hard, and for so long she thought she would run out of tears. Her eyes were blood shot red by the time she finally stopped crying. Luckily she didn’t have any late meetings, so she could go back to her office and try to get a little work done.

John walked slowly back into the police station, taking stock of everything that he had said, done, at lunch and everything she had said and done as well. He knew he did the right thing letting her think about his question. He had no doubt in his mind that she would say yes, but he knew Evangeline. He knew she would need some time to think about everything that he had said. She had put her heart out their so many times and asked her to be patient with him so many times. This was the least he could do, being patient with her.

He made his way back to his desk closed the door and said at his desk. He thought back to the way she looked sitting in her care. She looked like a fragile doll, one that could break if you would poke it. But he knew Evangeline was no fragile doll, she was a strong woman. He wanted and needed that in his life. He was sick of always rescuing people from danger and their own mistakes. He wanted and needed someone in his life that could handle their own problems but would also turn to him for help if they really needed it. Evangeline was that person in his mind, the only one that he could love and that could really truly love him the way he needed to be. He only hoped she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him as he did her.