47 Grace Steel The Star

Edmond couldn't move he wanted to wrap his arm around Samantha but thought against it. He didn't want to scare her off and having her touch him felt too good. His face started to feel hot and was happy that he didn't he didn't restyle his hair again but tied it back into a tiny ponytail while the a side fringe covered half his face.

"My dad said she died because she was sick but I don't know if it was true... dad doesn't like to bring her up and honestly that's all I can remember." Olivia said sadly while looking at Edmond for answers. Edmond took the opportunity to look for support before telling the tale and cuddled Samantha back.

"It's true princess she died because she was sick... but that's not all." he said with a shaky voice. Edmond squeezed Samantha a little harder before he let go of her completely "Your mom caught a cold, everyone including your mom thought nothing of it... but one day she started to violently shake, spewing out bodily fluids everywhere... you were with her, you cried so much and so loudly that we came running and... well we rushed her to the hospital." Edmond allowed his uncovered eye to show the true sorrow he felt, while he thought back.

"Her body was deteriorating, the doctors couldn't figure out why, so they ran some blood tests. Ends up your mom was 4 months pregnant and hadn't told anyone yet... but there was something else mixed in the blood, something they couldn't really figure out. Your dad went crazy trying to find a doctor to help her and the baby and after exhausting every lead he found a hospital that could."

"Everything seemed to be going great after that. Grace started to get better... we thought she was getting better... but it acted faster during the second wave. It caught everyone by surprise we all kissed her goodnight and started to leave but you started to cry for no reason. We didn't know what to do, it was so rare that you cried, that I ran to the car to get you plushie while your dad just hugged you." Edmond's voice started to become shallow while silent tears rolled down his face.

"To this day we don't know where you got the strength to push your dad off but you knocked him backwards onto the floor and ran back into the hospital... You went back to your mom's room and... sigh... we found you pretty fast but you just stood there staring at you mom. Her heart gave up after she closed her eyes. We cremated your mom and the baby and mixed their ashes together so that they would at least have each other." he said as he wiped up his tears.

Olivia's face paled deathly white, tears started to overflow from her eyes, she now knew everything and she was happy but sad at the same time. Eli brought her closer to him and let her head rest on his shoulder till her tears dried out.

....

It was finally dark enough for Eli and Olivia to make their way to the porch. Edmond kept his word and left them alone on the swing while he and Samantha made their way to the guest house.

They sat silently, as they looked up into the sky. Olivia reached out to hold Eli hand "After my mom... after 'they' were cremated, me and my dad brought them back on their one year anniversary... Dad said she loved this place so much that it would make the best resting place." she said solemnly.

Eli turned to look at her "No! Keep looking at the sky or we might miss her!" she cried. Eli was confused so did what he was told and went back to looking up at the sky. Olivia gave a small laugh "You might think it's silly but when my dad threw their ashes into the wind at that moment a shooting star lit up the sky. I was 7 at the time and my dad came up with a white lie, that he 'released her back into the sky and if we came back every year we can catch her shooting through the air, as she gives us her love and blessing'.... but I guess now it's 'they' will give us their love."

Eli squeezed her hand as they both looked up at the sky. Olivia gave a small sigh "Mom... 'they' don't come every year but I really hoped that we could at least.... ELI DID YOU SEE! They came... they came!" she started to cry. Eli pulled her into his chest an hugged her with all his might "I saw them." he gently said to her as he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

Olivia wiped her tears away and looked at Eli "Thank you for being here with me." she said with a bittersweet smile. Eli brought his face in closely and gently placed his lips over hers. The kiss was so soft Olivia almost didn't feel it. As Eli moved back he pulled out his phone 11:58 p.m. "Olivia there is something I need to do..." Olivia's heart dropped to her stomach, she wanted to ask him what and try to keep him from leaving but she had been selfish enough today. "Ok I understand..." she said a little gloomy.

At that moment the sky lit up with dozens of shooting stars "Eli! A meteor shower!" she shouted happily as she tugged on his shoulder. Eli laughed as he got up "Now I know I have luck on my side!" he happily said. Olivia was confused, she couldn't figure out why a meteor shower could be lucky until she saw what he was doing.

Eli pulled off his gloves, tossed them to the side and pulled out something from his jacket pocket. He bent down on one knee and revealed a tiny black box in the palm of his one hand. "Olivia" he started "You came into my life with a bang, I first saw you on the train in the spring I thought you were so beautiful, I could only watch you from behind a book. I had no courage to talk to you but I would watch you from a far."

"I got to hear your voice the first time in the park when you started shout 'only looking', I thought you were so cute when you turned red and ran away. When I bumped into you at a cafe, I was so nervous but then I thought I was the luckiest person in the world to see you again... but I made you cry... over the last few months we gone through so much together, we have seen the worst, the best and not the most pleasant parts of each other I can't help but smile."

"Though our time together has not been that long, I see you as my best friend, my rock, my lover and one of the main reasons I live, so I know from the bottom of my heart that you are the only one for me."

Eli gently pulled the lid up from the box, Olivia gasped and brought her hands to her mouth, eyes wide and teary as she saw her mother's ring. "Olivia will you marry me?" Eli asked with so much tenderness that it made Olivia speechless. She nodded her head with so much force that Eli couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, yes, yes!" she sang as Eli pulled her left glove off her hand and slid the ring onto her finger.

Olivia jumped onto Eli. causing them both to fall back onto the porch floor. They looked at each other and burst out laughing. Eli hugged her tightly "You said yes." he whispered with delight "I'm not dreaming right?" This time it was Olivia's turn to laugh "I said yes."

They brought their faces close to each other and slowly kissed each other. Olivia felt her cheeks flush from the intimacy while Eli suddenly became breathless "Olivia can you please get up now? This position is a little..." he muttered as he tried to get up. Olivia grabbed his shoulders and pulled her face up to his and gave him a deep kiss, she wanted to be the one who tasted the other first. Eli let out a small shudder and kissed her back harder.

"No wait, wait... wait. You're making things really dangerous right now I can't take anymore!" Eli shouted breathlessly as he pried her lips from his. Olivia bit her bottom lip, her eyes were sparkling and cheeks were now dyed red "What if I want to..."

Bang the gates were opened and Eli kissed her hard. He got off the floor and picked her up, cradling her in his arms, Olivia was shocked and wrapped her arms around his neck when he started to walk to the door "Where are we going?" she asked. Eli's opened the door and carried her into the cottage, princess style. Olivia could now see his pupils dilate as he answered "Your room."