Page 54 of Beckon

Chandler motioned her forward. While he’d already promised Chester he’d be the first to know, he didn’t want to shut Constance out. Not when she stood just a few yards away.

When she stepped up, he stood. Chandler kissed her cheek and held her hand in both of his. “Thank you for bringing him early. I know you don’t like keeping things from your daughter, but I’m hoping what I have to say will make it better.”

Chester stood in the same place, patiently waiting for Harold and Tami to arrive. “Do you want to sit with me for a moment while we wait for your mom and Gumpy, I want to ask you something?”

The bench sat just ten feet away and at an angle from the cross, right next to the footpath.

The nerves were back with a vengeance. Talking to a dead man seemed so easy now that it was done. Compared to talking to Chester anyway. Chandler was focused on everything except the matter at hand. Finally, he just went for it.

“Remember when you asked me about marrying your mom?” Constance’s sharp intake of breath had a surprisingly calming effect on him. He spared her a glance and she not only already had tears falling, but she’d also whipped out her phone and had it pointed right at them.

That brought the nerves back. Chandler had talked to Chester every night and he thought things were good, but what if he felt betrayed? What if his physical absence mattered to Chester and the phone didn’t compare? Kids didn’t understand trauma and therapy, or nightmares that could hurt someone else. They understood duck-duck-goose, and jackets that smelled like daddies.

“Well, I wanted to ask you for your permission to ask your mom to marry me. I want us to be a family.”

Chandler rubbed the back of his neck. He was sweating the answer from a kid more than he cared to admit.

“Would you come live with us and promise to not go away again?”

The words put a lump in his throat. How could he answer that? A promise to never go away wasn’t one anybody could make. It took but a glance of where they were to remind him of that. The last thing he wanted to do was lie to him, but he also didn’t want to explain the reality of life to him. Chester had experienced enough reality at his age.

“I will give you my word I will never willingly leave you or your mom again. As long as us being together is safe and makes everyone happy, I’ll be there.” It was the best he could do on short notice. It was a question that seemed expected, but Chandler didn’t have a canned answer ready to go.

It escaped his notice that Harold and Tami had pulled up while he was talking to Chester. It wasn’t until his little buddy shot up from the bench that he saw them.

There was barely a second for Chandler to appreciate the way she looked in her bright-yellow dress. The color bringing out her freckles and the highlights in her hair. She was shocked to see him there and it showed in her confused gaze.

Everyone but her knew he’d be there. However, Harold was the only one who’d figured out why, or at least the only one to brag to him about it.

He was going to ask her to marry him.

At least that had been the plan before—

“Mommy, will you marry my buddy?”

It was a flurry of sounds. Harold’s deep rich laughter, Constance’s shocked, “Chester Allen!” Tami’s surprised inhale, and Chandler’s own heartbeat, which was drumming so loud he felt it in his kneecaps.

The thoughts in his brain were weighted down, his feet felt numb, but it was Harold’s voice that finally broke through the fog he was in. “Son, you should get over here on one knee and finish the proposal because that one just upstaged you.”

Chandler heard Constance scold Harold, but there was no fire to it. He did what Harold suggested.

Tapping Chester on the shoulder. “Thanks, little buddy, I’ll take it from here.”

Chandler finally got to look into her eyes. Eyes that held his very breath within their depths. “You look beautiful, by the way.”

“Thanks.” She blushed the soft pick color he was becoming addicted to.

“Angel.” He took a deep breath and looked at Chester. “You really threw me off my groove there, buddy.” He turned back to Tami.

“I had this whole speech planned about why I chose to do this here. How I wanted you to know that everyone you loved was there, and how I get it now. But I feel like those are just words. The best way to show you how much I love and accept every single piece of you is through action. You know I’m mission oriented and if you’ll give me a chance, I’ll make it my primary mission in life to show you every single day through my actions how much you’re loved.”

Reaching into his pocket, Chandler retrieved the little velvet box that was deceptively tiny. It held the weight of happiness, the breadth of promises, and the fathomless depths of love within its few square inches.

When he opened it, he heard Tami’s soft cry.

“Not that I can really top the proposal you just got from the best little buddy a man could ask for, but here it goes. Tamitha Beth Martin Spencer, will you do me the tremendous honor of being my wife?”

Tami nodded and stuck out her hand. Chandler slid the ring on her finger. It was modest but it fit perfectly. He stood and took her into his arms, kissing her senseless.

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