Page 96 of East (The Moral Compass 3)

I’ve arranged with the garage for them to pack a full picnic along with the picnic blanket and hide it in the back. I’ve also found the perfect spot just outside the city. I’ve contacted the farmer, and he’s agreed to hire me his meadow for the afternoon. He’s sent me a photo, and it is covered in wildflowers. It’s perfect.

I told East to dress in comfy clothes, and her reply was, “You dirty bastard. No! You only want me to dress like that so you can cop a feel.”

She’s not wrong. She’s also not the shy, inexperienced young woman I married nearly seven months ago. Since I told her I searched on the internet for how to make her come without touching her “flower” as she calls it, she has researched a lot of different positions and techniques. Some work, and some are downright laughable. I. Am. Not. Complaining.

When the guy pulls up outside with the car and hands me the keys, the shock on East’s face is hilarious.

“You better not have bought this. It’s nice, but you’ll never get it over the speed bumps.”

“No, it’s part of your surprise.”

“Thank God, and thank God it’s not a dog or a cat. I don’t think I ever told you about Satan, but please promise me you have not gotten me a dog.”

“No, for the last time, I have not bought you a dog or a puppy or any animal, for that matter.”

It’s not long before we hit the open roads with the top down on the car and feel the wind in our hair. I nearly piss myself laughing as East’s perfectly straightened hair blows all over her face. I don’t think it was like this in her dream.

Every so often I hear “for fuck’s sake.” It’s only when she finds a hairband that she starts to enjoy the ride. I sense her looking at me as I drive, but I don’t look back at her. It wasn’t in her dream, so I don’t do it.

The farmer gave me directions on how to get this stupid car into the meadow without getting it stuck, and half an hour later, I’m unpacking the picnic hamper and laying out the blanket. When she turns her back, I know it’s because her eyes have filled. She still won’t show me that side of her, but I know one day, she will.

“Hey, come on sit down with me and have some lunch.” Her diet is still no better, so the picnic consists of sandwiches, pies, and sausage rolls. Oh, and cake.

When the food is done, I pull her over onto my lap. I still worry about hurting her arm, and the scars are still red and sore, but it doesn’t make her any less beautiful.

“So, I’ve got something I need to ask you, and I also have a confession.”

“Okay, I don’t like the sound of the confession bit.”

“Just listen, will you? I need to say this, or I’ll never say it.” This is harder than I thought. I take a deep breath and blurt out, “I love you.”

She spins around so she is facing me and looks me dead-on. “I know! I love you, too. I’ve loved you for nearly as long as I’ve known you. I just… didn’t think it was what you wanted to hear.”

“Really? Christ, East, it would have been so much easier if you had said it first.”

“So, was that your confession?” She smiles.

“Erm, no. I need to ask you something before I do that. So… I love you, and I will love you for the rest of my life. There is no one else on this planet like you. I trust you, and you trust me, and that is the foundation of a great relationship. A great partnership. A great marriage. I want to ask you, East… Will you marry me? For forever, this time?” I pull out the ring that she hasn’t worn since we came back from Vegas. We decided to just be us and forget the labels until we were ready.

“Oh my god. That’s my ring. When did you get that? It’s been at my mum’s for ages.”

“East, please, will you answer the question? This isn’t easy for me.”

“Of course I will, you daft sod. We are already married anyway.”

“Yeah, about that…”

“What?”

“Well, before I got arrested in Vegas, I went to the wedding chapel and enquired about how to get the right paperwork. It wasn’t to get a divorce, it was just insurance in case things didn’t work out and so you could go your own way without any fuss.”

I can see she is not getting the fact I did it for her.

“Anyway, they told me that we aren’t actually married.”

“What?”

“We didn’t get a marriage licence beforehand, so we just had a ceremony that doesn’t actually mean anything legally.”

---