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“Leviticus, what a surprise to see you here,” said my mother, embracing me before she stepped away so my father could.
“There’s someone I’d like you to meet. Mum and Dad, this is Eliza Fox. El, please meet my parents, Marcello and Elsie Marras.”
When she stepped forward, rather than shake her hand, my mother pulled El into an embrace similar to the one she’d given me. At the same time, my father squeezed my shoulder.
“She’s beautiful,” he whispered.
Both my parents had always been affectionate, but my dad hesitated before embracing El. When she approached him with outstretched arms, he hugged her.
“We met Mr. Beaumont in Brighton,” I explained after exchanging further pleasantries. “Eliza is a sculptor.”
“I purchased his studio,” she added.
My mum’s eyes opened wide. “How wonderful.”
“I should tell you that we purchased his house as well.”
My parents looked between El and me almost as if they were watching a tennis match.
“Levi purchased it,” Eliza said softly.
I put my arm around her. “For the two of us.”
“How wonderful,” my mother repeated.
“So, um…” El looked up at me. “Lunch?”
“Seems fitting we’d dine at Claridge’s,” I said once we’d split up, secured a car service, and agreed to meet in an hour. I took El’s hand in mine. “My parents are as captivated by you as I have been since the moment I first saw you.”
“They’re so lovely.”
“Not unlike you, my love.” I brought her hand to my lips.
“Thank you for today. For being with me,” she said.
I glanced out the window and realized we were about to pass the southeast corner of Hyde Park. “Driver, would you mind pulling over? We’ll stop here.”
Eliza’s head cocked, but she exited the vehicle when I held my hand out to assist her.
“I thought a stroll might be nice, given how warm it is today,” I explained.
She smiled. “What a good idea.”
We took the path a short distance northwest. The closer we got to where I intended to stop, the more animated El became.
“I didn’t know if you knew.” She beamed as we made our way to what I considered one of the most beautiful sculptures in all of England.
As we got closer to Michael Beaumont’s masterpiece, neither of us spoke. We walked around the fountain twice, then stopped and sat near one of the sculptures of a child who appeared to be hovering over the water. There were three other children depicted, and in the center were two adults holding each other and dancing.
“Mike and his wife had four children,” Eliza said with tears in her eyes.
I cupped her cheek. “I love you, Eliza Fox,” I said, repeating the exact words I spoke the first time I’d said them to her.
She leaned into my hand. “I love you, Leviticus Marras.”
I slid from the ledge, got down on one knee, and pulled the box I’d been carrying with me for the last several days from my pocket. “Marry me?” I asked, holding it out to her.
“Levi!” She gasped. “Yes. Absolutely, yes. I’ll marry you.”