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She wrapped her arms around his neck. “That sounds like a good plan. But you haven’t said the magic words.”

He stopped beside the bed and carefully laid her on it. “I love you,” he said, looking down at her. “So much.”

“Make love to me, Nate.”

“My pleasure.”

“And mine.”

They helped each other undress, pausing to kiss after removing each item of clothing. Finally, when they were both naked, Nate got up and walked to his dresser where he picked something up. When he came back to bed he held out his grandma’s diamond, now set in a ring.

“Will you marry me, Damaris? For real this time.”

“Oh, Nate.” Her heart swelled. Her eyes teared up.

“Don’t cry. Oh, shit, I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

She laughed amidst her tears. “They’re happy tears. I would love to marry you.” She held out her left hand and he slipped the ring on, then kissed her hand.

“And now,” he said, and kissed her mouth. “Now we celebrate.”

*

Fittingly, the first person they told was Grandma K. The following day Nate called her and asked if he could come over. Wanting to surprise her, he didn’t tell her he was bringing Damaris with him.

“Are you sure this is a good idea? She probably hates me now.”

“She doesn’t hate you. If she did you’d have known it when you told her about my accident.”

Maybe, but Grandma K had been so worried about Nate that Damaris doubted she had thought about anything else. She was still nervous.

They pulled up to the small, beige brick house. There were flowers in front that she knew Nate had helped her plant. Or rather, had planted at Grandma K’s direction. Another example of what kind of person he was.

Nate gave her a crutch and took her other hand in his. She’d worn the boot brace so she could make do with one crutch. “Stop worrying. Grandma loves you.” He rang the doorbell then used his key. “I told her I’d let myself in so she wouldn’t need to get up,” he told Damaris.

They walked into the living room where Grandma sat on the couch brushing Murphy who sat on the floor beside her. She glanced up as they came in. Her eyes widened as she looked at the two of them and their joined hands. “Damaris? Nate? Does this mean—” Her voice quavered.

“We’re back together. We’re getting married,” Nate said. “For real.”

“Oh!” She dropped the brush, put her hand over her heart and burst into tears. Murphy put his head in her lap and looked at her soulfully.

“Don’t cry,” Damaris said, hobbling across the room as fast as she could, and flinging away her crutch to drop down on her knees in front of her. “Please don’t cry.” She glared at Nate. “You shouldn’t have sprung it on her like that.”

“Hell,” Nate said, crossing the room to sit beside her. “I’m sorry. I thought you’d be happy.”

Grandma K reached for a tissue and blotted her eyes. “You foolish children. These are happy tears.”

“Thank God for that,” Nate said.

“It’s really true?” she asked Damaris, giving her her hands.

“Yes, ma’am. We love each other and we’re getting married. Soon.”

She scooted over to let Damaris sit beside her. “What happened to your foot?”

“Cinnamon threw me—” she said smiling at Nate “—and knocked some sense into me.”

Grandma K laughed and turned to Nate. “This is the best present you’ve ever given me.”