Page 77 of Along The Mystic River
“No, I’ll put it on the timer. Stay there.” Quinn headed over to a nearby tree, balanced her phone on a branch and turned it slightly until she had a good view of Riley in front of the house. She set it to ten seconds, ran back and put an arm around Riley, the same way her great-grandfather had done with his wife. “Smile, babe.”
“You don’t need to tell me to smile. I’m already as happy as I can be.” Riley rested her head against Quinn’s shoulder and they both smiled widely. It was a great picture, Quinn saw when she went to retrieve her phone. The light hit the house beautifully, and the asters came up to their calves. Riley was wearing a floaty, white summer dress and Quinn was in her denim shorts and a white T-shirt. It wasn’t their Sunday best, and nothing was staged like the picture of her great-grandparent’s, but this was a different era, and thankfully, a time where a same-sex couple could safely settle down in Mystic. Much had changed, but Aster House hadn’t changed. It had withstood decennia of cold winters, warm summers, many storms and two floods, and its walls were still sturdy as ever. The asters continued to bloom every year without exception, transforming the yard into a surreal display of pure beauty.
“Does it feel more like your home now?” Riley asked. “Because it’s official?”
“It always felt like home to me, but most of all, home is where you are,” Quinn whispered, nuzzling Riley’s hair. In the past month, they’d had big get-togethers on Sundays, with her family, their friends and her grandmother who now came to Aster House once a week. It had a calming effect on her, and even though she didn’t always understand the context of the situation and rarely recognized them, she felt connected to the house and loved being here. Riley’s father had also visited them a few more times, along with Jane and Mindy. The house had been healing for them; a place to connect and re-connect with their family, their loved ones, and with themselves.
There was a lot of love between those walls but the love she felt for Riley overshadowed everything, and it was the forever kind of love. They’d spoken about children and hoped to have a family of their own. If they did, Quinn would make sure they grew to love the house as much as she did. It would be a haven for them, a place they would miss when they went off to college or moved away from Mystic to pursue their dreams. And the house would always be here when they returned, welcoming them with open doors, waiting for a new generation and many more to come.
There was only one thing left to do; something Quinn had been wanting to do for a while. Her great-grandmother’s ring was in her pocket, and Riley gasped when she got down on one knee and took her hand. “Beautiful, wonderful Riley,” she said, nerves coursing through her as she took it out and looked up at the woman she adored. She’d secretly had the ring altered so it would fit Riley, and although the weeks waiting to get it back had been agonising, the local jeweller had returned it in sparkling condition. Her hand was trembling, but she didn’t care as she continued. “I hope you know how much I love you, and I’d spend eternity with you, if I could. I promise to always be there for you, to love you and support you until the day I die. I promise to protect your heart in every way I can, and that I will spend my days determined to make you smile.” She choked up when Riley nodded before she’d even asked the question. “I truly believe that we were meant to meet, and that you are the only one for me on this planet, because why else would our paths have crossed in this bizarre way?” Swallowing hard, Quinn paused and held up the ring. Her hand was shaking so badly now, she could barely manage to put in on Riley’s finger, and she chuckled nervously when it finally slid on and graced her hand. “Will you please marry me?”
“Of course.” Riley burst into tears as she examined the ring and nodded again. “Of course I’ll marry you; I thought you’d never ask.” She fell around Quinn’s neck, sniffing against her shoulder, and Quinn squeezed her tightly, lifted her off the ground and spun her around. Their future was unknown, but their love was as strong as the walls of Aster House. There would be laughter and joy, and there would be pain. But whatever happened, they’d get through it together, and Aster House would never lie dormant again.