Page 52 of Brick Wall
A little over a year later…
Sebastian
T he sun is shining bright with sweat dripping through my white T-shirt. It’s a beautiful, warm day in early June—the best day of the year so far, and I’m looking forward to nicer days ahead.
Annie and I are spending the day at the camp in Plymouth. Soon, this place will be filled with campers and more memories, but today we are getting ready for all the upcoming summer camps.
“Do you need help with that?” I ask a determined Annie, who is dragging a canoe underneath the decking.
“Oh, sure.” She rubs her hands on her shorts to get some sand off.
The old blue canoe is out as she did most of the work already. I pick up one end of the canoe and she grabs the other and we carry it closer to the water.
A big grin takes over Annie’s face when she sets that old boat down .
“What?” I ask with curiosity.
“Just a good memory popped into my head, that’s all.”
“Of me tipping us over in this thing?” I’m not sure how that’s a positive memory.
“Yup,” she says, popping the p off her lips.
“And getting us soaked and almost drowned?”
“Yup,” she easily agrees, grin still in place. “Although the almost-drowned part is kind of dramatic, don’t you think?”
I hum my disagreement.
“I can’t believe that was almost two years ago now,” she says, lost in thought.
I grab both her hands and place them in mine. “It’s been a great two years.” I lean in to give her a quick kiss. I mean every word.
Life only got better after falling in the canoe, especially the whole falling for Annie Moore thing. I’d like to think she’d say similar sentiments.
The first year we were together, I won the super bowl with her by my side.
The second year we were together, she won the NCAA Volleyball Championship with me by her side. Her team killed it by defeating Kentucky 3–0 in the final game. Annie also became the first female head coach for D1 Women’s Volleyball to win a national title.
I’m so grateful the stars aligned that I could witness everything in person, cheering Annie on with all her family and friends in the stands.
Annie received even more job offers after her title win. One offer was so great that she couldn’t refuse—Chestnut Hill University extended her contract for multiple years for a historic sum. We’ll be in Boston together for the near and— hopefully—distant future.
“Hey, Sebastian. Do you want to take the old canoe out for a test drive?” Annie says, cutting off my thoughts.
“That sounds great,” I say without thinking, but shit, I can’t right now. “Maybe in a little bit?” I offer instead.
“Uh, yeah,” she says in return, but she’s assessing me, trying to figure me out.
I need a minute.
“I’ll be back,” I say quickly and then I turn around and walk fast in the other direction.
I don’t know what is wrong with me suddenly.
My palms are sweaty and my heart is racing. There’s a flutter in my belly that won’t quit. I wander around the camp premises to clear my head. After a few minutes of walking around in no particular direction, I land in front of that old red shed.
Without overthinking it, I open the door, enter, and pull out a stool that wasn’t here the last time. I close my eyes and picture the first time I was stuck in here with Annie, almost two years ago.
A smile touches my face at the memories. I can almost smell her sweet lavender scent again. I even hear that familiar sound.
Bang.
Screech.
Click.
I open my eyes and the shed is suddenly brighter, and all I can see is Annie.
She takes one look at me and frowns. “Hey, is everything okay? You left in a hurry back there.”
“I know. I’m sorry, but I didn’t want to go in the canoe. ”
“Okay,” she says, stretching out the word. “That’s fine. We didn’t have to go in the canoe. It was just an idea.”
“Well, I want to, but not right now. Right now, I want to do this.” I pull out a diamond ring that was burning a hole in my khaki shorts’ pocket, and I drop down to one knee.
She covers her mouth with her palm, but no words come out.
Finally, the word what? leaves her mouth cracked with emotion as she takes a shaky breath. I draw in one too, but I’m used to working through the nerves.
“Will you make me the happiest guy alive and marry me?”
“Yes, of course!” she squeaks out.
I grasp her left hand and slip the engagement ring on her ring finger while Annie chokes out a half-laugh, half-sob.
I wrap her up in my arms and hold her tight, and she melts into the embrace. After a moment or maybe longer, our mouths collide together in a long, deep kiss.
My heartbeat increases as well as the intensity of the kiss. I, begrudgingly, break apart the kiss, leaning my forehead against hers to catch my breath.
My arms are still around her waist, and hers are around my neck.
“We can go on a canoe now. I had the ring in my pocket, and I was afraid I was going to fall out of the canoe and lose the ring forever. I was originally thinking of proposing in the canoe, but then I remembered the whole water thing and our bad luck.”
“True,” she easily agrees.
I take a tiny step back and look directly into her eyes.
“Also, when I was thinking about where to propose, I knew it had to be here. Your happy place in Plymouth and also the place where we were first stuck together, the first place we kissed, and the place that helped me fall in love with you. I wanted another first here with you.”
Annie lays a hand over my heart as it skips a beat in response. “I love you so much.”
“I love you so much,” I repeat her words right back, as I place a small kiss on her forehead.
I trail another kiss lower, and before I can do more, we both hear a commotion outside. Annie focuses on me with a question in her eyes, but I shrug in response. I have no idea what is happening.
Annie withdraws from my grasp and opens the shed door with gentle ease. We step out of the shed to a round of applause.
The parking lot outside is filled with people.
I take a step back in surprise.
So many people are here. Annie’s parents and brothers. My mom. Scarlett. Goldie. Calvin. Bryce, and a lot of my fellow teammates. Many staff and camp counselors. And some faces I don’t even know.
How did they all know?
I didn’t tell a soul I was proposing today. Heck, I didn’t even know I was going to propose until the actual moment. I asked Mr. and Mrs. Moore for their blessing last night because I knew it was important to Annie.
After a round of cheers, everyone approaches us with hugs and accolades. Annie glows with excitement. A smile never leaves her face. Same could be said for me.
Annie’s mom embraces me in a long, warm hug and Ryan does the same a second later.
“Congratulations, brother! ”
“Thank you. What’s all this?” I ask Ryan directly because if anyone would know, it would be him.
Annie turns to face me. Her eyebrows are squishing together.
“I didn’t plan this,” I admit to her. I don’t want to take credit for something I didn’t do.
“We wanted to welcome you to our family officially, and we had a hunch you couldn’t wait any longer,” Annie’s mom cuts in. “We were going to have a cookout either way, but we are glad you did it today.” Her smile is wide and genuine.
I glance over at Ryan, where he has a cocky grin planted on his face. My eyes move lower to his white shirt, where it grabs my attention. There are words written in black, capital letters: “MOORE GOODICK GENERATOR.”
I shake my head in response.
“I’m a genius,” Ryan singsongs as he walks away from us and moves to the cooler.
Annie and I simultaneously roll our eyes at him.
“I can’t believe he’s going to be my brother-in-law,” I mutter.
“Hey, you chose this. I had no option in the matter,” Annie argues.
“Oh, you’re right.” I turn around and start to walk away from her.
She grabs my arm and pulls me closer to her. “Not so fast. You’re stuck with me now.”
“Is that a promise?”
“Yes.” Her voice is soft and sweet. “I can’t wait to be your wife.”
A throat clears behind us and a voice prompts with, “And…”
“I can’t wait to be Annie Goodick,” Annie says immediately in return .
The same noise is made from their throat again. I don’t turn around to see who’s prompting this exchange. I only have eyes for her at this moment.
“I mean,” Annie stumbles. “I can’t wait to be Anita Goodick.”
And now another voice—a different one—clears.
“I am not changing my name to Anita Moore Goodick and that’s final. I’m keeping my same middle name!” Annie turns around to face her three brothers, all smirking at her in return.
A huge smile is resting on my face. “I don’t care what you do, as long as we are together.” I grasp her face before leaning in for a quick kiss.
When we break apart, she leans toward my ear for only me to hear and whispers, “I can’t wait for more.”