Chapter 9

“That was Viola on the phone. She said they ran into Michael and Morgan at the park and Kristina wanted to stay and play…”

Ric didn’t respond to her

He sat there with his elbows to his knees, his mind obviously a million miles away

“Ric?”

“Huh oh… sorry”

Ric looked up at her shaking himself from his thoughts

“Solving the world’s problems?” she asked jovially

Her hair still dripping wet

Her bathrobe wrapped tightly around her

He grinned shyly and then took her by the hand leading her on to his lap in the overstuffed chair

“You have a furrowed brow” Alexis said observing his face “What are you thinking about in there?” she said then kissing him at his temple

“I’m thinking about a lot actually”

Alexis ended her playfulness and sat up straight at the sound of his seriousness

“Wanna talk about it?”

“It’s nothing” he said now mindlessly running his hand up and down her leg

“Ric?”

Curiosity would be what ended up killing her

“Kristina will be going to pre-school next year…”

“You’re thinking about Kristina and pre-school?” she asked puzzled

“Yeah… are you sure that’s where she should go? To Salisbury I mean?”

“It’s a great school… you don’t think so?”

Now Alexis had the furrowed brow

“Yes I do, I do I was just thinking too much, I just want the best for her”

“I think Salisbury is the best”

Ric shook his head agreeing

Alexis looked at him still puzzled why he seemed so worried and occupied about Kristina’s pre-school

“Sweetheart? What is it really?”

“I promise it’s nothing” he answered quickly as an unconvincing smile perched on his face

Alexis leaned in giving him a consoling hug

He needed it… for some reason

There was silence and then his confession poured out

“You deserve so much more than I’ve given you”

“Ric?” she said already questioning his statement

He was still holding on to her

“You just deserve so much… all that you’ve been through in this life. You deserve to be in love, you deserve to have someone get down on one knee and propose to you. To put a ring on your finger that is just for you…” He said as he brushed across the bare skin on her ring finger “You deserve your storybook wedding and not some rushed chapel ceremony…”

“Ric, sweetheart…” She said calming him “I hate weddings. In case you’ve forgotten I have tendency to run out on them and flag down semi’s!”

She made him grin

“The proposal and our wedding was exactly the way it should have been”

He looked at her now still disheartened

“I wouldn’t change anything because I’m here right now with you, despite everything. Yes it all happened so fast and it was unconventional and it wasn’t a fairytale but nothing has ever been in my life…”

“But Alexis that’s just it I want you to have a wonderful memory of those things and you don’t! And you deserve at least that much”

Alexis looked at him charmed by how frustrated he was

“I did get the one thing, the most important thing… I am in love, with you. And for the first time in my like I’m certain about being in love and I don’t need a wedding or a ring to prove any of that. All of that is for other people…”

“But I want people to know” He said protesting “I want everyone to know that when they look down at your hand they instantly know that there is someone in this world who is insanely in love with you”

Alexis leaned in and kissed him lingeringly on the lips as he shuffled her now curled wet hair from her shoulders

“You Mr. Lansing are the sweetest and most thoughtful…”

His finger to he r lips

His eyes keeping her eyes locked to his

A small black velvet box appeared in his hand

When her eyes caught it he could tell she was holding her breath

And he was finding it hard to take another breath himself

“I bought it for you... I bought it the day after we got married. But everything got so hectic with Kristina and Sonny and... and from then on it never seemed like the right time to give it to you… The next thing I know I had lost you…” Ric suddenly took his eyes from her and to the velvet box “I wanted it to be sincere, perfect actually” He looked back to her “At the time I was uncertain about a lot of things. But I did know that I had fallen in love with an incredibly smart, and strong, and beautiful woman…” He stopped himself, the pounding in his chest made it hard for him to speak. “I just wanted to be certain that when I gave this to you it was for all the right reasons, that it was because you and I both were sure how much I love you and how much I love everything about you… I hope now you are certain of that ”

Tears streamed down her face

She didn’t bother trying to stop them

Ric moved her from his lap and let her sit in his place in the overstuffed chair

He fell to his knee

“Alexis”

A grin covered her face

He opened the black velvet box

Her eyes widened, and he watched her hand tremble

It made him smile

Actually a nervous breathy laugh

“I unfortunately had to learn a hard lesson about life, and love and what love means. Because I had to learn everything I do seems to mean nothing now unless I know you’re with me” Ric tried to catch tears that had strayed from his own eyes. “I know I’ve already asked you to marry me and I thank God you said yes… but Alexis Davis I’m asking you… will you spend the rest of your life with me?”

Her lip quivered

He waited patiently for her answer

“Lansing” she said finally

He looked at her puzzled from her response

“Alexis Davis-Lansing” she corrected in a whisper

A grin covered Ric’s face

“Yes, because I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you”

He kissed her over and over

“Oh the ring!” He said amused he had got caught up in kissing her

He kissed her hand where her ring, the ring that was just for her, now would go

He then slid the ring on her finger  

A perfect fit

Love and mercy had finally made it a perfect fit

“Ric, its beautiful… it’s too much”

“I told you I want everyone to know that there is someone in this world who is insanely in love with you”

The diamond sparked as her hand          rested against his cheek

She then kissed him again and again

It was a bumbling walk back to their bedroom

They both hoped Kristina would be playing in the park for at least a little while longer