Part 31
"Hey." Nick stood beside Becca in the moonlight, wondering what she was thinking.
"I’m sorry."
"What for? You're not the one that's being a jerk tonight."
"I don't know, Nick, I just feel the need to apologize again for running off and leaving everyone. Kevin was right."
"No, Kevin wasn't anywhere close to being right. It wasn't your place to watch after Sarah, she's a big girl."
"But if I'd been here-"
"Baby, there's no guarantee that anything would have been different. Except maybe I'd have had to cope with you barfing every morning..."
Becca laughed. "Great way to put things in perspective, Nick."
"So what else did Mr. Wonderful have to say?"
She shook her head. "It's not important, and anyway, he's drunk." She knew if Nick had heard what Kevin had accused her of, they wouldn't be standing there talking calmly, and there was no way she was going to let it ruin Sarah's wedding day. "The wedding was beautiful, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, it was. I'm happy for them, you know?"
"They deserve it. They've been through so much in the last two years."
"What about you, Becca?"
"What about me?" She turned to him, a question on her face.
"Don't you deserve some happiness, too?"
"Nick, I *am* happy. I’m home, I have you, I have a little one on the way, I have all I need."
"But I don't." Nick took her hands. "Bec, I was so afraid that I'd lost you forever and I never want to feel that way again."
"Nick, I'm not-"
"Let me finish, ok? I know you're not gonna leave again, but I need to have more of a guarantee. When you left me, you took a big part of me with you. Baby, you took my heart. And all you left me was this." He held up her engagement ring, and the moonlight caught in the diamond and sparkled.
Becca looked as if she was about to say something, but Nick pressed a finger to her lips.
"Ever since we found this in your house, I've worn it every day. I've had it on a chain around my neck or in my pocket, but that's not where it belongs." Taking her hand, he slipped it back onto her ring finger. "*This* is where it belongs. I’m goin' for broke here, so I'm gonna ask again." He took a deep breath. "Marry me Bec? Please?"