A Private Dance Ch. 09

"How about a little toast to your homecoming?" Miranda said as she uncorked the bottle and filled the flutes. She handed David a glass then clinked the crystals together. David took a sip then set the glass down quickly.

"Damn!" David exclaimed. "I forgot about my apartment and the rent. I was going to get everything moved out before the next month's rent came due. That son of a bitch landlord probably took all my stuff and sold it!" Dejected, David grabbed the champagne glass and downed the alcohol in one big gulp.

"Do you like surprises, David?" Miranda asked as she stood in front of him then sipped her own glass of bubbly. "Because I have a few surprises for you today. Come with me." Miranda set her glass next to David's on the end table and took his hands to help him from the chair. Holding his arm, Miranda walked David slowly to the large staircase that led to the second floor bedrooms. Methodically, Miranda helped David up each marble step until they set foot on the second floor. David took a minute to catch his breath then followed Miranda, who hid her near-exhaustion well, down the hallway. When she reached the door to the master bedroom, Miranda stopped and turned to face her lover.

"Go ahead," Miranda begged David, "open the door."

David did as he was told and turned the gold knob on the large mahogany door. When he crutched himself into the room, David saw that his clothes and personal effects had all been brought from his apartment and placed I the master suite at the Mason mansion.

"Miranda?" David puzzled. "Did you...?"

"Yes, my love," Miranda interrupted, "I had your belongings brought here where they belong."

"But my lease..." David questioned as he gazed around the room.

"Has been paid in full, my sweet David." Miranda answered without waiting for him to finish his sentence. "That's Surprise #1. And here's Surprise #2." With that, Miranda reached in her pocket and pulled out a small grey jewelry box, then bent to one knee.

"I know this is supposed to be the other way around," Miranda began, "but if I wait for you to be able to get on one knee then it could be next year before this happens, so..." Miranda opened the box and revealed a diamond-encrusted gold band meant for David's left ring finger. She slipped the ring on David's finger and asked the question.

"David Andrews, will you marry me?" Miranda looked up into David's eyes as she spoke, tears welling up in her own.

"Miranda, I..." David stammered. "I don't know what to say. Of course, I'll marry you, but I had already planned on asking you. I had a ring and everything. That's what I went back to my apartment to get that night of the accident."

"You mean this ring?" Miranda said as she reached into her other pocket and pulled out the jewelry box that contained the ring David had intended to give her. "It was with your personal effects at the hospital. Danielle gave it to me when... when we thought you might not make it. And by the way, I accept your proposal, even though it's almost two months late."

Miranda stood and handed the ring to David. He placed the ring on Miranda's finger and the newly engaged couple kissed passionately. "So," David said as he broke the kiss, "I guess the only thing left to do is set a date."

"Well," Miranda answered, "that's Surprise #3. Follow me." Miranda led David out of the room and slowly back down the steps to the main floor. She led David through the parlor and the kitchen to the dark formal dining hall. When Miranda flicked the lights on, a giant shout of "SURPRISE!" shouted through the room, causing David to teeter a bit on his crutches. Miranda steadied her injured fiancé and smiled as he took in the sight of his amazement.

The dining hall had been decorated with white crepe paper and flowers and in the center stood an ivy-covered archway/altar. David looked around the room and saw that his friends from Maxxy's were in attendance along with his sister, Danielle, her husband Greg and David's twin nieces, Ariel and Holly. Anthony and Leslie stood by the altar along with Jessie and her fiancé, Travis. Miranda's family had also come and her four brothers all stood near the archway. But the biggest surprise was the two people standing next to David's sister and brother-in-law: David's parents. David's mother rushed to him and embraced her estranged son. David's father, tears in his eyes, first shook David's hand, then followed his wife's lead and hugged his son for the first time in nearly seven years.

Miranda wiped tears from her own eyes at the reconciliation of David's family then made an announcement. "Thank you all for coming. I proposed to David a few minutes ago and he accepted." A rousing chorus of cheers and applause engulfed the hall then Miranda raised her hands, calling for quiet. "But I also accepted his proposal, as late as it is, so we're in agreement that we're getting married. Since everyone is already in attendance, there's no time like the present to end the engagement and have the ceremony."

"Miranda are you sure you want to do this now?" David whispered in her ear.

"I've never been surer of anything in my live, my dear. Let's get married today." Miranda replied.

"Well, it'll be the shortest engagement on record, but OK." David responded.

The two slowly made their way to the altar and David's brother-in-law, Greg, stepped forward. Greg was an ordained minister and agreed to perform the ceremony. Greg kept the ceremony short and sweet and the two lovers exchanged vows and rings to become husband and wife. After the ceremony concluded, the attendees partied and danced the night away in celebration of the happy couple. At 12:45am, the last guest filed out the door and David and Miranda made their way slowly back up the stairs to the master suite.

"I can't carry you over the threshold right now, wife," David said as he opened the door once more, "but you can bet I will as soon as I'm able."

"We'll help each other through the door, just like we'll help each other through everything for the rest of our lives, my love..."

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Epilogue

David waited outside the brick building. As the bell rang, children began to run from the double doors to busses and vehicles to go home for the weekend. David's eyes searched around for one child in particular, then smiled as his eyes fixed on a pretty blonde seven-year-old in a pink frilly dress with a Wonder Woman backpack. The girl waved when she saw David then sprinted toward him.

"Daddy!" the girl shouted as she flung herself into his arms. "I missed you!"

"It's only been a few hours since I dropped you off this morning, Tiffany," David replied, "but I missed you too, baby."

"Is Mommy home yet?" the blonde pixie asked.

"She should be home by the time we get there, if her plane landed on time." David smiled. Miranda's plane always landed on time, no matter where she was travelling from. Her business travels had taken her to Austria to broker a deal with a count and countess in an aerospace venture that had paid tenfold for the noble couple.

David picked his daughter up and hugged her tightly to him. "Ready to go home?" he asked Tiffany as he looked into her eyes, the eyes that came from her beautiful mother.

"Yep." Tiffany replied. "Can we make pizza for dinner tonight, Daddy?"

David answered as he placed his daughter in the backseat of the limousine then slid in beside her, "We can do whatever you want, baby girl. Let's go home and see Mommy."