Watershed

"I was going to wait a few months," Will said quietly, as he stood and came around the bed to me. "Give you time to settle. But you've found my stash. So I have to confess."

"Wills... is..."

"I don't know if it's the right size. I had to guess based on the few rings you wear, so we may need to adjust it. If you want it, that is."

I stared down at the band.

"Wills..."

"Tim Tam? Hey. Hey, here, sit down, sweetie."

I felt his hands under my arms as he caught me, felt him lowering me gently to the bed.

"Tammy. Jesus, love, you're pale as a sheet. I... I'm sorry, Tam, it's really far too soon. I know it is. I'll understand if you don't want it. Honestly, it's just... me being foolish. Assuming too much, moving to fast."

I stared up at him, breathless, floundering. "Are... are you asking..."

He stared at me then nodded, slowly. "Yes."

"You're not... fucking with me, are you? This isn't a game. You wouldn't dare. This is... drop dead fucking serious, isn't it?"

"No, Tam, I'm not fucking around. You're the centre of my everything. You have been for a long time. I... want to make this official. I want to do this properly. To show my commitment to you. To us. I want you to never have a second's doubt about how fucking serious I am about you." He paused, blinked, reached out a hand to touch my cheek. "Tam... you're crying."

He pulled me to him, up onto his lap, and wrapped his strong arms around me. I buried my face in his neck, fighting for some vague semblance of control, trying to fight back the shuddering sobs that were threatening to break me.

"Tammy? Shh. Shh, love. Shh. You don't need to answer now. I know it's sudden. Forget about it. Leave it, close the book. It can wait. It can wait as long as you need it to."

"You've always been a master of timing," I managed, after some time. "Too soon or too late, never on time."

"The worst kind of dinner guest," he breathed into my ear.

"And the best, most special kind of partner," I answered him. I pulled back from him, smiled up at him through my tears.

"You were supposed to do this with Irises, idiot. Not via a heart attack," I added, suppressing a shudder. "But it's done now. So take it out of the book and give it here."

"So..."

"Sometimes, Wills, you're not very quick on the uptake," I whispered, as I rested my head against his chest.

He carefully freed the ring and slipped it onto my finger. It fitted - mostly.

I took his hand in mine, squeezed it hard, intermeshing my fingers with his. "I've been yours since forever, too," I breathed, staring up at those blue eyes that I knew so well.

He raised my hand to his mouth, kissed it, then gently wiped the tears from my cheeks.

.:.

I was twenty six going on twenty seven when I finally married the man I loved. A registry office wedding on a sunny August Monday to make official what we'd been for years in all but name.

Friends, family, tears, laughter - all had their place, all had their time, all had their measure.

And when we returned home, late in the afternoon, he carried me, giggling, over the threshold, and set me gently down inside our front door. I stood up on my toes and kissed him, then pulled his tie askew.

"Well, welcome home, Wills," I said, smiling up at him.

"Welcome home, Tam."