“...and then he proposed.”
Later that evening, in the familiar city park, Chloe finished recounting her engagement story to Sara.
“So I suppose you could say Lloyd and I are engaged now. But Miss Sara—” Chloe paused, noticing Sara’s reaction. Her friend’s face was flushed a deep red, her lips quivering slightly in excitement. “Miss Sara, are you all right?”
Sara managed a breathless reply, her hand covering her mouth as she trembled with emotion. “I’m...just fine, Chloe... Just reeling a bit, is all. Such a pure, romantic proposal... In front of that beautiful embroidery, with everyone watching? It’s like something out of Love & Knight!” Her words trailed off into a whisper, more to herself than to Chloe. She clapped her hands together in prayer, her expression oddly serious. “It gives me life. Thank you, Chloe,” she said, dipping her head low.
“Wh-What?!” Chloe squeaked.
Sara’s expression softened into a knowing smile. “Congratulations, Chloe. You and Lloyd are truly meant for each other.”
Chloe scratched at her cheek, a touch of shyness in her voice. “A-Are we? Thanks, Sara.”
“But Lloyd, what a man,” Sara said, excitement bubbling up again. “Didn’t you two just become sweethearts?”
Chloe nodded. “Yes, it was a surprise for me too...”
Sara’s expression turned thoughtful. “How do you feel about it, though? Normally, it’s six months to a year before marriage is even on the table, but it seems you two are a rather special case.”
Chloe’s eyes widened. “Th-That long?” But then a smile slowly overtook her face. “But I’m actually happy he proposed so soon. If I already have it in my mind he’s the man I’m going to marry, why wait?”
Sara shielded her eyes, as if she were a vampire caught in the full intensity of the afternoon sun. “So...bright... I’m...dying...” she croaked.
“Miss Sara?!”
Sara dropped her hands, her smile returning. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. It’s not every day I witness such blinding purity.”
“B-Blinding? Take care of your eyes, now...” Chloe replied, a bit flustered.
Their lighthearted banter waned as Millia approached, Othello cradled in her arms. “Mommy, what’s marriage?”
Sara crouched down to Millia’s level, her voice gentle. “Marriage is...a promise. A promise to be with someone you love very much, for your whole life.”
“Someone you love very much!” Millia echoed enthusiastically. “Then I want to marry you, mommy!”
A wave of affection washed over Sara’s face. “Your mother is so happy to hear that, my dear,” she replied, tenderly stroking Millia’s hair.
Witnessing their loving exchange, Chloe felt a warmth in her heart, but it was tinged with a pang of something else, prompting her to look away.
Sara noticed the change in her demeanor. “What’s on your mind, Chloe?”
“Huh?” Chloe murmured, returning Sara’s gaze.
“It’s just that you look awfully gloomy all of a sudden.”
“Oh,” Chloe said, shaking off the momentary surprise. “I just saw how happy you two looked and felt a bit... Never mind, I don’t know what I’m getting at. Sorry for bringing down the mood.” She laughed, but it was tinged with awkwardness.
“Afraid of whether or not you and Lloyd can start your own happy family?”
Chloe’s heart skipped, as if a bucket of ice cold water had been dumped all over her.
“Bull’s-eye?” Sara asked knowingly.
“B-Bull’s-eye...” Chloe quietly confirmed.
Chloe had always harbored the dream of being part of a joyful family. But for someone raised in her circumstances, a shadow had always hung over the fantasy—a doubt that Sara had so expertly picked up on. “How did you know?” Chloe asked.
Sara fixed Chloe in an understanding gaze. “I suppose I just do. Marriage transforms a relationship. It’s not just about love anymore; it involves starting a family, meeting expectations. It’s a significant shift, and it’s natural to be worried.” Sara’s eyes softened. “I perhaps recognized your feelings because I’ve experienced them myself.”
“You have?” Chloe was surprised. The Freddy she knew appeared a little glib and frivolous, but she’d seen his devotion to his family firsthand.
Sara nodded. “My husband had quite the reputation as a playboy before we met. When he proposed, I worried if someone like him could truly embrace a stable family life. Thankfully, he proved my fears wrong, but that initial worry was very real.”
Chloe smiled, feeling a connection. “I think it was you who changed him, Miss Sara. He must have realized he couldn’t risk losing you and transformed himself for the better.”
“My, you and Millia must be competing over who can make me blush harder today,” Sara said, stifling a giggle. “But following that logic, you have nothing to fear. Lloyd will do the same for you, I’m certain of it.”
Chloe squirmed, weakness creeping into her voice. “Y-You really think so?” Despite all of Lloyd’s efforts—the affirmations of her worth, his declaration of everything he loved about her—Chloe still struggled to fully accept these compliments, which ricocheted off the protective walls around her heart. She knew she’d likely struggle with this sort of thing for the rest of her life, and yet her outlook was bright. The fact that she could now frame her issues objectively at all was enough to help her keep her head high, maintaining her resolve against the tide of self-doubt.
She was changing. These things just took time.
Sara clasped Chloe’s hand reassuringly. “You’ll be just fine, dear,” she said. “Call it a hunch, but I think you and Lloyd will start a happy family. Don’t ask me why I feel that way; I just do.”
Chloe smiled, touched. “Thank you. I’ll do my best.”
Millia chimed in, her innocent curiosity breaking through the moment. “Miss Monkey Lady, are you marrying Mister Lloyd?”
“Yes, I am,” Chloe replied lovingly.
“I knew it! I knew it would be him!” Millia exclaimed. She remembered Lloyd as the kind adult who had played house with her once, back when Lloyd and Chloe’s relationship had been strictly professional. “He looked at you like daddy looks at mommy!”
Chloe’s heart fluttered. It was that blunt honesty unique to children that made Millia’s observation hit all the harder. Othello meowed from Millia’s arms, as if in agreement.
Sara chuckled. “Seems like Othello approves too.”
Chloe uttered a word of thanks, a bashful smile working its way onto her face, when suddenly a shiver ran down her spine. She stiffened, her expression sharpening with her alertness. That unsettling feeling—a presence she hadn’t felt since...
“What’s wrong, Chloe?” Sara asked.
“I, um...” Chloe couldn’t find her words, her attention consumed by her sudden apprehension. The park looked the same as always, but she couldn’t shake the sensation that she was being watched. Was it just her imagination playing tricks? Unable to pinpoint the source of her discomfort, she felt a nervous pit settle in the middle of her stomach.