Chapter 24 - The Choice Before Forever
Marcus bought a ring.
Then he hid it for three months.
Camille discovered it accidentally.
“You coward.”
Marcus nearly dropped the box.
“I am not a coward.”
“You have had that ring since January.”
“I am planning.”
“You're procrastinating with spreadsheets.”
Marcus closed the drawer.
“I want it to be right.”
Camille sat on his desk.
“You're afraid she'll say no.”
“Yes.”
The honesty surprised her.
Marcus continued.
“I am also afraid she'll say yes because everything we've survived makes it feel inevitable.”
Camille softened.
“That is annoyingly thoughtful.”
“Thank you.”
“You should still ask her.”
Marcus smiled.
Meanwhile, Naomi faced an opportunity of her own.
A major architecture firm in Chicago offered her partnership.
Not employment.
Partnership.
The position required significant travel and eventually partial relocation.
Naomi stared at the offer letter for two days before telling Marcus.
They sat in her apartment.
“This is huge,” he said.
“Yes.”
“You should take it.”
Naomi's eyes narrowed.
“That was fast.”
“What?”
“You didn't ask what it means for us.”
Marcus realized his mistake.
“I thought supporting you meant—”
“Deciding for me?”
He stopped.
The lesson stung because it was familiar.
“No.”
Naomi crossed her arms.
“You're doing the noble thing.”
“Is that bad?”
“When the noble thing lets you avoid saying what you want, yes.”
Marcus looked at her.
“What do you want me to say?”
“The truth.”
He took a breath.
“I don't want you to move to Chicago.”
Naomi's shoulders relaxed.
“But,” he continued, “I don't want you to reject partnership because of me.”
“Good.”
“I want us to figure it out.”
“Better.”
Marcus smiled.
She sat beside him.
“The role can be structured around two weeks a month there during the first year.”
“That sounds awful.”
“It sounds possible.”
“For you?”
“Yes.”
“For us?”
“I don't know.”
Marcus nodded.
“Then we learn.”
Naomi leaned against him.
“This is very healthy.”
“I hate it.”
“Me too.”
She accepted the partnership.
They built calendars.
Marcus traveled with her sometimes.
Other weeks they missed each other.
There were bad phone calls.
Cancelled flights.
Lonely evenings.
But neither treated inconvenience as proof the relationship was failing.
Three months later, the Bellmont prepared for its official reopening gala.
Marcus decided he would propose afterward.
Privately.
No crowd.
No photographers.
Then life changed the plan.
On opening morning, Marcus woke with severe weakness in both legs.
It happened sometimes.
But this episode was worse than usual.
He could transfer independently, yet standing was impossible.
He stared at the wheelchair beside his bed.
For several seconds, Chapter One returned.
The Lamborghini.
Madison's shock when he stood.
The viral video.
Strangers demanding proof.
Marcus hated that a small part of him still associated standing with winning.
He called Naomi.
“My legs are useless today.”
She replied, “Rude of them.”
He laughed.
“I won't be standing at the gala.”
“Okay.”
“That's it?”
“What else would there be?”
Marcus closed his eyes.
Nothing.
There should be nothing.
Naomi continued.
“Do you want me to come early?”
“No.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“Then I'll see you there.”
She hung up.
Marcus looked at the ring.
For the first time he understood exactly how he wanted to propose.
Not despite the wheelchair.
Not because of it.
Without making it part of the question at all.
At the Bellmont, Madison arrived with nonprofit clients.
Evelyn greeted guests.
Camille handled press.
Naomi stood beneath Denise's plaque.
When Marcus entered, he remained seated in his wheelchair.
Cameras flashed.
One reporter called, “Marcus, can you stand today?”
Camille looked ready to commit murder.
Marcus smiled calmly.
“No.”
The reporter shouted, “Why not?”
Marcus paused.
“Because today I can't.”
Then he continued inside.
No shame.
No explanation.
No medical record.
No performance.
Naomi met him in the lobby.
“You look handsome.”
“You look expensive.”
“I am.”
He laughed.
The gala celebrated the hotel's redesign, fellowship recipients and community advisory team.
Marcus made no dramatic entrance.
He did not use the Lamborghini as a symbol.
He did not stand.
Nothing needed revealing.
After midnight, the final guests left.
Marcus asked Naomi to meet him outside.
She followed.
The valet lane was empty.
The metallic-black Lamborghini waited near the curb.
Marcus stopped in almost the exact location where Madison had rejected him months earlier.
Naomi looked around.
“Oh.”
Marcus smiled.
“You remember?”
“Of course.”
He reached into his jacket.
Naomi's eyes widened.
“Marcus.”
He opened the box.
The ring caught the hotel lights.
“I had a speech.”
Naomi covered her mouth.
“I've rewritten it fifteen times.”
“That sounds like you.”
He laughed.
Then became serious.
“When we met, I thought the best thing that happened that day was watching Madison regret underestimating me.”
Naomi's eyes filled.
“I was wrong.”
Marcus continued.
“The best thing was that you defended me before you knew what I owned, what I could do, whether I could stand or whether I would ever see you again.”
Tears rolled down Naomi's cheeks.
“You looked at me like I was already enough.”
Marcus swallowed.
“I want to spend my life learning to give you the same gift.”
Naomi whispered, “Marcus…”
“Naomi Brooks, will you marry me?”
She stared at him.
Then laughed through tears.
“Yes.”
Marcus smiled.
“Yes?”
“Yes.”
She bent down and kissed him.
Not because he stood.
Not because she lowered herself to him.
Because they met where they were.
Naomi slipped the ring onto her finger.
Then looked toward the Lamborghini.
“Are we driving away dramatically?”
Marcus smiled.
“Tomorrow.”
“What happens tonight?”
He turned toward the hotel doors.
“We go back inside.”
Naomi understood.
Chapter One had ended with them escaping the Bellmont.
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This time they would enter it.
Together.
