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"What's all this for?" Tessa asked Mariah in shocked surprise as she surveyed the living area after walking through the front door of their studio apartment.
"I promised you our own private celebration when you returned, so...." Mariah smiled at Tessa from behind their two-seater table which she had fancied up with a tablecloth, lit candles, cloth napkins and their good plates.
"Babe, this is so sweet of you. And, I'm sooo hungry," Tessa shot Mariah a huge grin before abandoning her bag on the floor and moving across the room to pull Mariah into her arms for a breathtaking kiss. "Thank you my love. Happy New Year."
Mariah's face was flushed from the intense liplock and she knew it so she attempted to redirect Tessa's attention as she pulled out of her girlfriend's embrace. "Have a seat while I get the food out of the oven," she said before heading into the kitchen.
Tessa sat in the chair facing the kitchen and watched Mariah pull a pan from the oven. She smiled as Mariah moved food from the pan to a serving dish, looking all domestic and happy. When the redhead looked up and made eye contact with her, her heart melted. She loved Mariah so much and thanked her lucky stars every day for bringing them together. Mariah smiled at her adoringly then walked to the table with the dish.
"Tamales and empanadas. What would you like?" Mariah asked as she held the dish near Tessa's plate. "Lola made them," Mariah added when Tessa hesitated to answer right away.
"One of each please," Tessa said and watched Mariah deposit the food onto her plate. "Thanks." Mariah put one of each on her own plate then set the serving dish on the counter before taking her seat at the table. "So, tell me all about the wedding," Tessa said before putting a bite of tamale in her mouth.
"It was so beautiful Tessa. Sharon looked amazing and was radiating joy all night. Your song was perfect, Rey and Sharon loved it. I teared up as they exchanged vows, as expected. After the ceremony, Faith and I made a toast and then pretty much everyone else made one after ours. We all rang in the new year with champagne and noisemakers. The only thing missing was you," Mariah took a bite of her empanada and moaned appreciatively at how delicious it was.
"I bet you looked sexy as hell. Did you take pictures?" Tessa asked before biting into her empanada and emitting her own appreciative moan. One day she was going to ask Lola to teach her how to make these delightful doughy pockets of goodness.
"Everyone took pictures galore. And Nick took tons of video on his phone. I think he's going to try and put together a little keepsake for Rey and Sharon. So, how was the show?" Mariah dug into her tamale.
"Fantastic. I was worried I wouldn't be well received since I wasn't the person people came to see but the audience was very welcoming to me and the positive energy filling the venue was palpable. One thing kept it from being perfect - you weren't there with me," Tessa gazed into Mariah's eyes as she spoke. She could spend hours getting lost in them.
"I'm really happy the show went well but I hope this is the last New Year's Eve we spend apart," Mariah said softly as she reached across the table for Tessa's hand.
"Me too," Tessa replied as she squeezed Mariah's hand.
"You know, Rey and Nick said some things that got me thinking. Rey said last year taught him to not take anything for granted. And Nick said the way Sharon looks when she's with Rey is how I look when I'm with you. He's right too. You make me so incredibly happy and I fall deeper in love with you every day. I can't imagine my life without you by my side. I want to grow old with you, go on adventures with you, experience the highs and lows of life with you. Tessa, this isn't at all how I imagined this would go and the stores are closed today so I don't have a ring for you yet but I don't want to take what we have for granted one moment longer," Mariah got out of her chair and knelt beside Tessa, still clasping her hand in her own. "Tessa Porter, will you marry me?" Mariah smiled lovingly at Tessa.
Tears sprang to Tessa's eyes as she looked down at her beloved. "Yes! Yes Mariah, of course I'll marry you. I love you so much," Tessa helped Mariah to her feet and swept her into her arms, kissing her fiancée fiercely.