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It was a hobby you carried with you from your small hometown; a little art project you couldn’t wait to bring to the big city. Rock painting had started as a fad where you came from and rapidly grown into a movement. Skilled artists and novices alike decorated stones to their liking and then hid them in various locales all over town. The idea behind this unique sensation? Simply to brighten someone’s day with a colorful little surprise.
It was a truly special moment when you introduced Missy Moreno to the craft, and she’d taken to it like a duck to water with much enthusiasm. She became your sidekick, helping you hide your colorful masterpieces all over town for others to find. Even your Marcus, the big dork, had jumped on the bandwagon. As artistically challenged as he was, he loved bonding with you and Missy, his two best gals. He’d hide his own rocks at the Heroics headquarters, always having a good laugh when his teammates would find one in an unusual place. You’d almost peed your pants when he came home and told you about Miracle Guy flipping out after receiving one of Marcus’s colorful stones from the vending machine instead of his desired Snickers bar.
Rock painting became less of a hobby and more of a daily must for the three of you. It brought you all closer together; first you and Missy as babysitter and charge, then you and Marcus as friends turned lovers. Now, unbeknownst to you, Marcus was hoping that the activity would bring you closer still.
***
“Hop to it! We’re wasting daylight!” Missy hollered gleefully, already bounding out the front door. You followed behind her with a slip of paper in hand.
“And just what inspired your father to concoct such an elaborate activity for us today?”
Marcus Moreno was sending you on a scavenger hunt. Apparently, he’d slaved over a handful of decorated rocks that he was particularly proud of and had hidden them around town for you and Missy to seek out together. When you’d inquired why, all he’d said was, “for fun. Duh!” Missy had no complaints. According to her, anybody could spend their Saturday at the mall or the beach or inside playing video games. A scavenger hunt was something new and exciting.
And you weren’t going to complain either. You loved that Marcus was always making unique plans for Missy, keeping her on her toes with missions that didn’t always involve superheroing. And, even more to your liking, they always brought you and Missy a little closer together. Even though you and Marcus hadn’t yet considered moving into that important next phase of your relationship, you couldn’t help already seeing Missy as your own child. The best kid in the universe.
“What does dad’s first clue say?” She asked you now.
You fumbled with the piece of paper clamped between your fingers and read aloud: “‘One spilled coffee, one ruined shirt. Who says I don’t know how to flirt?’”
“Any idea what it means?”
Of course you had an idea. How could you not? You could never even begin to forget such an interesting first date.
As it turned out you and Marcus shared a love for the same coffee shop, so it was the natural option for a casual first date. You’d never been romantically attached to a superhero before, so of course you’d wanted to hear all about his adventures. As he animatedly regailed you with the tale of one of his daring missions, he’d unconsciously bumped the table and sent your iced latte flying into your lap. You’d laughed it off, but of course poor Marcus was mortified.
“I’m so, so sorry,” he’d mumbled from behind his hands.
You’d simply shrugged and smiled. “At least it wasn’t hot.”
You marched ahead of Missy, head held high as you took the lead. “Looks like we’re heading to Java the Hutt’s, kiddo.”
***
“Oooooh, can I get an espresso?” Missy pleaded as you entered the bustling café.
“Missy Moreno, I love you but you have enough energy as it is,” you chuckled. “Plus, I think your dad would skewer me with the business end of one of his katanas if I let you have anything stronger than normal coffee.”
Your eyes immediately began scanning every inch of the establishment for a rock, drifting from one side to the next and back again on multiple sweeps.
You gave Missy a nudge. “Spot it yet?”
She shook her head and before she could answer the barista called your names.
“I’ve got a tal iced ‘I Love You So Matcha’ for Missy, and a venti iced caramel ‘Better Latte Than Never’ for Y/N!”
Exchanging puzzled glances, you and Missy approached the counter to claim your beverages.
“Thank you, but we didn’t order these,” you said, reaching for your wallet to settle the bill.
The kind barista waved you off. “The order was placed by a gentleman caller who said you’d be in to pick it up. Asked us to have it ready and waiting.”
That darned Marcus.
“Oh, he also said to give you this, ma’am.”
The employee handed you what at first glance appeared to be an empty cup but something rattled inside as you took it.
With a ‘thank you’ you and Missy exited the café and planted yourselves on a bench outside, greedily devouring your drinks.
“Alright, I’ll bite,” Missy said. “What’s in the third cup?”
You popped of the lid, turned the paper cup upside down and watched the first of Marcus’s rocks tumble into your palm. It was small but fairly weighty, and had been painted solid black. A single word filled the flatter side of the stone, scrawled out carefully in your favorite shade of blue: “Will”.
You showed the rock to Missy. “Well, certainly not what I expected. Any idea what it means?”
Missy shrugged as she slurped down the last dregs of her drink. “Not a clue. Speaking of which, was the second clue with it?”
You’d been so befuddled by the rock you’d forgotten all about the second clue. You peered inside the cup for a second slip of paper, but found none. As you nervously turned the cup around in your hands you glimpsed something written on the side. And it was more than just your name.
“Aha!”
Missy scooched closer to read over your shoulder as you vocalized the second clue: “‘As the song says: ‘Everyone’s a superhero, everyone’s a Captain Kirk.’ Want to see where heroes work?’”
“Oh, I’ve got it,” Missy proclaimed at the same time you figured it out for yourself. “He has to be talking about Heroics HQ!”
You pocketed the rock and rose from the bench, offering Missy your hand.
“Well, my loyal sidekick, what are we waiting for?”
***
You were all too familiar with the Heroics (who in the world wasn’t at this point?) but you had no idea how they operated off the battlefield. You weren’t expecting their headquarters to be so...corporate. You’d been picturing something along the lines of Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, the Batcave, or the Hall of Justice.
“Any idea where we should even begin to look for the rock in this place?” You asked Missy, marveling at the pristine halls that heroes roamed, literally following in their footsteps.
“Well, I know he spends most of his time in the command center and briefing rooms nowadays,” Missy answered, giving it some thought.
“Command center it is then,” you smiled. “Lead the way, kiddo.”
As you rounded the corner, Missy’s eyes went wide and she squealed, darting off without warning and leaving you in the dust. Your own eyes expanded to the size of dinner plates when you saw what, or rather who , had excited her. You hadn’t recognized him at first; you weren’t used to seeing a superhero in street clothes (well, other than Marcus).
“Miracle Guy!” Missy cheered, launching herself at the casually dressed hero. “What are you doing here? It’s Saturday.”
The tall blond haired and blue eyed supe stooped down just in time to catch Missy in his arms and return her bear hug.
“Hey there, Mini Moreno,” he said with a laugh. “I had to bring my suit in for a patch job. It was pretty much torn to ribbons after that battle with the kaiju last night, and I can’t go about saving the world in just my underpants now, can I?”
You knew Missy and the rest of the hero kids were training to follow in their parents footsteps, but you’d had no idea how chummy she really was with the senior superheroes. It came with the job you supposed. It did your heart good to see that Missy was so well liked and respected. Even at such a young age, her future with the Heroics was bright.
You glanced up just in time to catch Miracle Guy’s eyes and you felt your cheeks bloom with color.
“Oh, yeah, M.G., I almost forgot!” Missy exclaimed excitedly, turning to gesture to you. “This is Y/N. You know, dad’s girlfriend?”
Miracle Guy sauntered over and extended his hand in greeting and you took it, albeit a bit shakily. This is the closest you’d ever been to a celebrity (once again, other than Marcus).
“So this is the lovely lady Marcus is always bragging about?”
“I assure you,” you said, voice totally not squeaking at all, “there’s nothing to brag about here.”
“Marcus is a humble man, Y/N. If he’s found something or someone to brag about he must have a pretty good reason.”
You felt your cheeks heat up all over again. Marcus “bragged” about you to all of the Heroics. God how you loved that man.
“Oh, hey! I think this might belong to you.”
Miracle Guy reached into his pocket and removed something, then handed it to you. It was a small white envelope. It was slightly heavy, and had your name scrawled across the front in Marcus’s familiar handwriting.
“Found that in the vending machine this morning.”
The vending machine! Of course!
“Cool, M.G! You found our third clue,” Missy cheered. “Dad sent us on a scavenger hunt. A sort of team building exercise, if you will.”
Miracle Guy rolled his eyes. “Well, you ladies enjoy it, but tell your dad, Missy, that he owes me two Snickers bars and now a box of Milk Duds.”
You apologized to Miracle Guy for the tomfoolery before he departed and you tore into the envelope. Another simply painted rock dropped into your palm, this one adorned with the word “You.” You removed the first rock from your pocket and placed it in front of the newest one in your hand.
“Will You...,” Missy read aloud. “What do you think it means? Will you what?”
Your heart began to quicken. There were probably thousands of sentences in the English language that started with those two words, but only one in particular came to mind at the moment. Marcus couldn’t be...could he?
Beaming, you reached back into the envelope and withdrew a scrap of paper. The third clue.
“What’s it say?”
“‘You’re so close! One rock left. Maybe you’ll find it in the place we first met. Or maybe you won’t. (Nah! It’s totally there, I just wanted to shake the last clue up a bit. Rhyming gets old fast.)’”
You laughed, but Missy just rolled her eyes. “Wow, dad, way to get lazy.”
“Come on, Missy,” you said, the goofy smile now a permanent fixture on your face. “We’re going to the park.
***
You’d hidden five rocks throughout the park already and were just slipping number six into the knothole of a tree when you heard a small voice behind you ask, “What are you doing?”
The girl couldn’t be older than a pre-teen. She was tall and a bit gangly with a head of thick, long, wavy brown locks. As young as she looked she had an air of authority about her, standing before you hands on hips, one eyebrow cocked inquisitively. In other words, she was adorable.
“Oh, I’m just...” How the heck did you explain this without making yourself look weird. You were new to this town and it’s people were new to you. Your little hobby had been more mainstream back in your hometown, but here it was virtually unheard of. Was being caught with your hand in a tree really the best way to make a good first impression?
“Promise not to laugh at me, kid?”
“I promise nothing.” She crossed her arms superiorly but grinned slightly.
You extended your hand and offered her the rock you’d just been about to stash in the tree. “I’ve been hiding my art around here and I’m afraid you’ve caught me in the act.”
The girl’s eyes widened and she snatched the rock from your hand. “No way!” She reached into her pocket and pulled out another colorful stone. “Is this one if yours, too?”
You nodded, recognizing your own handiwork.
“My dad and I have been finding these all over the place! It’s like a treasure hunt. We were wondering who’s been doing this. This is so cool!
You thought your heart would burst. “If my art has brought you joy, then my work here is done.”
“Is that why you do this? How did you come up with such a neat idea?”
And so you told her, this absolute stranger, a child no less, the origins of your rock painting endeavors. And as you regailed her with your tale, a man approached. After doing a double take you realized you were in the presence of a superhero.
“Find any more rocks, Missy?”
“Even better, dad. I found the culprit!”
The next thing you knew Marcus Moreno’s eyes were on you and you were spinning him the same yarn you just had for his daughter.
“So, we have you to thank for our new favorite activity, do we?”
“It would appear so,” you said nervously. “All I’ve ever wanted was to make someone smile with my art.”
Marcus grinned and a more breathtaking sight you’d never seen.
“Well, you succeeded.”
Missy was enamored with your art; you’d only just met and the two of you talked as if you were old friends. Before you knew it you’d recruited another budding artist into the rock painting echelon. And Marcus couldn’t have been happier. You didn’t realize it at the time, being as lost in the animated conversation as you were, but he was watching you; watching you bond with Missy. Watching you give his daughter a new friend that she desperately needed. He would later go on to tell you that love at first sight exists and he knew it in that moment.
That day Missy and Marcus left the park each with a pocketful of rocks and you with a job offer.
“As you probably know,” Marcus said a bit bashfully, “I’m away from Missy here an awful lot. Either behind a desk or, you know, saving the world.” There wasn’t a trace of braggadocio in his voice, he was simply stating the facts. “You wouldn’t be interested in a babysitting gig, would you?”
“Uuuuuugh, Dad,” Missy groaned. “I don’t need a babysitter. I’m practically a superhero for crying out loud!”
“How about an art teacher, then?”
That got her attention. Even Marcus was impressed with your tact.
“I can’t teach you to punch through walls, fly, or turn invisible, Missy, but I can teach you how to make a masterpiece like this.” You handed back the rock you’d just been about to hide, insisting she take it. “Plus, I make some pretty killer pancakes if I do say so myself.”
That brought a smile to her face, and you glanced at Marcus for approval.
“I would be honored if you would teach my daughter to create something beautiful,” Marcus said with a wistful little smile.
You accepted his offer without a second of hesitation, and the rest is history.
***
You stood before that same tree now. The tree that had started it all. The tree at which you had met the greatest kid in the world and her father, the love of your life.
“How do you know it’s here?” Missy asked.
“Trust me, Missy. I just do.”
You reached into the knothole and wrapped your hand around the stone you knew would be there. You held it in your closed fist for a minute, savoring the weight of it in your palm as you fought to steady the nervous beating of your heart.
Missy glanced from your fist to your face. “Well, don’t keep me in suspense!”
You uncurled yourself fingers and glanced down at the last stone, and your suspicions were confirmed. You only had the chance to read it once before your vision blurred.
Crouching down, you laid out the three stones on the ground in the order that you found them, “Will” and “You” now followed by the final two words on one stone: “Marry Me?”
That big dork. That big, beautiful, wonderful dork. Marcus had actually just proposed to you with rocks.
“So, what’s your answer?” Missy asked as you struggled not to collapse into a puddle of ecstatic tears.
“Missy, I...” You saw the sneaky little grin on her face and know instantly that you’d been played. “You knew about this, didn’t you?”
“I might have,” she shrugged. “Now come on, I promised dad I’d text him the minute you found the last rock. Am I giving him good news or bad news?”
You cradled the stones in your hands as if they were gems. No. These were far more priceless.
“Tell him he can have his answer,” you sniffled. “But I’ll need one hour.”
***
It had been about 50 minutes since Missy had texted him the picture of you grinning over the rocks in your hands. He chewed his lip nervously. He’d made you work for his question and now you were making him wait for an answer. Fair is fair, he supposed but, God, the suspense was killing him.
The most important rock sat heavy in his pocket, nestled inside a little velvet box, and Marcus was fully aware of its presence as he paced the living room nervously. Crap! What if you said no? You’d only been dating for about a year. What if you needed more time? Double crap!
His heart nearly burst out of his chest when the doorbell rang. Marcus reeled in his unraveling composure as he strode to the front door and opened it, only to find that there was no one at his doorstep. He glanced left, then right, and finally down and that’s when he spotted the envelope. A small white envelope with his name smack dab in the center of its ivory exterior.
He stooped to pick it up and felt a weightiness to it and was already smiling before he opened the little parcel. Inside he found his answer in the form of a small plainly painted rock with a single word gracing its smooth surface: “Yes.”
“A special proposal deserves a special answer, wouldn’t you agree?” You and Missy emerged from around the corner of the house where you’d been sneakily taking in Marcus’s reaction. “Sorry it took so long for me to respond. I had to wait for the paint to dry before I brought it over.”
Marcus descended the front steps in a matter of seconds and threw his arms around you as Missy whooped with joy.
“I am so glad that I met you hiding rocks in the park like a crazy person,” he laughed, his eyes misty. “I am so glad you came into my life.”
“You are my hero, Marcus Moreno. Every day I don’t think I could love you more than I already do, and every day you find new ways to prove me wrong.”
He pulled you into an eager, passionate kiss before sliding the ring box from his pocket and slipping the diamond adorned band onto your finger.
“Marcus, it’s beautiful,” you gasp. “But these are the most important rocks I’ve received all day.”
You palm his three masterpieces and press them to your chest, and he does the same with your answer.
“I love you, Y/N. You are my rock.”
You bury your face against his chest and laugh. “I’m going to ignore that God awful pun.”
“Much appreciated.”
But you foresaw several more terrible rock puns in your future, along with happiness, adventure, and so much love.