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Ann woke up just as the sun started to peek through her curtains. She ran her hand over her face and stretched her arms above her head. The moment she dropped her arms down to her side, a foreign arm draped over her chest. This happened every morning so Ann was used to it. She brought a hand up to stroke the porcelain looking skin. It was always soft to the touch from all the skincare that was done to it.
She enjoyed every moment she got to spend pressed against Popuri.
Turning her head, Ann kissed the tip of Popuri’s nose. “We have to get up if we want to take a walk in the mountains.”
Popuri mumbled. “Five more minutes…”
“It’ll get too hot if we don’t go now,” Ann warned. She gently pinched Popuri’s arm. “Come on—get up.”
Another complaint left Popuri’s lips as she pulled her arm away. “I slept over so that I could sleep in and not be bothered…”
“Can’t help you there.” Ann sat up and tossed the covers off. She avoided Popuri’s attempts to drag her back into the bed. With a stretch, she stood up. “Come on—if you want to spend more time with me, then you better get up.”
“ Ugh!” Popuri kicked her legs up into the air, using the momentum when she brought them down to lift herself up. She glared at Ann but it was hard to take her seriously when she wore a pink bonnet over her hair. Like this, she only looked grumpy and cute. “Just this once, I’d like to enjoy my day off…”
Ann placed her hands on her hips. “There are no days off at the inn! We work hard for our customers each and every day.”
Popuri groaned again but she didn’t lay back in bed. She stood up, peeling her bonnet off her head. Her hair was tucked meticulously into curlers. Every night, Ann would watch as she put her hair up. It fascinated her to see the long and tedious process to bring such beautiful curls to life. It almost reminded Ann of her mother but it was different with Popuri.
“Give me a few moments to get ready,” Popuri said through a yawn.She knew it would take Popuri more than a few moments but she never complained. It meant that Ann could take the chance to prepare breakfast for them. Walking closer to Popuri, she placed a chaste kiss to her cheek. She liked how Popuri giggled each time she did it.
“I’ll make us some breakfast. Any requests?” Ann asked.
Popuri hummed. “I like everything you make, so I don’t have anything in particular for you to make me.”
“Then hurry up so that you can enjoy delicious food.”
Ann pulled away before Popuri could try to pull her back. If she allowed her to do that, then they would never get the chance to go on their walk. She left the room and closed the door even as Popuri whined after her. Taking a deep breath, Ann clapped her hands together. With a skip to her step, she made her way to the kitchen. Her father was already there, prepping a few ingredients for the lunch rush.
“Morning, dad,” Ann greeted. She squeezed her arms around Doug’s waist, smiling as he planted a kiss onto her head. “Anything I can help you with?”
“I’m all good, baby. You should make breakfast for yourself and Popuri.” Doug answered.
“Do you want me to make you something, too?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Ann opened the fridge and took out a few ingredients for what she wanted to make. For her father, she would make a simple breakfast of eggs, bacon, and some toast. For herself and Popuri, though, she wanted to make parfaits.
Today was going to be a special day. After her walk, she would be preparing herself for the biggest decision of her life.
She had been dating Popuri for two years. Ann could hardly believe how quickly the time had flown. One day she was questioning her sexuality and then the next day she was asking Popuri out. The first few nights after that felt like a dream. It was hard for Ann to believe that she had taken such a daring risk. Even her father had said it was completely out of character for her—but he was supportive. In fact, Doug was glad that Ann's focus went to Popuri instead of continuing their ploy to get him together with Lillia.
That was Popuri's plan. She wanted to try to get their parents together to help ease the sadness they felt from their partners no longer being in their lives. Ann thought it was a good idea at the time. But her attention was on Popuri rather than her father's loneliness. It all worked out in the end. Now, Doug and Lillia were more focused on how happy their daughters were.
Even now, it all felt like a dream.
"Whoa now!"
Ann recoiled when her father snatched the knife from her. She looked over her workspace to see that she had cut up a lot more fruits than she meant to. Embarrassed, she stepped back from the cutting board, running her hands over her face. "Sorry, dad..."
"Don't be," Doug assured. "I understand that you're nervous about today." He placed his hands on Ann's shoulders. "It's going to all work out—you'll see."
She wanted to believe her father. He was so much more confident than she was about this. Ann couldn't help but think on all the things that could go wrong today. She found it difficult to keep herself from thinking negatively about it. The worst that could happen was that she was told "no". Even knowing that, Ann couldn't stop herself from thinking of even worse outcomes.
Doug pulled her in and hugged her tightly. Immediately, Ann wrapped her arms around his middle, squeezing just as tightly. She pressed her ear to his chest, listening to his heartbeat. It calmed her quickly and every bad thought she had faded away. Ann could feel how much she was loved by not only her father but also by her mother in Heaven. This feeling meant so much to Ann.
"Thank you," Ann said. Her throat was tightening up. She didn't want to cry, but she felt like she would at any moment.
"Of course, sweetie," Doug responded. He kissed the top of her head. "You are going to do great."
She believed him.
Pulling away, Ann wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She smiled at her father to let him know that she would be okay. Doug squeezed her shoulder one last time before they both went back to their individual tasks. Ann had finished her and Popuri's parfaits and was finishing her father's breakfast when Popuri entered the kitchen.
"Morning, everyone," Popuri greeted. Her hair was fixed and she was dressed for the day. She went to Doug and hugged him just as Ann did, receiving a tight hug back. "Did you sleep well, Doug?"
"Always do when my girls are safe here," Doug answered.
Ann smiled. She loved how much Doug cared for Popuri. It was like he had two daughters in the house and he didn't mind it. Doug loved her just as much as he loved Ann. Her heart warmed every time she saw her father and girlfriend interacting.
"Your breakfast is on the counter, Popuri," Ann said as she started to plate her father's breakfast. "The sooner you eat, the sooner we can have our walk."
She saw Popuri's eyes widened when she saw her parfait. "Ann! This is way too much!"
"Nonsense," Doug said. "That's the perfect amount of food to serve someone you love." He guffawed loudly even when Popuri shoved him.
Ann placed Doug's plate next to him. "Come on, you two—stop horsing around and eat."
She shook her head with a smile when Doug and Popuri stuck their tongues out at each other. It had been so long since she had last seen her father act playfully with someone other than her. Popuri was a blessing for their little family. Every day Ann was more and more grateful that her plan to get their parents together didn't work.
Ann sat next to Popuri at the counter. She leaned into the kiss that was placed on her cheek. For a while, she watched Popuri eat and listened as she happily talked about what she would do today. The more she talked, the less nervous Ann was starting to feel about her plan. There wasn't anyone in Flowerbud besides her father that she cared so much for. She had expected that she would only care about her father. It would be him and her for the rest of their lives.
But Popuri changed all that.
She changed so much about their lives and had brought so much life into it. Ann was grateful to the Harvest Goddess for allowing such a thing to happen.
Popuri touched her arm. "Ann? Are you okay? You haven't eaten yet."
Ann smiled and shook her head. "I'm fine. You look really pretty this morning so...I wanted to look at you for a while."
She loved how pink Popuri's face turned, almost as pink as her hair. "A-Ann...!"
Ann walked Popuri back to the poultry farm after their walk. She was offered a chance to see Lillia but she declined. It stung to see Popuri's pout and still continue to say no to her, but she knew it was for the best. If Ann walked inside and spent time with them, she would be losing time that could be spent taking care of her plan. Eventually, Popuri said goodbye to her with a kiss and a promise that they would see each other later.
She almost changed her mind and walked inside but she didn't. Time was ticking.
Once she was sure Popuri was settled within the farmhouse, Ann took off to the only other farm that had chickens.
The smell of cut grass and animals was strong. Ann looked over the large field, shielding her eyes from the sun. She spotted Claire in the far back and waved her arms to get her attention. Yelling would have worked better but she didn't want to risk Popuri hearing her. When it still seemed like Claire didn't realize she was there, she did the next thing she could think of.
Bringing her fingers to her lips, Ann whistled loudly.
That got Claire's attention—as well as the animals. Luckily, only her dog came running to her. The other animals looked curiously at Ann but were unable to come closer due to the fence keeping them in place. Claire climbed onto the back of her horse and easily jumped over the fence. She galloped towards her, wearing a grin that could rival Duke's. Once she was close, Claire jumped off her horse to wrap her arms tightly around Ann. She smelled of animals and dirt. It wasn't unpleasant but Ann knew she would need to shower before she saw Popuri later.
"You're finally here! I was waiting for you all day. I thought you would never come!" Claire said.
"It's only a little after nine, Claire." Still, Ann was smiling. Claire had been helpful over the last few weeks since she decided to do this. Without Mary, her father, or Claire, she wouldn't have come to the decision she had. "But I'm glad to see you, too."
Claire gave her a final squeeze before letting her go. She took hold of Ann's hands instead and squeezed them. "So...do you want to see it again one last time?"
"It won't be the last time..."
"No—but it'll be the last time you'll hold it before she holds it. There will be no going back soon."
Ann tried not to think about how nervous that made her. Thinking about it would only make it worse. Instead, she listened to Claire as she prattled on about her excitement all while leading her into the farmhouse. The house was much cooler than it was outside. While it hadn't gotten too hot, they were getting closer and closer to Summer. The sun would be beating down on them before they knew it and any chance to hide from the heat would be welcomed.
Sitting in a chair, Ann held her hands in her lap. She feared that if she didn't squeeze her knees, she would take off running. Her nerves were going haywire and she tried everything to calm down. While Claire rummaged in her cupboard, Ann stared at the kit-kat clock that was hanging in her kitchen. She watched the tail tick back and forth with each second that passed. It almost felt like it was counting down her fate.
"Here it is!" Claire announced.
In Claire's hands was her old music box. It hadn't played music in years but Ann could still remember the melody it played. She brought it to Claire so that she could ask the blacksmiths to take out the old music mechanisms out of it so that it could be hollow. It was safer for her to go to the blacksmith's than it was for Ann. With her luck, Popuri would see her and ask questions she couldn't even begin to lie about.
That small box held the one thing that could change everything.
Claire placed the box in front of Ann. She sat across from her, smiling from ear to ear. Ann didn't think that she was oblivious to what she was feeling. They had talked extensively about what she wanted to do. And Claire had supported her from the beginning. She would let Ann come late at night to talk and she would talk her through tough moments. Without Claire's or her father's support, Ann didn't think she would get to this point.
Placing her hands on the box, Ann took a deep breath. She slowly opened the box as though what was inside would escape.
A blue feather.
Ann carefully ran her fingertips over the soft tuft of the feather. It was so hard to believe that she had purchased one for herself. In her father's family, it was tradition to pass down the blue feather to their children to propose. Since it was the last thing he had of her mother, Ann didn't have the heart to take it from him. Instead, she thought it was better to buy her own—and she didn't regret it.
Taking it out of the music box, Ann continued to carefully touch it. She feared it would break even though it wasn't such a fragile thing. Still, it felt necessary to treat it with tender kindness.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Claire questioned. "I would sometimes look at it and think how lucky Popuri is for receiving it."
"Someone will propose to you one day, Claire. I'm sure of it," Ann assured.
"I'm willing to wait." She leaned forward, placing her chin in her hands. "Did you get everything you needed for the celebration party?"
Ann chewed on her bottom lip. "I...I think so... Thank you for supplying some of the ingredients for the dishes."
"Oh, don't worry about it," Claire said with a wave of her hand. "I'm happy for you and more than happy to help with such a cause." She gave Ann a big smile. "You two are going to make each other so happy."
She hoped that they would make each other happy. Popuri already succeeded in doing so for Ann. Every morning when she got to wake up beside her or get to meet her on her mountain walk, Ann couldn't believe the overwhelming joy she felt. She would give her thanks to the Harvest Goddess with each visit to the hot springs. There was nothing that she would want to change her life for.
And her thoughts didn't stop there. Ann thought about where they would stay when they were married. She would be happy regardless if she was at the inn or the poultry farm. Neither of them would stop working for their parents and she didn't expect them to. She could still enjoy their morning mountain walk and then they would part ways to start their job. Then both of their families could meet together for dinner every day. Ann was confident that her father wouldn't mind closing the Inn for a bit on days Lillia couldn't make it to the Inn. She was also confident that Lillia would get there even if it drained her.
It felt like her tiny broken family was finally complete.
A tap on her hand startled her. Claire smiled widely, humming a silly tune. She didn't seem to mind that Ann had lost herself in her thoughts and fantasies. Her smile was as warm as the sun.
"I don't think I ever saw such a lovestruck look on your face, Ann," Claire teased. "If this is how you look at Popuri when she's not looking, she's a lucky girl. I can't wait to see if you have this look on your wedding day."
Ann could feel the heat of her embarrassment blooming from her cheeks down to her neck. "C-Claire!"
Claire laughed loudly. "You're too fun to tease, Ann." Bracing her hands on the table, she stood up. "Come on. We have to get the beach ready for your big moment!"
Carefully, Ann returned the blue feather to the empty music box. She closed the lid and stroked the intricate carvings. There was no sense in delaying the inevitable. If her mother was still around, she knew that she would give her some sort of pep talk to get her moving. Now, she needed to do it herself.
But she could still feel her mom guiding her, giving her the strength she needed to do this.
Standing, Ann grinned at Claire. "Let's do this!"
"How do I look?" Popuri asked.
Ann could write a short story on her thoughts about Popuri. It had sounded so cliche when she brought it up to Mary one day, but she was assured that most lovers had such feelings. She still felt silly for it but was relieved when she was told that. Because Popuri looked absolutely beautiful right now.
Lillia and Popuri had made today a Mother/Daughter Day. Rick took over the store while they remained upstairs, doing each other's hair and nails. From how Popuri looked, it seemed that her mother had given her a dress she used to wear herself when she was younger. Even though it was a simple white lace dress, it looked nice on Popuri. Part of Ann yearned for such a thing she never got to have with her own mother. Lillia had offered her to join them but it didn't feel right to intrude.
Maybe this would change if things all went well today, she could start joining them.
"Helloooooooo. Earth to Aaaaaaaaaann," Popuri said, waving her hand in front of Ann.
Laughing, Ann lowered Popuri's hand. "Sorry, Popuri. You look like your mom when she was younger."
Popuri beamed. "I know, right?" She grabbed the sides of her dress and twirled. "We even took out the old photos to compare. Our hair styles are different, but I think it's not much of a difference. She thinks that I'll look just like her when I'm older!"
If she did, then Ann would consider herself a lucky girl that she would get to wake up to someone who was still so beautiful.
"What did you do today?" Popuri asked as she stepped closer to her. "Anything interesting happen at the Inn?"
"The usual," she answered with a shrug. "We have some new wine in from the winery, so it'll be interesting to try it."
Popuri scrunched up her face in such a cute way that her heart melted. "I wish I understood the appeal. Every time the Inn or Karen get a new one, I try a sip but never like it."
Ann laughed. "Neither do I. But it's good to try it in case I find one I like."
"When you do, let me know." Popuri intertwined their arms together. She placed her head on Ann's shoulder and squeezed her tightly. "Now what? Do you want to have dinner at the Inn or maybe bring it back here to have dinner with mom and Rick?"
"I actually have something planned for us. Since it's almost Summer and we'll probably be busy, why don't we have dinner at the beach?" Ann asked. "It's nice and warm today. I think it'll be nice to have our own little private picnic before the beach is swarmed."
Popuri feigned swooning. "Goodness, Ann! You're being awfully romantic today. Is there a special occasion or are you blown away by my beautiful appearance?"
"It's definitely because of your appearance," Ann lied. She gestured to the dress. "I mean, if Mary were to look at you, she'd think that you came right out of the romance novels she reads. She might even take inspiration and write a character about you."
"She can only do it if she sets me up with a strong, female counterpart like yourself," Popuri answered. Bumping their hips together, she smiled. "I think Mary would do a good job describing a handsome character based on you."
"Handsome and not beautiful?"
Popuri reached up to tug at Ann's braid. "Hey, it's a compliment! You're beautiful, but every time I look at you?" She had a dreamy look in her eyes. "I just imagine a handsome person on a white horse. It's a good thing."
"Alright, alright. I trust you." Leaning closer, Ann placed a chaste kiss on Popuri's cheek. She pulled back with a smile. "So...picnic at the beach?"
"Let's do it!"
"Good, because I already have a blanket and the food waiting for us."
Popuri gaped at her. "What if I had said 'no'?"
"I probably would have dragged you with me."
"You mean begged?"
Ann smiled. "Yeah, I would have begged."
Playfully, Popuri rolled her eyes with a sigh. "Then I guess I'll have to go ahead and give in to my girlfriend's desires. Just to show I am the more considerate girlfriend." Her smile widened and she tugged Ann forward. "Come on!"
Even though it would soon be Summer, the beach hadn't been set up yet. There were still boxes holding the umbrellas and other equipment used for the beach. In the next few days, the mayor would ask some of the men in town to put them out. Summer would then be in full swing once Kai arrived in Mineral Town.
When their relationship first started, Ann had been nervous when Kai arrived that first Summer. She feared that Popuri would change her mind and go for a man rather than a woman. Her fears were unnecessary since Popuri only showed genuine friendship towards him. There was even a moment when he took Ann aside and congratulated her on their relationship. Kai was nothing less than supportive. She didn't need to worry about anything happening between them.
Squeezing Popuri's hand, Ann led her further along the beach. Claire and herself had set up a small area just for tonight. They found a large blanket and a picnic basket in the Inn's storage. Her father hadn't used it since he first dated her mother. It felt fitting that Ann should use it for today. She knew it was impossible, but she felt like she could feel her mother's spirit with her.
"This is such a cute blanket!" Popuri commented. She lifted her skirt up a bit to kick off her shoes. Stepping carefully onto the blanket, she sat down next to the picnic basket. "Whatever you prepared in this basket, it smells good. Did you make it or did Doug?"
Ann kicked off her own shoes and stepped onto the blanket, walking to the other side of the basket. "Dad did most of the work, but I helped him out. We used all fresh ingredients from Claire's farm." She smiled. "All the eggs are from your family's poultry farm, though."
Popuri moved her hands to her hips. "I would hope so! Claire is a great farmer and rancher, but there are no eggs better than from my family's chickens."
"Naturally."
Ann opened the picnic basket and started to pull some of the items out one by one. Her father did not hold back when it came to making this dinner. Doug had made a salad for them to share, some egg salad sandwiches, and a few desserts. It was a lot— more than what either of them would be able to eat. She suspected that she would be bringing some of this back home to share the (hopefully) good news.
"This is so much!" Popuri exclaimed, looking over the various selections. "How much does your dad think we eat?"
She forced a smile. "I...still have a nasty habit of overeating. I've been doing better, but sometimes I still have days where I keep eating."
"But even then this is too much!" Popuri shook her head. "If he's trying to win me over with tasty food, he doesn't have to! I already like him."
If only she knew the real reason Doug had given them so much food. Ann knew her father was just as nervous as she was. He wanted to make sure that the food was good so that things would go well for her. She appreciated it and she hoped that having her father's cooking would calm her down and give her the strength she needed.
Popuri thanked her when she handed her one of the sandwiches. Ann took her own sandwich and slowly nibbled on it. Even though she was infamous for having a large appetite, she didn't feel like eating right now. Her stomach was twisting itself into knots. It felt like it was in a competition with her mind as it ping-ponged the potential outcomes against the wall. She glanced at Popuri to see if she had noticed her lack of appetite. Popuri was looking out across the ocean, happily munching on her sandwich. She didn't seem to notice Ann's lack of desire to eat.
"This was a nice idea," Popuri commented. "We won't get to do this when Summer starts. Kai might have his hands full, especially if tourists from Forget-Me-Not Valley come."
Ann nodded, forcing herself to take a bigger bite of her food. It nearly got stuck in her throat. "Dad and the Inn will be, too. You'll have to come by to make sure we're taking breaks."
Popuri leaned in over the basket. "If you two need help, don't hesitate to ask me! I don't mind delivering orders to customers or even taking orders themselves."
"Dad will be hard to convince to let go of the register, but I'll talk to him," Ann agreed. "I'm sure he'll understand that the help is needed instead of struggling with each customer."
"I'll give him my biggest puppy eyes and pout." Popuri displayed it for Ann. "Once he gets a look at this face, he won't be able to say 'no'."
She was right. Popuri had used to look on Ann plenty of times and she gave in to any of her demands, no matter how silly they might be. If she used it on her father, he would bend like a blade of grass.
They continued to eat their sandwiches in silence, looking over the ocean as the waves splashed against the sandy shore. As the silence grew, so did Ann's nervousness. At the bottom of this picnic basket was the music box holding the blue feather. If Popuri had taken out their meal, she would have stumbled upon it. It was a relief that she hadn't because Ann wouldn't know how to propose like that. She had a plan, a plan she talked over with Claire and even Mary extensively. Without that plan, she would have fumbled and things might not go as well as she hoped.
Popuri finished her sandwich and wiped the crumbs off her hands, brushing them onto the sand. "That was delicious. Your dad is a wonder at making simple meals taste great."
"He really is good at that," Ann agreed.
"Before we have dessert, though," Popuri trailed off. She stood up and stretched her arms above her head. "I'm gonna take a quick walk on the shore. Maybe I can find a pretty shell to make a necklace for momma."
"I'll join you in a moment." Ann showed her half eaten sandwich. "Once I'm done here, I'll help you find one."
"Take your time!"
Ann took another small bite of her food as she watched Popuri run to the shore. This was it—she would take this moment to propose to her. It was perfect timing. Looking at Popuri with her white dress and her feet in the ocean, she couldn't think of a more perfect situation. If Ann didn't propose to her now, she would never get the chance.
Setting her sandwich aside, she dug further into the picnic basket. Ann was careful to pull out the music box, making sure Popuri didn't see her. Now that it was in her hands, her nerves were going haywire. There was a voice in the back of her head telling her to delay this for another year. But a louder voice was telling her to go for it; to not hold back and propose to Popuri before it was too late. To Ann, it felt like her mom's strength.
She stood up and walked to the shore where Popuri was bent over, looking for shells. Ann could hear her blood rushing in her ears in time with her heart. Each step felt heavier than the last and she feared she would give in to her fears. But she kept going until she was finally behind Popuri. She hadn't noticed Ann behind her, focused on the shells at her feet.
"There aren't any good ones that have washed up," Popuri said. Even without facing her, Ann knew she was pouting. "I wonder if there are some near the pier..."
Ann licked her lips. "We can go check in a bit if you'd like."
"We should before we eat dessert and head back—"
Popuri finally turned to look at Ann. She stared at the music box in her hands. The last time Popuri had seen this, they must have been kids. That was when the music box still functioned as a music box and not a storage unit for something important. But Popuri wouldn't know what was waiting inside for her to see.
"Isn't that your old music box?" Popuri questioned.
"It is," Ann answered.
Her heart skipped a beat when Popuri leaned in closer to look it over. "Did Saibara fix it for you? Does it work now?"
"Open it and find out."
Popuri eyed her suspiciously but carefully placed her hands on the lid of the box, opening it slowly.
Ann closed her eyes and could only hear Popuri's gasp. She knew she should open her eyes to properly take a look at her expression, but it was hard. Her heart was pounding so quickly in her chest that she feared she needed to go and see Dr. Trent to tend to her. But Ann forced her eyes open to see for herself what her fate was like.
Popuri held the blue feather in her hand. She stared down at it for a long while before she looked at Ann. Her eyes were bright and shining. However, it was hard for Ann to tell what she was feeling at this moment. Usually, she could read Popuri like a book. It was easy to tell what her emotions were. But she was as blank as a diary page. What was she thinking of right now? What was she feeling?
But she couldn't wait to find out or guess.
"I want to marry you," Ann blurted out. She closed the music box and held it to her chest. "I know we've only been dating for two years, but I've only been so sure of my decision one other time: when I decided to date you."
Her eyes watched as Popuri's mouth dropped open. Ann hated how she wanted nothing more than to kiss her. If she kissed her, maybe she would make a decision and not allow Ann to sit stewing in her nerves and anxiety.
"It's funny how we started this whole thing with the intent on getting our parents together. But...in the end, we ended up dating," she continued. "I don't regret it." Ann smiled, tucking a loose hair behind her ear. "I think your laugh is contagious, I enjoy how you put your heart and soul into every new thing that you try, and how much love you have not just for your family but for dad and me, too."
Ann wouldn't say that her house was lacking love. However, there was an influx of it ever since Popuri entered their lives fully. Even her father was whistling a happy tune after Popuri stopped by to see them. She was loved by them both and Ann was so happy for that.
But the longer Popuri didn't answer, the more she believed that maybe their union wasn't meant to be. She couldn't say that she might answer Ann later when it was possible. But then Ann would sit in her room, anxious and wondering if she had ruined their relationship. She wouldn't know how she would keep herself sane while waiting for Popuri's answer.
"You don't have to—"
Ann was tackled by Popuri. She dropped the music box when her back met the sand, both wet and dry. Her hands moved to Popuri's shoulders, feeling them shaking. Her face was buried in Ann's chest so she couldn't see her face. Was she okay? Was she crying? Ann couldn't tell if this was a good sign or not.
"P-Popuri, are you okay—" Ann started.
"Of course I'll marry you!' Popuri exclaimed, lifting her head. Tears were streaking down her face, her eyes were bright, and she wore a big smile. She leaned forward, kissing Ann all along her face, saying "yes" after each one. "I can't believe you asked me! I was ranting to Rick about how I didn't think you'd ever propose and that I would need to make the first move!"
Gently, Ann pushed Popuri back so that she could sit up. "Wait, you ranted to Rick about me proposing?"
"Well, yeah!" Popuri sat back and held the blue feather close to her heart. "While momma and I were doing our makeovers, I started thinking about her marriage and how long it has been going on—even with my dad so far away. From there I just...I don't know! I went on a rant and I couldn't stop it!"
Lillia could have convinced her to calm down and that their moment would one day come. However, Ann knew that Lillia wouldn't allow the secret to spill with even such a small hint. She would have wanted Popuri to be completely surprised when the proposal happened.
"I couldn't have known if you wanted to get married so soon after we started dating," Ann commented.
"Momma and dad were married after half a year together!" Popuri beamed. "I always thought their love story was so romantic. I know others had thought they were foolish to get married so soon, but...with momma's health, I think it's sweet how my dad wanted to marry her sooner rather than later."
Popuri's smile was so bright and wide and Ann could only compare it to the sun. Her cheeks were flushed, too, and there seemed to be some tears in her eyes.
"But now I get to experience such a feeling myself!" Popuri shifted closer so that she could kiss Ann. Her hands held onto her face to keep her from pulling away, brushing the blue feather over both their cheeks. "I love you so much."
Ann felt like her heart was going to burst with how much love she had for Popuri. She never thought that she would ever have such a fairy tale ending like this. Guests had always said how much of a tomboy Ann was. They would mention how hard it would be for her to find someone to be with or even marry. But here she was with Popuri after dating her for two years, ready to plan a wedding with her.
A wedding.
"Oh!" Ann exclaimed. "We have to tell everyone! They're waiting at the inn, waiting to hear the good news!"
Popuri gaped at her. "W-what? What if I had said no?!"
Ann grinned. "I think your mother would have stopped me from doing this if she suspected you would."
"Mom knew you were doing this?!"
"So did Claire, my father, Rick, and Mary." Ann grabbed the music box and stood, helping Popuri to her feet. "Come on! We can come back for the picnic basket later. Your mom will want to hear everything."
Popuri's cheeks puffed out as she pouted, but it quickly disappeared with a smile. "Then let's go!"
Oh, Ann was going to make sure that they would always be happy together. It was a promise she made as she left the beach with Popuri, hand in hand.