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If there was one thing Abby loved, it was free dessert.
If there was one thing Abby loved more than free dessert, it was you.
Even if you weren’t very bright.
See, birthdays were easy enough to fake, anniversaries too. Proposals though? Those were big. Sometimes, the two of you would plan something grand—beautiful ring, big sparklers Abby would ask them to add onto the cake, a giant bouquet of flowers—other times, a shitty piece of paper and hastily written note. Reactions were a plus, too.
But you deserved the world. And lord knew that Abby was never a creative person.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
You’re standing at the bathroom mirror, getting ready. Eyeshadow, mascara, blush…Abby leans against the door and smirks. You don’t pay her any mind, even when she speaks. “Lookin’ good.”
“Uh huh.”
She pushes off the wall, walking up behind you to wrap her arms around your waist. She rests her head on your shoulder. “‘M serious. One problem though.”
Your eyes narrow, and you look at her through the mirror. “And that would be?..”
She cocks her head and makes a click noise with her tongue. “Gonna need you in white.”
You roll your eyes. “Go figure.”
“What? It’s a nice place! I’ll make it worth your while…” It comes out melodic, and you relent with a sigh, stomach flipping. “Alright, alright…”
She leaves you to get ready and you grab a simple white dress, slipping it on. You head back to the bathroom to start doing your hair. “Abbs? What the hell are you gonna wear? Because you better not be wearing that tank top I just saw you in!”
“Have a little faith,” she calls.
Another sigh from you. Walking out of the bathroom, you head into your foyer to grab a simple pair of black heels—of course you didn’t own white ones, what were you? Organized?
Abby’s in the powder room to your left, and you stomp over to bang on the door. “What the fuck is taking you so long? Let’s gooo.”
She yanks the door open. “Alright, alright, baby, relax. I’m ready.”
Oh she was ready alright. Her hair wasn’t in her usual braid, but instead falling down her back in waves that suggested she had actually brushed it—that explained why it had taken her so long to get ready—She wore a black button down, one rolled up to her elbows to show off the veins in her arms, muscles showing beneath her sleeves…You swallowed, eyes dragging over the matching dress pants, and—you squinted. “Are you wearing…Makeup?”
She flushes a little but scowls at you. “What? Am I not allowed to wear makeup?”
You toss your hands up in surrender. “I didn’t say that. You just don’t wear any, usually.” You rise on your toes to give her a light peck, not wanting to smudge your lipstick. “Are we going or not? I don’t want to wait for a table.”
She nudges past you to slip on her boots—some things never change—and you notice her hands shaking. Weird. “We won’t. I made a reservation.”
“You—what?”
She shakes her head. “You really don’t have any faith in me at all, do you.”
“Less that I don’t have faith in you, more that I know you. You’re way too impulsive for dinner reservations.”
“It’s a nice place. And you know how I feel about free dessert.”
You laugh, tension finally easing out of your shoulders. “That’s true.”
She stands, and you give her a playful grin as you link your arm with hers.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
Your eyes widen when you get to the restaurant. It was nice. Like—really nice. Low, ambient lighting, live classical music, and pressed three piece suits nice. “Uh, Abby?”
“Yeah?”
“I don’t think we can afford this place.”
She huffs a laugh and guides you to a table, your hand set on hers as she helps you sit. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it, hm?”
You flush and swat her away as she laughs. “Ever the flirt.”
“How could I not be? You look absolutely beautiful, as always.”
Laughing, you set your head in your hands. “A horrible flirt,” you amend.
“Worked in my favour, didn’t it?”
A waiter arrives and pours the two of you glasses of wine, and you give the menu a once over before ordering.
It’s beautiful. The gentle murmur of polite conversation blurring your surroundings, almost making the moment feel more private. Abby's eyes were on you, and only you. Chin set in her palm, a content smile on her face as she let you talk about nothing important. The warm light cast gentle shadows on her face, and she had that glint in her eye she always got when she spotted you. Like you brought her to life. Abby didn’t do mushy, romantic things. But she loved you.
And you saw it in the way you always had a hot cup of coffee waiting for you in the morning, despite how busy she was when she had to get to work. You felt it in the way she would rustle your hair, because no matter what, you felt beautiful in her eyes. She joined you on hikes, and ferris wheels even though she absolutely hated heights, and she always got you flowers for your birthday, anniversary, or, your favourite, when you’d had a rough day.
She loved you.
And, more importantly, you loved her.
You tilted your head and her smile widened. “What?” You hum, she breathes a laugh. “Why are you looking at me like that, baby.”
“Like what?”
“Like I’m holding up the sky.”
“Because you may as well be.”
She doesn’t look away from you when she grabs your hand and brings it to her lips. You stiffen, blushing. She never acted like this. Never ever ever. She didn’t do confident displays of affection. Sure enough, her hands were shaking. You gave her a gentle smile and stood. “I’m gonna head to the bathroom before the food gets here.”
She swallows with a nod. “Alright.”
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
Abby was going to lose her fucking mind.
The ring box was pressing into her thigh, and it hurt, but maybe it wasn't because of the box and instead because she was so tense she was trembling. Her hands. Her legs. It wouldn’t stop.
And fuck, you were gorgeous, and funny, and kind, and she loved you so much, and there was no way you didn’t know. You’d been teasing her all night. Sly smiles, pressing your heel to her leg under the table, looking at her with so much love she thought she might die.
The food would be here any minute. You would eat, drink, then that was that.
You got back from the bathroom, makeup slightly touched up, and slipped back into your seat. “Have fun while I was gone?”
Of course she didn’t. She missed you. “You know me, just itching to get away from you.”
You laugh and she swears it forces air into her lungs, swears that it brightens the room, and the only thing she can think about is you.
The waiter serves your food. Abby isn’t one for romantic gestures, but she sees the way you eye her plate and carefully brings her fork to your mouth, holding her other hand under it as she brings it across the table. She tops your glass of wine when you finish it, makes simple conversation with you—but it means the world to her.
You’ve finished eating. Your table is cleared. The nerves have settled in now. She’s squeezing her hands tight in her lap as if that’ll eliminate what seems to be a permanent tremble. Her eyes dart around the room. Was it hot in here? She thought she might be sweating.
You brought your hand across the table and looked at her with concern. “Abbs? You okay?”
She startled at the sound of your voice before relaxing, giving you a nervous smile. “I’m alright. How was dinner?”
“Oh, it was amazing. That was the best food I’ve eaten—ever.”
She brings her hand up to the tabletop to grab yours with a smile. It’s one you return. “I’m glad.”
She takes a breath. It was time. She said your name softly. “You know me. I’m…impulsive. I don’t think things through, and I’d rather take things head on, instead of waiting a little longer for an easier way through. But you balance me out, you—”
She stumbles over her words and you give her a gentle smile, squeezing her hand. Her eyes flick to yours. She continues. “You keep me grounded. You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, and I don’t know how I lived before I met you. I know that going forward, every day with you is a day worth living.”
She slips out of her seat, sliding the ring box out of her pocket as she kneels in front of you. “Will you make me the happiest woman on earth, and let me be your wife?”
You stand, gasping theatrically—and that should’ve been the first sign. “Oh, yes!” You gave her a big grin and she squinted.
Oh, shit.
See, Abby loved free dessert. But it seemed like maybe she loved it too much.
Because you thought this was a fake proposal.
You grabbed her hand, dramatically nodding. “Oh, Abby, I’d love nothing more.” You glanced around and smirked slightly when you eyed your waiter.
Meanwhile, Abby was panicking. She stood, cupping your face in both hands. “No, baby, you don’t understand—”
You placed your hands on her hips. “I’m sure the cake will be amazing, do you think that we—”
And she kissed you. Hands on your face, she leans down to shut you up, and you melt into it. Because even if the proposal was fake in your mind, that kiss was real. When she pulled away, you were giving her a gentle smile, and she was caressing your cheek, tracing it with her thumb. She said your name again, this time with a nervous laugh. “I’m serious.”
You squinted at her. “...What?”
She shakes her head. “That wasn’t for show, baby. I’m actually proposing to you.” She shows you the ring again, and you gasp, finally getting a good look at it. It was beautiful, something far too expensive for you, but you loved it all the same. It explained all the extra shifts she had taken, the determination in her eyes when you tried to convince her to stay in bed, to call in sick that day.
It was perfect.
You were crying, and you brought your hands to your mouth, shaking your head. No.
She guided one of your hands into her own and dropped down to one knee again, smiling this time. “Nothing would make me happier, than getting to call you my wife. To waking up to you every morning, and falling asleep by your side every night. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. So what do you say? Will you marry me?”
Your throat is so tight you swear that no oxygen’s getting in. You can't speak around it, so instead you nod, wiping tears from your cheeks as she slips the ring onto your finger, and she stands and brushes the tears off your cheeks, and she’s laughing—carefree, and full, and happy, and you wrap your arms around her neck to hug her tight. Because this, her, she was everything to you.
You never thought you’d get this. And then she stumbled into your life, and you were content with friendship. And then you were content with dating. But now? You had her. She was yours, and she wasn’t leaving.
You pulled back to kiss her, again, and again, and again.
She was smiling so wide her eyes were barely open. “I love you,” she whispers against your lips.
You’re still ugly crying. You don’t care. “I love you.”
“How about that free desert now?”
You laugh and smack her arm. “You are unbelievable.”
She laughs as the two of you sit, and presses another kiss to your hand. And you knew—this was how everyday was going to feel. Full of laughter, and light, and love. For the rest of your life. Because of her.
If there was one thing Abby loved, it was free dessert.
And if there was one thing Abby loved more than free dessert,
it was you.