Chapet 1.12: Moving Forward

     When Rachael woke up she reached out across the bed for Cerulean.  She sat up when she didn't find him right away.  Then she heard the shower running in the bathroom.

     Rachael got up out of bed and grabbed the first thing she found to wear.  She pulled on Cerulean's shirt as the water turned off.  Turning around she saw Cerulean stride out of the bathroom, shirtless and in a pair of jeans.

     "Hi," Rachael said feeling inexplicably shy considering everything they had just done.

     "Hi," Cerulean said leaning against the door jamb and looking her up and down.

     Rachael fidgeted and tried to pull the hem of the shirt down further.  "Sorry, I couldn't find my clothes and I just grabbed the first thing I found to put on."

     Cerulean smiled then, "It's fine.  That shirt looks better on you than it did on me."

     Rachael blushed and mumbled, "thanks, I think."

     Cerulean pushed off the doorway and walked over to her.  Rachael took his hand and sat on the bed with him.

     "Are you ready to talk?" he asked her.

     Rachael nodded, "yeah."

     "Carl is my ex.  When I was sixteen we started dating.  We were together for about two months before my mother died.  I was a mess then.  I didn't know how to handle taking care of Patrick and my brothers and sisters, my uncle told me I was the first prospect as head of the family.

     "I was scared and I felt so alone.  My siblings were counting on me, my mother was dead and the rest of the family wanted me to be an adult like I wasn't still a child.  There was so much pressure to be a grown up when I didn't even know what that meant.

     "After the wake Carl came over late and I was angry about everything.  I was yelling at him and then we were kissing," Rachael looked down at the hands she dropped in her lap, "he was my first."

     "What I didn't know was he already had a girlfriend at another school and while we were dating he  had proposed to her."

     "He was cheating on her?" Cerulean asked.

     Rachael shook her head, "no.  She knew he was going out with me.  Turns out it was some stupid locker room bet at my school.  I didn't go out with anyone when I was younger and Carl took up the challenge.  He had her blessing to try and get me into bed."

   
     "He was, and based on our run in the other day, probably still is a bastard."  Cerulean said putting an arm around her shoulders.  "If she really did support him hurting you then she's a bitch and they deserve each other."

     Rachael snorted and leaned into him, "I found out all this about a month later.  My period didn't come on time and I thought I might be pregnant.  I went to the doctor and while they were doing the blood test I decided to tell Clark we could be having a baby."

     "He told me that a baby was my problem and had nothing to do with him.  Then he told me about Bridget and the stupid bet.  He was the high school super star and he wasn't going to let his life be overturned by a pregnant mistress. He said that a lousy hundred simoleans wasn't enough for him to want anything more to do with me.  He gave it to me, telling me to take it and get rid of the baby.

     "I was shocked at first.  He had been so kind and caring at first, so attentive that I thought it couldn't have been a bet that brought us together.  But then I remembered all the times he would look at other girls in front of me, the canceled dates and broken promises.

     "I felt stupid then because in retrospect it was so obvious he wasn't all that in to me in the first place.  I was stupid, naive, careless..."

     "Don't Ray," Cerulean interrupted her, "you were young and in love.  He took advantage of you in a time of need.  It was wrong of him but that isn't a reflection on you."

     "Ray, in the time we've been together I've seen the love and care you have for your siblings and your stepdad.  Even the distance you put between us was for their sake.  I didn't like it but I understood it.  You gave him a precious gift and he treated it without care, but you haven't let that destroy you.  You're strong and you have a heart so pure it shines."

     "Why couldn't I have met you first," she asked against his shoulder.

     He laughed then, "if we had met then, I wouldn't have Ochre now.  A lot in my life is messed up but I wouldn't change a moment as long as I have him.

     "What's important now is moving forward.  It's only been a little over a month but Ray I want more with you.  I want a life together taking care of the girls and Ochre. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, waking up with you every morning and going to sleep with you in my arms."

     "I want that too," Rachael said kissing him.

                                                                                                                 

Random Ramblings

   Wait. what about the romantic dinner and the candle light proposal...Now I need to go toss those pictures out of the folders  :-(

   Yeah so I'm trudging along through the story.  This was not the original proposal I had in mind while playing but I think I like it better.  Here's the original proposal photo.  Cute but the story is definitely better I think.

"Marry me sweetheart"