The Commitment by Kate Benson Page B

but I would have never guessed I’d be greeted with a room packed full of red roses. There had to be hundreds of them scattered throughout the room. When my eyes found the petals on the bed, I saw the note in his familiar script.
    One year ago, I sat on a park bench in Rockport with the girl I will soon call my wife. When she leaned over to pluck a petal from a rose, she brought it to her nose to inhale the scent. As she turned to find me watching her, I wondered if that petal was as soft as her lips. Her cheeks blushed so scarlet they put those red roses to shame. “I know its cliché,” she’d said. “But the red ones are my favorite.” When I asked her why, she said, “Any other flower could mean any other thing, but a red rose? You only give those to someone you love. You never give a red rose to someone you can live without.”
    I didn’t tell her for months, but I think I loved her even then.
    Here’s a red rose petal for every breath I’ve used to pray I’ll never have to live without her.
    As I pulled myself together, I slowly opened the door to find him waiting for me in the sitting area. He was wearing a black suit that matched my dress with my favorite blue tie, the one that brings out his eyes.
    He’d leaned against the arm of the couch and when his eyes met mine, he let out a small sigh and stood.
    “Chase,” I managed, my voice cracking as I take him in. “You look so handsome, Lovebug.”
    “I’m glad you think so, because I had to pick this suit out a week in advance,” he smirked. “And that’s because a year ago I was scrambling around my house, trying to decide what I should wear to watch a movie at your apartment.”
    “No, you weren’t,” I said, laughing through my teary eyes.
    “Yes, I did,” he smiled, gently running his finger across my cheek. “That’s why I was late. I was so nervous that I got halfway to the truck before I realized I wasn’t wearing any shoes.”
    “Shut up,” I said softly. “Say you swear.”
    “I swear. I forgot my shoes, then my keys, then the movie and right as I got to your door, I spilled lo mein all over my sweater. I’d never been so nervous,” he admitted quietly. “Then you opened the door and you were stunning, just like you are tonight… every night. You’re absolutely breathtaking, Sophie. I knew then, just like I know now, that every single thing in my life led me to your door that night. There’s nothing I wouldn’t endure for that. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to belong to you. I could never live a second without you.”
    As he handed me a single red rose, the last shred of self control floated away and I began to openly sob.
    “Oh my God, Chase!” I wailed, pulling a stifled chuckle from his chest. “Baby, you can’t do this to a pregnant woman!”
    “Sophie…” he’d whispered, his eyes full of adoration as he pulled me to his chest. “Don’t cry, Baby.”
    “I can’t help it,” I managed. “I just love you so much.”
    “I love you, too, my Sweetheart,” he said softly into my hair. “You ready?”
    “Yeah,” I nodded, taking a final look into the mirror and patting myself on the back for switching to waterproof mascara a month ago.
    Over the course of the next few hours, Chase continued to surprise me. With all the hard things we’d been through in our first year, it was sometimes easy to forget all the amazing things that had happened.
    He’d managed to remember every amazing memory we’d shared together.
    As we made our way to different places in the city, it was clear he’d thought on this night for a while.
    We went to a Japanese steakhouse where he fed me lo mein and promised me a zombie flick as soon as my morning sickness subsided.
    For dessert, I sat on his lap while we shared my favorite, rocky road ice cream.
    We visited the Water Wall and as I was staring up at the massive structure, he took my hand and gently pulled me to his chest. As the words to ‘I’m Gonna Be’ by Sleeping At