Love's Autograph (40 page)

“
I was myself,” Ellie said. “They're amazing. I got a glimpse of how well you'll age. Your mother's beautiful.”

“
Oh, are you going to stick around that long?” Ria asked.

“
And I loved you in high school, and middle school,” Ellie said.

“
Oh no, I knew there was the chance of them bringing out the photo albums,” Ria said.

“
The real question…” Ria said.

“
Yes?”

“
When will I see you again?” Ria asked.

“
Well, Dina has me all booked,” Ellie said. “We land on Sunday in Boston, but Jazzie will be bringing Maggie to the studio, and I have to be across town.”

“
The time you're flying in is horrible. I have a surgery at that time,” Ria said.

“
I know, it stinks,” Ellie said.

“
Are you avoiding me?” Ria asked.

“
Not at all. But I think I made up a little bit for the delay,” Ellie said.

“
You did? How? Did you make a clone?” Ria asked.

“
No, but I did happen to get Maggie to agree to reading to you the things she wrote about you in her notebook,” Ellie said.

“
You did? That's great. Okay, that hardly makes up for it, but I guess I'll take what I can get,” Ria said. “I can't wait to see you. I can't wait to have all night with you, and I plan to take vacation for a few days.”

“
Wow, sounds like a recipe to try to kill me with exhaustion,” Ellie joked.

“
Okay, so I'll see you Monday sometime?” Ria asked.

“
Monday is free, but not until after dinner,” Ellie said. “I can sleepover. May I?”

“
Deal. You're not backing out of this,” Ria said.

“
Hey, so Dina thinks I need to go on tour for a bit. You okay with that?” Ellie asked. “I won't do it if you'll freak out again.”

“
I'm okay with it,” Ria said. “We can come to some concerts right?”

“
Anytime and anywhere,” Ellie said.

“
I'll be fine. I'll miss you, but I'll be fine,” Ria said.

“Mom,” Maggie said. “Let's go to the park after lunch.”

“
Really?” Ria said. “You never want to go out.”

“
It will remind me of the woods when I was at Ellie's,” Maggie said. “We can sit somewhere and I can read you some stuff from my notebook. Ellie said you were curious about it, and persuaded me to read you some things. Not all, but some things.”

“
I'd love that,” Ria said.

“
Okay, so at 1:00 p.m. we will go to the park?”

“
Yes, that sounds great,” Ria said. “It's supposed to be a nice day.”

Maggie and Ria walked through Savers Park. Maggie was unusually quiet.

“You okay, chica?” Ria asked. “You aren't getting sick or something.” She put her hand on Maggie's forehead.

“
No, I’m nervous,” Maggie said.

“
About what? About sharing your notebook? You don't have to. We can just have a nice walk,” Ria said.

“
No, I don't want to let Ellie down,” Maggie said. “She is counting on me.”

“
She'll understand,” Ria said.

“
Mom, do you think if Ellie moves in... which I already approve of by the way not that you would ask me. Do you think that Ellie would still like me or do you think she would get sick of me?”

“
Maggie that's crazy. I think that Ellie fell in love with you way before she did me. She told me that,” Ria said. “If anything, I think that Ellie would like you more if she moved in, but we're not there yet. We're not ready to move in together. We just started dating.”

“
Okay,” Maggie said. Ria and Maggie continued walking. Maggie was trying to find the perfect place to sit down to read. Ria and Maggie heard some barking, and a dog was running toward them.

“
Remi!” Maggie called.

“
Remi, that can't be Remi,” Ria called. “Ellie is across town.”

“
Mom, I think I know Remi, look,” Maggie held up the dog tag that read
Remi
.

“
Oh,” Ria said as she scanned the park for Ellie.

“
Where is Ellie, Remi? Where is she? Go find her,” Maggie said. With that statement Remi turned and sprinted away from them, and stopped at a bench where Ellie was sitting. Ellie pointed again at Ria and Maggie and Remi ran back to them. It was like a game of ping pong with Remi as the ball. Ria and Maggie walked toward Ellie.

“
Hey,” Ellie said as Ria and Maggie reached her.

“
Hey,” Ria said as she sat next to Ellie on the bench. “I thought you had a meeting?”

“
Yeah, I do,” Ellie said. “I was taking a lunch break. What are you guys doing?”

“
It’s so nice to see you. Aren't you going to give me a hug?” Ria said as she leaned in and kissed Ellie and pulled her into an embrace.

“
Oh yeah, sorry. I’m so preoccupied,” Ellie said. “It's so nice to see you. So what are you guys doing out here?”

“
Maggie wanted to take a walk, and was going to read me some of her notebook,” Ria said. Maggie was running around with Remi right at her heels.

“
Oh, that's nice,” Ellie said as she watched Maggie and Remi.

“
Everything okay?” Ria asked. “Business okay?”

“
Yeah, yeah, everything is okay,” Ellie said. “Once things slow down, I'll relax.”

Ria leaned in and whispered in Ellie's ear,
“Maggie’s staying at a friends house tonight.”

Ellie smiled back and said,
“Hey Maggie, are you going to read to your mom?” Ria looked at Ellie, puzzled at her lack of reaction to having the apartment all to themselves tonight.

Ria said,
“No rush. Did you want Ellie here for this or only me?”

Maggie looked at Ellie and Ellie nodded,
“Ellie has to stay. I mean I want her to stay.”

“
Remi come here, sit, down, stay,” Ellie called to Remi. Maggie sat on the other side of Ria so that Ria was positioned between Ellie and Maggie. She pulled out a light blue notebook from her backpack. Maggie studied the page, glanced up at her mom, and then back to the page again.

“
So, Mom the rule is you can't interrupt or ask questions,” Maggie said.

“
Okay, okay,” Ria said. “I’m so excited. You don't know how long I've waited for you to read me something.”

“
Okay,” Maggie said. Ellie slid her hand into Ria's hand. “Ellie helped me with this one.” Ria squeezed Ellie's hand.

Wonderful mother

A million special recipe pancakes

unlimited hugs

42 chords for a first date

beautiful smile

Gigantic heart

unconditional love

Sweet kisses

Adorable laugh

the love of my life

Ellie moved from the bench to kneeling in front of Ria. Ria looked down at Ellie.

“
What?” Ria asked. Ellie was holding a small, white box.

“
Ria, I've known for a long time that I love you. Since I met you I've been head over heels for you. I now know you feel the same way. I want to wake up to you, spend my days with you, and be the person you kiss goodnight. Please marry me,” Ellie said. Tears welled up in Ria's eyes.

“
Mom, you have to say yes,” Maggie said. “There is a ring in that box!”

“
Ellie,” Ria said as she squeezed her hand. “It's all so fast.”

“
Not for me,” Ellie said. “You said yourself that you didn't want to let me go. I love you, and can't think of anything better but spending the rest of my life with you. I'll love you, and support you and Maggie. I love you.”

“
I love you too,” Ria said as she leaned forward and kissed Ellie on the lips. Ria turned to Maggie, “What do you think?”'

“
Yes!” Maggie said. “Yes, then we will have Remi too!”

“
Oh, if we get Remi,” Ria said. She turned back to Ellie, “Yes, I can't believe you're proposing to me, and yes.” Claps erupted around them. A crowd had formed and people seemed to be capturing the proposal on their phones. Ellie leaned forward and gave Ria another kiss, and everyone clapped.

“
Give her the ring!” someone yelled from the crowd. Ellie knelt back down and opened the box. Ria held her hand to her mouth and then held out her left hand for Ellie. Ellie slid the ring onto her finger.

“
Yeah!” Maggie cheered.

“
That's EJ Way, right?” someone in the crowd yelled.

“
Yes, my mom is marrying EJ Way!” Maggie yelled. “She will be my stepmother!” Ellie, Ria, Maggie, and Remi briefly posed for pictures for the crowd that had formed.

“
We better get out of here before this crowd gets unmanageable,” Ellie whispered to Ria. Maggie signed a few more autographs before Ria and Ellie could tear her away from the crowd. The four made it through the crowd and started toward home.

“
Jazzie has a car waiting for us down here,” Ellie pointed down the sidewalk.

“
We can walk to my apartment...” Ria started.

“
We need to confuse the crowd,” Ellie said. “We don't need them seeing where you live.”

Jazzie opened the door for them as they reached the car.

“So?” Jazzie asked. Ria held out her hand.

“
Yes!” Jazzie said. “I knew it! Congratulations!” The four slid into the car. Ellie leaned back in her favorite seat with Ria's newly adorned hand in hers.

“
How did you know I liked this ring? You didn't even see me looking at it?” Ria asked.

“
Well, I told the clerks to pay attention to what you liked,” Ellie said. “I went back there after you guys left my house and they showed me.”

“
You’re a devil,” Ria said.

“
Pretty sneaky right?” Maggie said. “We have to watch out for her.”

“
We do. Don't we?” Ria said as she kissed Maggie on the head. “And you were in on it?”

“
Not until yesterday. Ellie told me everything on the plane ride home,” Maggie said. “I did good, right?”'

“
You were excellent,” Ellie said as she reached across Ria to give her a fist bump.

“
And now you will be my step mom,” Maggie said. Ria squeezed Ellie's hand tightly and looked into Ellie's eyes. Ria's eyes were tearing up.

“
You happy?” Ellie asked.

“
I know it is hard to tell when she's crying, right?” Maggie said.

“
I’m happy. More than ever,” Ria said and kissed Ellie. She then pulled away.

“
Oh, my father is going to kill me or you, or both of us,” Ria said.

“
Why?” Ellie said.

“
Well, I told you how old fashioned he is,” Ria said. “He was furious when Faith didn't ask for my hand in marriage before she proposed. He isn't going to be happy.”

Ellie and Maggie laughed. Maggie even doubled over and held her stomach.

“It's not funny. I know people are not that old fashioned but your grandfather is,” Ria said. Ellie cued up her phone and held it to Ria. Ria's father came onto the screen with her mother cooking in the background. They were in Ria's childhood home.

Her father was speaking to the camera,
“Hey Ri Ri. We're getting to know Ellie here. She and Maggie stayed the weekend. She's quite the character. She told me she was a musician. I thought she was one of those artsy types. Then Maggie told me she was the big star, EJ Way! Anyway, Ellie asked for your hand in marriage. She said she's in love with you, and she thinks you're in love with her. She must be someone special for you to trust her with Maggie to come all the way out here. You have my blessing. You have our blessing, right Sophia?”

“
Yeah,” the camera panned to Ria's mother who was stirring a big pot on the stove. “She likes my cooking. Hey, we love her, but it's your choice. It better be a big wedding this time. I want to put on a nice dress, have good food, a big cake, maybe a big band, and I want to dance. Oh, I haven't danced in so long.”'

“
Sophia, give it a rest,” Ria's dad said and the camera focused back on him. “Good luck and we love you. Call us after you see this.” The camera turned around and Ellie was holding out the phone to herself. Ellie gave a thumb up and the video was over. Ellie looked to Ria who had more tears in her eyes.