He thought about it a lot, but they didn’t discuss the elephant in the room she seemed determined to keep hidden. He was sure she was just trying to sacrifice herself again, just like she’d always done. Trying to push him to go ahead and live the rest of his life as if he’d had nothing to do with the little life growing inside her.
They had a nice holiday. At times it was almost normal, almost like old times. His sister and her new baby made a surprise appearance too. His sister didn’t question the sperm bank story. She was just looking forward to having a little sister, and a playmate/aunt for her daughter. Daniel flew back to California, but after turning it over and over, every path he went down led him to the same place. He had made up his mind.
It was the holiday that tipped the scale finally toward what he knew he had to do. Holidays were all about family. Everything Amanda had ever done for him was all about love and putting family first. Those were his values too, the values she gave him. He looked inside his heart and he knew it was what he wanted. When he returned to Michigan for Christmas after the end of fall term he told her.
“I’m not going back to California. I’ve made up my mind. I’ve withdrawn from school and arranged to transfer my credits. I can finish up here. This is my home and that is my child. You can tell people it’s my brother if you want to, or you can tell them the truth. I don’t care. But I plan to be here every day for that child until he or she grows up and wants to move out. And I plan to be here every day for you too. You are not going to raise that child alone. I love you, Amanda. I love you right down to my soul, as deep as it’s possible for one person to love another. I was miserable in California without you. This is where I belong. If you marry me you will make me the happiest man on Earth. Let’s make a family. I don’t care what we tell other people. I don’t care what they do or say. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I will do my best to make a good life for you, and for our child, and I hope there can be more children too.” Daniel got down on one knee. “Will you marry me?”
Amanda stood, tears welling up in her eyes, all the tension of the last few weeks slowly leaving her body, she broke down into sobs. “Yes. Yes. YES!” It was her Christmas wish come true that she’d tried so hard not to hope for. She fell into Daniel’s arms and held on for dear life. She wouldn’t have to deny her heart anymore. She wouldn’t have to face it all alone anymore. Whatever lay ahead, they would face it together. Daniel’s arms wrapped around her and held her tight. She knew he would be a wonderful husband and father, and yes, an amazing lover too. She knew he would never leave her.