Opening up

EIGHT YEARS AGO

“I would like to get married to you,” Ava said. The weight of the words hung heavily in the atmosphere between Ava and Derek.

At first, Ava thought that Derek did not hear her request. She herself could barely believe that those words had come out of her mouth.

Of course, she had fantasized about being in a relationship with Derek and having him fall in love with her, but that was all it had been… a fantasy since she had somehow caught feelings for him during the period of time that she took care of him.

So how come did her traitorous mouth open of its own accord to utter the words that it had just uttered?

Derek continued to stare at her passively for a long time, while she averted her gaze, and wished that the ground would open up and swallow her.

“You would like to get married to me.” He said at last. It was not a question, but a statement.

“Uh, well.”

“Why would you like to get married to me?”

“I …” Ava began and then trailed off, embarrassed beyond words. Her ch