#Chapter 209: Full Circle

Iris “Yes,” I breathe. “Yes, of course I’ll marry you.” Arthur’s face breaks into the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen, full of relief and joy and love. He slides the ring onto my finger—a perfect fit, just as I knew it would be—and rises to his feet in one fluid motion. And then his arms are around me, lifting me clear off the ground as his lips find mine. The kiss is deep and urgent, as if he’s been waiting an eternity for this moment. I cling to him, my arms wrapped around his neck, my feet dangling above the hospital floor. He dips me backward, supporting my weight effortlessly, and I can’t help but laugh against his mouth. This certainly isn’t the romantic proposal I might have dreamed of as a little girl—no sunset beach or candlelit dinner, just a hospital corridor and the distant sounds of medical equipment. But I couldn’t possibly care less. Arthur is here, he’s mine, and we’re going to be married. Nothing else matters. When we finally br