Marianne by Elizabeth Hammer (best books to read in life TXT) 📕

said. She looked up at her mom. “Don’t we have to wait the whole time?”

“Pink is pink,” said Sophie, sighing. “Congratulations.”

Patrick sat perfectly still, watching Marianne. His lovely, fragile, little girlfriend who’d just found out that she’d gotten knocked up. She was just sitting there in her bare feet on the floor, inspecting the test. She bit her lip because it was shaking. Patrick thought he might throw up. Marianne looked up at him, her huge brown eyes ready to overflow. She blinked, letting the tears track halfway down her cheeks. She smiled and shrugged one shoulder.

Patrick sat up a little straighter. She was smiling?

“Patrick?” said Sophie.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, not taking his eyes off his girl. She was still smiling.

“You have it with you?” said Sophie. “James told me you carry it around in your wallet.”

Marianne looked up at her mom. “What?”

Patrick nodded at Sophie, and then he laughed. A moment ago, he didn’t think he’d ever laugh again. “I do,” he said. He’d been given strict instructions to wait a year, but he still kept the ring with him. Marianne was a very nosy girlfriend, and none of his drawers or shelves would have been safe.

Sophie stepped out of the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

“Marianne,” said Patrick. “I have to ask you something.”

She was staring down at her lap, looking truly nervous for the first time. “Um…” She looked up. “Is it about a picnic?”

Patrick shook his head. He sat up on one knee and pulled his wallet from his pocket. “Not this time.”

“Oh,” she said, her lip starting to tremble again.

He unfolded his wallet and pulled out a little envelope from a slot in the back.

“Patrick?” said Marianne.

He looked up. She’d gone very pale and was breathing in little spurts and gasps. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“It’s just… could you please hurry up?” she gasped. “Because I really want to say yes and start crying.”

Patrick laughed. “No. You have to hear the speech I prepared.”

“Please,” she whined.

“No.” He pulled the ring out of the envelope and held it out in front of him. “But feel free to cry now if you have to,” he said. “I’ll do my best to ignore you.”

“Okay,” she said. “That’s fine then.”

And she did.

Thank You

Thank you so much for reading Marianne! I really, really hope you liked it and that it made you happy.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the story, especially about how in love you are with Patrick. Just kidding. Not really, I’m in love with him, too.* If you like, you can send me a message or leave a review on the Marianne Amazon page.

elizabethhammer.com

*Special message to my husband: Patrick is fictional, plus he’s based on you. Calm down.