Shine Bright Like a Diamond

"When are you going to ask her?" Remy asked into the phone. I groaned. "I don't know." I said and sat down on my bed and ran my hands over my face. "So, you tell them you are asking her to marry you, and you just walked out, just like that?" He asked laughing. "Yeah." I mumbled and sighed. "So, how'd that go for you?" He asked laughing. "Not so well..." I tried off and began to tell him what happened...
I hurried out to my car. I didn't own them any explanation. They didn't need to know about my personal life. After Luc died they never actually treated me the same. After they saw me cry when I received the call from Val, they never actually could look at me the same way. There was always some sort of pity in their eyes. "Hey wait up." I heard Sidney call after me. I sighed, not wanting to wait up, but stopped none the less. "So, that was a bomb you dropped." He laughed and looked at me. "Congrats man!" He grinned and nudged me with his elbow. I looked up at him and grinned, feeling happiness wash over me. "Thanks." I smiled. "How long have you two been together?" He asked and looked at me. I smiled, "8 years." I said and watched his eyes slightly widen. "Since you were a teenager." He laughed. I nodded. "Well I think it's great, maybe her moving down here will get you to loosen up some." He laughed and looked towards the parking lot. "See yah tomorrow." He called as he walked away. Unlocking my car, I smiled, see they didn't think it was weird. "Woah, wait a second." I heard Max yell and grab my door so I couldn't shut it. "So you are going to marry this chick, none of us have met her, and just like that?" He said and looked shocked. I nodded at eyed him, not sure what he was getting at. "Well I think we should at least be able to meet her." He said and looked at me. "You can't get engaged if we don't like her." He said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. I laughed and looked at him. "She is afraid to fly." I said and started the car hoping he'd get the hint. "So, drug her, have that big guy fly down with her." He said and punched my arm. "Do it," he yelled shutting my car there leaving me speechless.
"The big guy?" Remy laughed into the phone. I sighed again, feeling like they all just wanted to laugh at me. "You want to come?" I asked and the other end of the line was quiet for a moment. "Me and Val?" He asked after a second. I blinked, I couldn't just invite them, Remy has a family now. "No, you, Gem, Di, and Val." I said hoping that he would accept, if they all would fly down there was no way that Val could say no. "When?" He asked and I listened as he walked outside and the wind blew into the phone. "For Friday?" I asked, "I have a game on Saturday, and I'm off Sunday, game Monday, off Tuesday and practice Wednesday." I said trying to make it should like it'd be worth coming out. "We staying at your place or a hotel he asked as the wind whipped in my ear, I could hear him inhale deep, knowing he walked outside to smoke meant that people were over. "One week, all expenses paid trip to Pittsburgh, stay with my, I can ask my team mates how to baby proof everything will be ready when you get here." I begged. "Offer still up if we can't talk Val into flying with us?" He laughed. "Yes." I mumbled, although deep down, I wanted to say no. He laughed as I heard a door shut and mumbling in the background. "I'll call you back." He said and hung up.
I waited for what felt like forever for Remy to call back, finally after four hours, I couldn't wait any longer, and laid down and fell asleep. I woke up again after dark and looked outside, into the city lights knowing how much Val would like it. She was going to love it here. I walked over and picked my phone up and read the text. "We will see yah Friday, ALL of us." I couldn't stop smiling as I made some dinner, and sat in front of the tv. After eating I shut off the tv, and called Val. She picked up right away. She kept saying how excited she was to come visit, and how she couldn't wait to see me, and the city, but a week wasn't long enough, and then I got a plan. I told her I bought everyone tickets for one week, but hers, I'd swap and get her a one way ticket. That way she could stay as long as she liked. I grinned as I could hear how happy she was. She asked me all kinds of questions about how much to pack, and what to pack. I told her to go get what ever she wanted, we had a joined bank account, she still didn't seem to want to spend much money, although for as long as I've known her she loved to shop. She was quiet for a few minutes, and then agreed. I looked at the clock, it was late and I had to be up early. I bid her a good night, told her how much I loved her, and hung up.
Friday was here before I knew it. I drove to practice smiling like a fool. I had made sure to ask some of the guys with kids how to baby proof my house, sure enough, I had some wives dropping in on me and doing it for me. I made sure I had a full fridge, I bought everything Remy said he needed for the baby, hired a maid to clean the house from top to bottom, and I made sure to get Val some roses, and set them up on the dresser in the bed room. "So today's the big day, eh?" Sidney asked me as he skated over. I smiled and nodded. "I'm picking them up around 1:30." I said and he smiled, "good, so does that mean you won't want to go to lunch with me and the guys?" He laughed as I shook my head. "Sorry." I smiled and went to keep doing the drills. I hurried and showered and dressed. Pulling on a black hat, I grabbed my jacket and turned, Max stood there smiling. "So, tomorrow after the game we finally get to meet her right?" He asked grinning. I smiled and nodded, checking my watch, I needed to leave now. "See yah." I called and hurried out the door towards the car.
As I parked the car, I couldn't help but wonder if Remy really did give Val something to help her sleep during the flight, and did they crash and die, and I missed it because I was at practice. I shook the thought out of my head and rolled my eyes, how could of been that dumb. I locked the car and walked into the airport, I stood back slightly, not wanting to be noticed but anyone and I waited. I looked at my phone and smiled even bigger. "Just landed, waiting on Di to stop crying, meet you at the luggage pick up?" I texted her back and headed downstairs to wait for their stuff. I recognized Remy's bag right away, it was a old Army duffle that belonged to his grandpa. I began to pick everything off the belt, and I heard Remy before I saw him. I turned just in time to feel Val throw her arms around me. I held on to her, never wanting to let go. Taking a deep breath, I squeezed her tight, and felt as she slightly pulled away and looked up into my eyes. She smiled and she placed her lips on mine, and finally I felt alive, and I knew any doubt of asking her to marry me was gone.