And the family portrait that should have been hanging on the living room wall, the one of the three of us, had been taken down.
Only a few nails remained, marking where something had once hung.
Every trace of me had been erased. Completely.
The hollowness in my chest was unbearable.
The words left my mouth before I realized I was speaking. "This house... a lot of things are missing."
Neil wrapped his arms around me from behind and said softly,
"You're right."
"This house is missing a woman to call it home."
"Lucy Simmons, will you marry me?"
A diamond ring appeared before my eyes.
Even though I'd known this day would come, I couldn't stop the trembling deep inside.
Should I say yes?
If the real Lucy were here, she would say yes without hesitation. Wouldn't she?
My thoughts were still tangled in knots.
Neil held up the ring, walked to me, and lowered himself to one knee.
"Lucy, I'm serious."
The next second, a crowd of people burst out from the other rooms. Confetti cannons went off with a bang, filling the air with streamers as everyone cheered at the top of their lungs.
"Say yes! Say yes!"
For one fleeting moment, I thought I'd been transported back in time, to when Neil had proposed to me.