"Is that it?"

  Madeline nodded and dusted off her hands. "That's the last of the boxes."

  Spencer slipped his arms around her and engulfed her in a hug. "So, we're officially roomies?"

  A laugh escaped her lips as she tilted her head to kiss him. "Roomies for life."

  They stood like that for a moment, tangled in each other, surrounded by the chaos of cardboard boxes. Their townhouse was enormous, all sleek marble, soft rugs, and custom everything. And most importantly, a bright garden with a swing that Maddie imagined their baby growing up to swing from. It became a home the minute they stepped into it.

  Spencer kissed the top of her head, then pulled back with that crooked smile she loved. "Come with me," He said, his voice low.

  He took her hand and guided her down the hall, past the half-assembled nursery and a stack of framed photos they hadn't hung yet. His fingers tightened around hers every few steps and his eyes kept darting toward her with barely contained glee.

  Then he stopped in front of a tall double door.

  "The movie room? Can we have dinner first then watch a movie?"

  He shook his head and pulled her in. "I want to show you something."

  He dimmed the lights and led her to the front row. It was a modest four row movie room with lush seats and a projector screen that seemed to already have a movie loaded onto it.

  Madeline groaned playfully. "Spence, I'm eight months pregnant and hungry; not a good combination.

"It's worth it! Just wait."

   The projector flickered on. As the first frame lit up the screen, Madeline gasped.

  It was claymation- a stop-motion film, hand-crafted in Spencer's workshop. She knew he made it because he had spent the last few months working on this unnamed project. He had been heavily inspired by Wes Anderson's stop-motion work and collaborated with a friend of his who happened to be a sculptor.

  Madeline instantly recognised the little clay version of her walking through their high school hallways. A clay Spencer fumbled behind her, hurriedly following her. Little love hearts dotted his eyes as the scene morphed to Maddy driving away in a car as he waved bye to her. Another scene followed, an older clay Spence looking in shock as the title card informed them this was the day he found out Madeline was pregnant. What followed was a hilariously animated montage that made Madeline laugh, in which Spence dramatically ran through the city dodging people and cars to get to Madeline. She knew the scene too well. He sees her, he scoops her into his arms and kisses her into infinity.

  Madeline didn't realise she was crying until Spencer laced their fingers together. Stupid pregnancy hormones.

The little clay people went to an ultrasound appointment, then moved into their home and finally the movie ended with two tiny clay figures, sitting in a miniature theatre, watching a film about their life. Madeline's eyes were glued to the screen. Clay Spencer turned to Clay Madeline and asked her an inaudible question that was obscured by the cheesy soundtrack. Clay Spencer and Clay Madeline faced the screen expectantly, as if waiting for the observer to say something. Clay Spencer pulled out a huge diamond from his pocket. A diamond connected to a gold band. A ring. Oh-

  "Oh my god, Spence..." Her voice cracked. "What's happening right now?"

  He stood in front of her now, shaking just a little, twirling a small ring box in his hand.

  "I'm sorry I didn't let you eat first," He said. "But I can't wait any longer."

Madeline's hands flew to her mouth.

Spencer knelt down. "Maddie, I've said it so many times, but I'll say it again: I love you. I love you more than I thought was possible. There is no one else for me but you"

  Her breath hitched as she gazed down at him. The man she had loved since she was seventeen.

  "I'm sorry this is so low key," He said, his voice cracking now too. "You deserve flowers and hydrangeas and string quartets. I didn't plan to propose today, but every day I fall more in love with you. And I need to do this."

  Spencer pulled out the ring box.

"You are my dream girl. And I'm done running from that. I don't ever want to spend another day without you. I'm never letting you go." He steadied himself with a deep breath. "Mads, will you marry me?"

  She didn't speak for a long moment- just reached for him, trembling. Then she laughed softly through her tears.

  "Obviously yes," She exclaimed. "Always, Spence. I would marry you anywhere, anytime, always. You're my dream guy."

He laughed, tears spilling now, as she pulled him into a kiss. He could feel little kicks from her stomach pressing into him. Their little girl, waiting for the world.

"Can you feel her kicking?" Madeline whispered.

He nodded and placed his hands on her stomach, leaning down to plant a soft kiss on her bump. "This never gets old."

  "I can't believe you made a movie," She laughed, looking up at the screen to where a title card was placed as the last frame of the movie, displaying the words "will you marry me" in an old-timey font.

  "I told you I was working on something big," He said, grinning.

  "Speaking of big..." She looked at the diamond on her finger. "The ring! Harry Winston! It's huge, Spence. And I've seen my fair share of big rings."

  He laughed and kissed her hand. "Priya helped me pick it out. I couldn't exactly give you a cherry-flavoured ring pop, could I?"

"You know I would've said yes to a ring pop, right?"

"I know. That's why I got the Winston."

  "Wait! Priya knows?! So does my dad know?!"

He nodded. "I know I didn't have to but your father's pretty traditional so I asked him first. He is... terrifying. But thankfully he said yes."
 
She shook her head, laughing, already picturing the chaos of it all. Their life. Messy. Big. Beautiful. He helped her to her feet, his hands careful on her lower back- just two people, wildly in love, about to become three.

She looked down at her stomach and pointed sternly at the bump. "I hope you know that you have the best parents ever. Our family is going to be full of love and you will have a better childhood than both of us. And we are going to love you so much. Kick if you understand what I'm saying."

"Maddie," He laughed, pulling her close again. Another kiss on her lips. "I don't think-"

"Oh! Oh my god! She kicked! Our baby's a genius!"

He chuckled and hugged her tightly.

  "My dream girl."

"My dream guy."

♢ ♢ ♢