The Keatts Legacy: Chapter Eighteen: To the Ends of the Earth

Phoenix walked out of work one evening with determination. He had been saving up his paychecks and finally had enough, so he hurried off to make his purchase.

Aww, yeah. No more run-down carpools for Phoenix Keatts.

As he parked his new bike in the driveway, Phoenix realized that it was time for the next step. Graduation, a tattoo, a job and new wheels were all big changes, but now he was ready for something even bigger.

Pulling out his phone, he dialed the number quickly before he could change his mind, "Hi, Sadie? Are you busy t-- What? Some news? Yeah. Yeah, the Bistro, tonight? Sure, I'll meet you there!" Well, that part went easily enough, it must be a good sign.

Phoenix quickly changed his shirt and freshened up; he had to be at his best tonight.

The sun was setting and Sadie hadn't yet arrived when Phoenix pulled up at the Bistro, so he took a moment to park the motorcycle and stash his jacket and helmet.

He didn't have long to wait after that.

"After you," he offered, opening the gate for his date.

Phoenix watched as she walked past him into the restaurant. Just seeing her made his heart flutter and he knew that he was making the right choice.

As they sat down to eat, Sadie wasted no time in bringing up the news she had mentioned on the phone. Phoenix had been so absorbed in his plan for the evening that he had almost forgetten that she had come here with her own agenda.

"I got a job!" she squealed, "At a little museum I applied to before graduation. Since I hadn't heard anything in so long I thought I'd been rejected, but they just finally got in touch and they're hiring me!"

"That's great, Sadie!"

"Yeah! I'm going to be the assistant curator, it's perfect. The only thing is, they want me to start next month, so I only have a few weeks to move, since it's all the way in Meadow Glen."

Phoenix nearly dropped his fork. She was leaving. That couldn't be right, that ruined everything, she wasn't supposed to go away. Finally, he shook his head, as the initial shock wore away.

"No," he stated resolutely, almost to himself, "I won't let you go."

"Oh, I see how it is," Sadie turned away, glaring, "You get to study to be a prestigious doctor, doing what you love, and I'm supposed to just stick around in my father's ratty bookstore for the rest of my life. Well, that's not how it works, Phoenix. No one gets to tell me whether or not I'm going but me, and I say that I am!" and she stood up to make good on that promise.

"Sadie, wait, please!" Phoenix jumped up after her, panicked. How was this all going so wrong?

"DON'T, Phoenix," Sadie's voice was strained with emotion, "Why do you have to make me choose between you and my dreams? You can't do that. It's not fair."

"I didn't mean it like that," Phoenix said softly, reaching out for her hands.

"I love you, Sadie. I don't ever want to be away from you," he tried to explain.

"Phoenix, what are you..." Sadie gasped as he bent down on one knee and fumbled for something in his pocket.

"Sadie Kapoor, I came here tonight to ask you to marry me. I can't stand the idea of not being near you, and if that means following you to Meadow Glen or the ends of the earth, then I will go there with you, if you'll let me."

"So, please, say yes, let me be with you wherever you go."

"I-- Yes! Of course, yes!" Sadie laughed through her fingers, hardly believing what was happening

As her warm arms wrapped around him, Phoenix could feel all the tension in his body melting away. Finally, everything was right.

---

D'aww.

And then they were robbed!