A year later, Sky's dining room wall looked like a gallery of their history.
Framed puzzles hung in a neat row - the dock, the carnival, the fishing boat on the blue bay, even a cheeky one of a TK Soul concert poster they'd done as a joke. Each had a date and a small handwritten verse beneath it. The dock still sat in the middle, their first, the one that started the tradition.
Sky was fully recovered now - no more wincing when she moved, no more strict lifting limits. She could cook again without Jade insisting on stirring every pot, could shop without being shadowed in the aisles like a celebrity at risk of being mobbed. But even with her independence back, Jade still came by almost daily. And Sky let her.
It was late summer when Jade suggested the trip.
"You ever been to the coast?" Jade asked one Friday night, half-watching a music video on YouTube while Sky sorted through a new puzzle's sky pieces.
"Once, maybe twice. Never stayed long," Sky said. "Why?"
Jade tried for casual. "I was thinking… maybe we go. You and me. Few days. Drive down, stay in one of those little beach houses. Eat seafood. Read on the porch. Walk the beach."
Sky eyed her over the puzzle. "This a vacation or an escape plan?"
Jade smirked. "Depends who's asking."
They booked it for the end of September.
The Coast
The drive was easy, windows down, "Comfort and Company" spilling out into the open air. By the time they hit the coast, the smell of salt and fried shrimp rolled through the car windows. Their rented cottage was small and white, with blue shutters and a porch swing that creaked when the wind came off the water.
The first night, they walked the beach barefoot, the water cool against their ankles, gulls skimming low over the waves. Sky carried her sandals in one hand, Jade's hand in the other. The sun melted into the horizon in streaks of orange and gold.
They didn't talk much - just listened to the hush and roar of the tide. At one point, Jade stopped, turning Sky toward her.
"You're happy here," Jade said softly.
"I'm happy with you," Sky corrected.
The Proposal
The second night, Jade made dinner - grilled fish, roasted potatoes, asparagus. Afterward, she suggested another beach walk. The sun was lower this time, the sky pink and lavender. Sky was barefoot again, her silver puzzle-piece pendant glinting in the fading light.
Halfway down the shore, Jade stopped. Sky turned to see her holding a small wooden box.
"What's this?" Sky asked, her voice soft with suspicion and curiosity.
Jade's fingers worked the clasp, revealing a silver ring nestled in dark blue velvet. The band was simple but elegant, with a tiny engraving inside: Piece by piece.
"You remember the first puzzle we finished?" Jade asked.
Sky smiled faintly. "The dock."
"You told me it felt strange, all that searching, all that time, and then when it's finished there's this quiet you didn't know you needed." Jade's voice trembled just a little. "That's what loving you has been for me. Not the noise of looking. The quiet of knowing."
Sky blinked against the sudden blur in her vision.
"We've been finding the pieces together," Jade continued. "How about we finish the picture?"
Sky's laugh caught halfway to a sob. "Are you asking me to - "
"To marry me, yes," Jade said. "To keep building, piece by piece, even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard."
Sky took the box, closed it gently, then slipped the ring out and held it in her palm. "Yes," she said simply. "Of course, yes."
Jade slid the ring onto her finger. It fit like it had been measured not just for her hand, but for this moment.
They stood there as the tide curled in, waves catching the hem of Sky's dress, and kissed - soft and steady, like a promise made out loud to God and each other.
Telling the Family
Back home, Sky dreaded telling her family, not because she wasn't sure of her choice, but because she knew exactly how some of them would respond. Still, she refused to start her marriage hiding.
They told Jade's family first, who celebrated with hugs, music, and Jade's grandmother's lemon pound cake.
When Sky finally called her mother, she braced herself.
"Mama, I'm calling to tell you I'm getting married," Sky said.
"To Jade?" her mother asked.
"Yes."
There was a long pause on the other end, the kind where you can hear a person's breathing but not their thoughts. Then: "I still don't agree. But I can't live or die for you, Sky. I still love you."
Sky closed her eyes, a rush of relief surprising her. "I love you too."