Mona soon gave up on trying to anticipate when Septimus was going to get on with it. He ate dinner with them that night at Brother White’s house and then went home. He visited Mona nearly every day after he was finished with his college classes. Mona stopped thinking that it was going to happen every moment, but wasn’t about to forget about it. She was determined not to be the least bit surprised when it happened.
On a Wednesday two weeks later, Septimus suggested that they go to the park. Mona wasn’t suspicious of this because he was constantly asking her to go places with him, trying to fake her out. When they got to the park, Septimus reached into the back seat of his car and casually pulled out a Scrabble box. Mona only raised her eyebrows and got out of the car.
All the kids were still in school, so there weren’t any people in the park. Septimus walked out onto the soccer field and sat down. Mona followed him and sat down across from him. The sun was behind a cloud, so it wasn’t too bright to sit out of the shade.
Septimus opened the box and set up the game. He offered the bag to Mona first. She took out her seven letters and didn’t look at Septimus, so she didn’t see as he pulled his tiles out of his pocket instead of the bag.
Her first letters were P G N U I O G. She immediately saw the word “GOING”. She looked at Septimus, who had finished setting up his tiles.
“You first.” He said, watching intently as she arranged her first word on the board. She was already thinking about her next word so only half paid attention as Septimus used her I to spell out the word “WILL”.
Her next letters were L A E P N, which she added to U and P. She used the first G in her first word to spell the word “PLUG” vertically above the G and started drawing her tiles again. Septimus used her U and spelled the word “YOU”. Mona scoffed to herself. She wondered if Septimus was purposefully using small words so that she would win.
Her next tiles made U S A E P N L. It took her a few minutes of looking at the board to spell the word “PANG” using the last G in her first word. The bag was still over by Septimus and she was about to ask for him to pass it to her when she realized what word he was spelling next.
Using the A in her last word, he spelled the word “MARRY”. There was a jolt in her stomache. She looked up at Septimus, who was reaching into his pocket and pulling out two more tiles and a piece of paper. The two tiles were M and E and the small, square piece of paper had a penciled question mark. He placed them down beneath the word “MARRY”. She stared at it. He reached into his pocket again and pulled out a ring with a tiny silver star on one side instead of some sort of rock. He placed that next to the question mark.
Mona’s mind felt like it was exploding. Apparently he was more clever than she’d given him credit for. She stared at the ring for several minutes.
“I didn’t get it with a stone because I know that you like simplicity.” He said, quietly.
“Simplicity is the best sophistication.” Mona responded just as quietly.
“So?” He asked. Mona looked up at him.
“No.” She said. His face fell and he looked extremely confused. “I’m kidding. Yes.” She said, her eyes twinkling. At least she was able to get out of it with her dignity still in tact.
“Oh, good.” He said, relieved. “Great!” He said. He picked up the ring and Mona’s hand and he slid the ring onto her finger.
“Perfect fit.” She said. “How’d you manage that?”
“David had Annalise sneak into your room and get a couple of your rings for me, and then I went and told the ring people which fingers you wore them on and they figured it out from that.” He said.
“Sneaky.” Mona said, shaking her head. Septimus grinned. They put the Scrabble game away and walked back to the car, slowly. Mona was still trying to get over her shock, but she surprised herself by feeling happy. More happy than she had felt in a long time.
Septimus drove her back home and they went in to have dinner. Annalise looked a little anxious, but as soon as they came in and she noticed the ring on Mona’s finger she immediately relaxed. David didn’t seem surprised at all.
“It was my brilliant planning.” He said as they sat around the table. He sounded as if he were addressing the slight doubt that Annalise had had and her now relief, even though no one had even said anything. “Why shouldn’t it have worked?”
“Oh, please.” Mona said. “You’re still convinced that you know everything.”
“Not everything.” David said, smiling at Mona. “Just enough.”
* * *
Without the permission of either Mona or Septimus, David and Brother White decided to throw a party for them. They invited all of Mona’s friends, including the ones she had had before her family had been murdered.
Septimus didn’t really have any friends, and his parents were living in New York and not speaking with him, so Mona introduced him to everyone she knew. Taavi, Devin, Mindi, and Toby came as well, arriving via a white van that dropped them off and drove away quickly.
All the Seminary teachers came to congratulate Mona and also to have their weekly game of headache, which was watched by many. Mona and Maureen took Septimus aside and taught him how to play, later inviting Harry and Ginge to join them.
At sunset, Annalise made everyone go inside and sent Mona and Septimus out in the back yard to watch the sunset. Mona made Septimus climb her favorite tree and sit on the large branch.
“Are you sure this will hold both of us?” He asked.
“It held me and David when I was sixteen.” Mona said, laughing at the look of unease on his face.
“If you insist.” He said. There weren’t any clouds in the sky, so the sunset wasn’t really the most spectacular she had ever seen, but she had always like the color orange.
“Sunsets are a little lame.” Septimus said.
“Yeah, I know.” Mona said. “They’re never as amazing as one would be left to believe.”
“They’re better in paintings and books.” He said. Mona didn’t disagree with this. They sat silently for a few minutes.
“How long will you be at school?” Mona asked.
“Well, I’ve been doing night school for nearly seven years, now.” He said. “It will probably take another year or so and then a year of interning until I can actually go out and get a job.”
“Or open your own clinic.” Mona said. “Though I don’t really know much about that. I could ask my therapist. He’ll probably know more about it.”
“Thanks.” He said, putting an arm around her.
“Hey, this is my future too.” Mona said, lightly elbowing him in the stomach.
“Great.” He whispered, squeezing her shoulders tightly. She felt his lips on her forehead. She leaned against him put all her weight on him, closing her eyes, content. He put his other arm around her and pulled her into his arms.
