Tiny House Nation

"Just a couple more things," he said smiling warmly at her.

"They're also offering to let you live rent free on their property—after they sell that old trailer."

"I need to sit down," she said shaking her head. "Wow. I love Paul and Sarah so much. They really are my new family." Tears were forming again and Troy sat beside her and put his arm around her.

"And..." he began as she looked over at him. "I built this for you because I love you so much. That means the labor is free because it was a labor of...love."

"What???" she said. "No. I can't let you do that. That's way, WAY too much to do for anyone—especially someone who's just a girlfriend. Troy, I can't accept that. It's the sweetest thing ever, but no, I can't let you do that."

"You remember how I said I made it a little wider, too?"

"Yes, of course I do, but what does that have to do with just giving me your valuable time and hard work?"

He went and laid down in the bed and said, "This way, I can really stretch out and not feel cramped."

"I agree that'll be nice when you stay over, but that's no reason to add on so much extra room—and expense."

He sat up and said, "But what if I was to say...live here with you? Wouldn't that make it worth it?"

"Oh! Oh, no you don't. You are not moving in with me. I may have stopped going to church, but I'm still a very traditional girl when it comes to living with someone. I do love you, but not enough to let you live with me."

He jumped down off the bed and reached into his cargo pocket and pulled something out. He looked into her eyes and knelt in front of her on one knee and said, "I was hoping for something more than just being your boyfriend because I'm so in love with you." He showed her the fuzzy blue box and opened it up revealing a huge diamond on a white gold ring.

Chanile's hands were shaking as the covered her mouth. "Troy! What are you saying?"

"I'm not saying, honey. I'm asking. Chanile Alexander, I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?"

Tears were streaming down her face as her head moved up and down. Slowly at first and then very rapidly. "Yes. YES I will marry you!"

He slipped the ring on her finger as he stood and helped her stand with him. "I love you, Chanile. I'm saying it to you now and I hope everything I've done has shown it. And I'm not actually trying to invite myself into your new home. It's yours and I want you to enjoy it. I do however, want us to spend the rest of our lives together and I don't care where we live. It could be a trailer, a tiny house, an apartment, or a mansion. As long we're together, I'll be very happy."

She looked into his eyes and said, "I love you too, Troy. With all my heart. And I would like nothing more than for you to live here with me—as my husband." She kissed and said, "Well, there is one thing I might like more right this minute anyway. No one else is around and we could um...you know, christen my...our...new home."

Her smile was killing him and he didn't even answer. He just started helping get undressed and moments later they were in their new bed making love like it was the first time. And in a way, it was the first time.

She drove home the next day to tell her father the wonderful news in person then went back to drive him out to the country for her wedding four months later. It was the first time he'd left the city since he enlisted in the Army over thirty years ago. Chanile's Aunt Jaleesa also came as did her favorite niece, Kwaneesha, who was the flower girl.

As time passed, life moved along and five years later Troy's father passed away leaving him the wooden shack and an acre of land. They used the money from the sale of the property and the equity in their tiny house they sold to buy a home Chanile designed and Troy built. The following year they had their first child and two years later their second.

In another five years, the Bennetts fully retired and sold their business to Troy and Chanile who'd decided to stay in Enumclaw and raise their family hoping their children would be grow up to be as happy as they were.