will you...

We went to Phuket, to an off island that was incidentally also the place we went to for our first holiday by ourselves. 

On the second day, I was lounging by the beach eating Salt and Vinegar Lays lost in thought about what I’d have for lunch.  It would be pretty much lunchtime for us when he comes back from our cottage. 

---

I look up to see that he was back.

He walks towards me and sits by my side. 

He pauses there and looks at me. 

Looks at me. 

Looks. 

As he leans forward, he says ‘I love you’ then kisses me.  

He pulls away just a little, but keepsclose.

Looking. 

He brushes away rebellious strands of hair from my face.  Keeping close.

Silence. 

Smiles.

Looking.

He quietly says ‘Will you marry me?’.

I look at him.

I look.

At him.

 ‘Did he just propose?’, I asked myself.  In my mind, ‘Did he just propose?’.

Heart racing.

And as if he read my mind, the way he can seemingly do.  He asks again.

Slowly. 

As if allowing a moment for each word to resonate…

Will you marry me?

I feel a tear roll down my eye.

Yes.

Another tear.  On my cheek. 

My cheek.

Smile. Cry.  Feel.

Breathe. 

Smile. Feel.

Breathe.

Look. See. 

Be.

We embrace. 

We stayed there for a while—holding each other.

Breathe.

He pulls away and says ‘Even without a ring?’

Right. The ring.  I didn’t even realise… 

Yes.  Even without a ring.

We embrace some more.

Be.

Hold.

Eyes closed.

He releases his embrace and turns his back at me. 

I have something for you.

Water, I thought. He always brought me water.  He knows.  He knows I’m always thirsty.

Facing me, he opens a box facing me.

Facing me.

I look.

Floored.  I was floored. 

He takes it out of the box and I reach my right hand out to him--suddenly aware that not only was it dusted with salt and vinegar flavouring, I was also wearing carnation colored nail lacquer—not exactly my classiest choice.

‘Left’ he says smiling, reaching for my other hand. 

I reach out my left hand to meet his halfway. 

Touching. 

 ‘I researched’ he adds.

He puts the ring around my finger.

Perfect.  It fit perfectly.

Like his hand with mine.

And we stayed there. 

His hand with mine.

---

We’re engaged.  October 20, 2012.

I thought I’d write about the proposal since the first thing most people seemed to ask was ‘how did he propose?’ and what I’ve said was 'wait'. I knew I'd write about it.  And probably, that would be the best way for me to tell the story.