She Said Yes

I only made a few calls last night, sent a few IMs to those I couldn't reach. Eventually, I know everyone that needed or wanted to know, would know. I didn't make a big deal about it at work (until Jen made it a big deal) and my friend Meg Ryan noted that "hearts are breaking all over the world" though maybe my own world. I've been telling the whole story in bits and pieces here and there, so now, I share the whole story, with the whole world...or at least the 4 people that read this. Riley and I are engaged...in case you hadn't heard. You see, Friday we close on a house. She has spent the better part of the last month at Yankees games, er, working in Amish country Lancaster, Pa. It’s not something we haven't talked about. Last Friday, Riley's parents were in town getting soon-to-be sister-in-law Jessica settled in her freshmen year at Winthrop. I failed miserably at trying to bring the issue up previously in McBee and Edisto. But now we weren't just living together because I suddenly and swiftly moved back from Chicago, we are buying a house together, a slightly larger investment than a lease deposit. The time was now so I had the talk, of all places, at the Cracker Barrell right after a delicious country fried steak and side of slaw. No lemonade though...sidenote, the C.B.'s lemonade has turned sour...literally. Once I had the ok and picked up the ring (which I had purchased a week before with Jack's support...and dinner at Sir Edmond's) it was time to set up the plan. Roo flew in last night with plans to head home to help her mom out for a few days. My plan was to have a nice dinner Thursday night and drop the pop in the privacy of our own table amidst 30-40 other Blue patrons. I carried that ring around for a few days; it was burning a hole in my pocket. I had told some people so my anxiety was intensified by the worrying that someone might spill the beans with even the slightest hint. I couldn't wait til Thursday. I was picking her up at the airport, it would be perfect...she'd come down the escalator, a sort of flipped Cruel Intentions airport scene and right there in the privacy of Zone C baggage claim, I'd ask her. As I waited for her arrival, which somehow was early this time, I was gladly greeted by my brother Mike and his buddy who had just landed from a weekend in Chicago. We caught up and I headed down towards the stairway. His threat to congratulate her upon her arrival pressed me even more to do it now. I should have taken the escalator being broken as a sign. Turns out, while I was waiting at the stairs, she was waiting for me...at baggage claim. She came down the other stairway. No worries, I had planned for this and untied my shoe. I knew she'd catch it and as I got down to tie it, I'd let her have it. It was like an alley-oop to myself off the backboard. But it didn't work, I hesitated and feared making the moment awkward, I pressed on. There is a fountain outside, right there will work...nevermind, it’s too hot. We'll go to dinner now, on the way home...cancel that. We stopped at Jamie's new apartment and all 3 went to dinner. While it would have been good to have someone there to take a picture, Wild Wings didn't seem like the right place. Maybe I should wait until Thursday...no, I can't. I'll do it when we get home...but I didn't know how. The ride home, I made up a whole story about how I did eat dinner with her parents and had asked permission to move in with her even though we weren't engaged or married and promised that as soon as we were settled, I'd move forward. I am not sure she bought it, but I don't think she really bought on to what was happening either. I know she certainly didn't expect what was going to happen next. We got home and she hopped in the shower. I quickly changed, polished off the stone and band (for the 1,000 time that day). I turned out the lights and lit the only two candles we have left in our Home Depot box/Rubbermaid bin-clad home. She was done in the shower and there I was. Before she could yell at me for getting water all over the floor, I apologized for lying to her, I told her not to be mad but that the story I told her about dinner with her parents wasn't true. Then with the ring in my shaking hand, I asked her to marry me. In case you hadn't heard, she said yes...