(based on a true story
)
Gimmie, Gimmie
With wet, freshly washed brown hair, soft pink pajamas, her feet tucked underneath her on the couch, Marie was perfect and Ricky’s heart was all a ‘flutter in his chest. He tore his eyes away from his lady love, who was absently flipping through the channels on the television. Ricky stuffed his clammy hands into his pockets, fingertips brushing the smooth surface of the ring box.
The ring box. The ring. A simple, delicate solitaire set into a band of white gold and diamonds. The symbol of the many months Ricky had been saving for the perfect ring to ask the perfect girl the Ultimate Question: Marie, will you marry me?
Marie had been expecting it for weeks; at the fancy dinner for her birthday in the spring, during the weekend trip they took last month and Ricky knew she was getting frustrated. For all of their years together, didn’t he want to marry her? He did, of course he did, but he didn’t want to ask when she might have expected it, when they were all dressed up to go out, with the promise of a special night ahead. Ricky loved her best right now; comfortable, unadorned, natural and quietly fussing with her hair. It was time.
The weather was cool for early summer and his breath made a circle of fog on the sliding glass door. Ricky wanted to propose under the stars, such as they were with city lights to obscure them. Taking a deep breath, he slid the door open and wandered nonchalantly out onto the balcony.
“Honey? Come look at the stars with me.” He called through the open door, trying to keep his voice casual. The minute or two that passed before Marie appeared beside him felt like forever, like that long and agonizing lead-up to Christmas Day when he was a child. She slipped his arm through his, her floral scented shampoo filled his nose. Ricky’s heart jumped into his throat.
“I don’t see any stars, Ricky.” her neck craned upward and squinting into the night sky. “Are you sure it wasn’t a plane going by?”
Ricky slid the box from his pocket slowly while Marie was distracted. A flip of his thumb and he slipped the ring from the box and casually from his pocket.
When Marie looked back, Ricky was down on one knee, holding a ring that sparkled even in the dim balcony lights.
“Gimmie!” Marie made a grab at the ring before Ricky could speak, knocking it from his clammy fingers.
They both cried out, frozen in place, watching the ring sail towards the edge of the railing. A faint clink of metal on metal and it clattered to the concrete, dangerously close to the open space beneath the railing. Ricky dove to his knees to scoop up the ring, popping back up in front of Marie, breathless but triumphant.
An awkward moment of silence, finally broken by Marie’s nervous giggle and then Ricky was laughing too. She held out her hand and Ricky slipped the ring on her finger, glinting and shining, a perfect fit for his perfect girl.
“So, that’s a yes, then?” he smiled and Marie whispered ‘yes’, her own smile could have lit up the sky. Taking Marie’s hands in his, Ricky pulled here against him and leaned in to seal the moment with a kiss.
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