The Day-Long Proposal
August 4th, 2011. I had known Mikel two months, been living with him less than one, and was still feeling the "newness" of our relationship, as if I had just met him, although we'd been talking every single day since exchanging phone numbers.
Around my neck I wore the gold promise ring he'd given me the day we met in person on a chain; it was many sizes too large. It stood as a reminder of his words to me; "this isn't a ring, it's a promise." So I knew we'd commit to each other officially sooner or later, but with the shine still on our courtship, I really hated to rush things, or even wish they'd go faster, although part of me certainly did.
The day began with Mikel waking me up with "You Are My Sunshine", which surprised and touched me.Because of his hearing difficulties I never expect Mikel to know a lot of music, let alone lullabies! This song in particular my dad used to sing to me and my sister when we were little, plus that was the day before what would have been his 69th birthday, but he died five years ago. It tickles me to think I've found a guy so like my father, so soon after his death.
Sort of as a surprise, Mikel took me to Gaslight Village, a charming and beautiful part of town surrounding a lake. While he waited in what must have been mind-numbing boredom, I got a French manicure, feeling very pampered and special. It had been years since I'd even had a polish change at a nail salon, let alone a French manicure. We then had lunch and went walking on the sunny boardwalk one can get to just by leaving through the back door of the library. There were others around, but it was quiet and peaceful-- and bright!\
We stopped at the water's edge and I rested on the seat of my walker, next to him. Always one to state the obvious, Mikel asked "do you realize you're sitting beside a lake with [his family's] genuine Aquamarine earrings and a manicure?" I remember smiling and marveling as I looked out at the water, "how did I get here?"
The next thing he said was, " you know, this would be perfect...." and my heart started racing. Was he going to propose?! I was ready, and I knew what I would say, but I still wouldn't be able to hold my emotions back if that was the moment. "....but I just don't have the ring," he chuckled. Phew! I was relieved, but crestfallen. What did this mean?
By that time it was mid-late afternoon and time to get moving. Though lunch and the sweltering, humid Michigan weather had made us tired, we forced ourselves to the cool, relatively relaxing mall, where I said I needed chap stick. "We could just go to Walgreens..." I had protested, but Mikel had insisted on the mall.
The next thing I knew, he found me in one of the stores and told me there was "a sizing issue" with the claddagh ring. I'd known about that ring for weeks; and understood it was jsst going to be a symbol of our engagement. But because he asked, I followed him to the jeweler, where the first thing I saw, passing the cases of sapphires, emeralds, citrine, tourmaline and other glittering precious baubles, was a man with a little gold. He handed it to Mikel.
"You know," Mikel said, "Plan A was the claddagh ring before you got here, and that didn't work out. Plan B was the claddagh ring on your father's birthday, and that won't work out. This is Plan C." And he handed me a navy blue velvet ring box with a solid white gold wedding band inside. It shone in the perfect jewelry store lighting; the grooves and swirls catching the light like a row of diamonds.
"Is this it?" I asked excitedly, my mind going blank. He nodded and I paused for a second, savoring the thought of a lifetime with this wonderful man. He thought I was wonderful too! So amazing. Feeling as if the whole room had gone silent, almost as if the air had been vacuumed out of the store, I looked into his eyes to be sure he'd read my lips:
"Yes."
And I fell into his arms and we held each other. Today, the story continues:)
Around my neck I wore the gold promise ring he'd given me the day we met in person on a chain; it was many sizes too large. It stood as a reminder of his words to me; "this isn't a ring, it's a promise." So I knew we'd commit to each other officially sooner or later, but with the shine still on our courtship, I really hated to rush things, or even wish they'd go faster, although part of me certainly did.
The day began with Mikel waking me up with "You Are My Sunshine", which surprised and touched me.Because of his hearing difficulties I never expect Mikel to know a lot of music, let alone lullabies! This song in particular my dad used to sing to me and my sister when we were little, plus that was the day before what would have been his 69th birthday, but he died five years ago. It tickles me to think I've found a guy so like my father, so soon after his death.
Sort of as a surprise, Mikel took me to Gaslight Village, a charming and beautiful part of town surrounding a lake. While he waited in what must have been mind-numbing boredom, I got a French manicure, feeling very pampered and special. It had been years since I'd even had a polish change at a nail salon, let alone a French manicure. We then had lunch and went walking on the sunny boardwalk one can get to just by leaving through the back door of the library. There were others around, but it was quiet and peaceful-- and bright!\
We stopped at the water's edge and I rested on the seat of my walker, next to him. Always one to state the obvious, Mikel asked "do you realize you're sitting beside a lake with [his family's] genuine Aquamarine earrings and a manicure?" I remember smiling and marveling as I looked out at the water, "how did I get here?"
The next thing he said was, " you know, this would be perfect...." and my heart started racing. Was he going to propose?! I was ready, and I knew what I would say, but I still wouldn't be able to hold my emotions back if that was the moment. "....but I just don't have the ring," he chuckled. Phew! I was relieved, but crestfallen. What did this mean?
By that time it was mid-late afternoon and time to get moving. Though lunch and the sweltering, humid Michigan weather had made us tired, we forced ourselves to the cool, relatively relaxing mall, where I said I needed chap stick. "We could just go to Walgreens..." I had protested, but Mikel had insisted on the mall.
The next thing I knew, he found me in one of the stores and told me there was "a sizing issue" with the claddagh ring. I'd known about that ring for weeks; and understood it was jsst going to be a symbol of our engagement. But because he asked, I followed him to the jeweler, where the first thing I saw, passing the cases of sapphires, emeralds, citrine, tourmaline and other glittering precious baubles, was a man with a little gold. He handed it to Mikel.
"You know," Mikel said, "Plan A was the claddagh ring before you got here, and that didn't work out. Plan B was the claddagh ring on your father's birthday, and that won't work out. This is Plan C." And he handed me a navy blue velvet ring box with a solid white gold wedding band inside. It shone in the perfect jewelry store lighting; the grooves and swirls catching the light like a row of diamonds.
"Is this it?" I asked excitedly, my mind going blank. He nodded and I paused for a second, savoring the thought of a lifetime with this wonderful man. He thought I was wonderful too! So amazing. Feeling as if the whole room had gone silent, almost as if the air had been vacuumed out of the store, I looked into his eyes to be sure he'd read my lips:
"Yes."
And I fell into his arms and we held each other. Today, the story continues:)
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