The Full Proposal Story

The Full Proposal Story

I had some requests to detail the proposal story, so here it is! Enjoy!

I sat dressed in sweats, hair pulled back in a ponytail, glasses on, relishing the general quietude of the airport. Matthew handed me my Starbucks drip coffee and plopped into the seat next to me. I kicked my feet up onto my carryon and sunk into the chair.

                “How was the first Thanksgiving with the family?” I asked smiling.

                “Good.” Matthew smiled, breaking out of his zoned out trance. I leaned over the armrest between us and kissed his cheek.

                “I have to ask, how did asking my Dad go?!” Excitement and nervousness shook my voice. Earlier when I’d asked I received a text that said “It went well!” but that was all I had been able to hear about it with my family bustling around.

                “It went really well, actually.” Matthew smiled.

                “Tell me everything! From the minute I left with Lucie to pick up her roommate.”

                “Well, it started off with me saying ‘I bought Jessica and engagement ring’.”

                “Wait you bought the ring already!” I squealed throwing my hands up. “Where is it? When did you buy it?”

                “Ugh” Matthew groaned. “I probably shouldn’t have said that,” he mumbled in pure Hagrid-like fashion. “It’s at home in my safe.”

                “Oh good I won’t happen upon it then on accident.”

                “No probably not.” He smiled and proceeded to tell me about the rest of their conversation. He finished, and I smiled.

                “So you have to tell me, what made you feel like you were ready?”

                Matthew laughed, running his hand through his hair. “I don’t know.” He shifted in his seat. “I just woke up one morning and thought, I’m going to propose to Jessica in December.”

                “DECEMBER” I exclaimed.

                Matthew rolled his eyes and buried his head in his hands. “I should not have said that!”

                The next few weeks, I wandered around with bated breath. As each weekend came, I got excited and daydreamed about when the proposal would come. What it would look like, where it would be? It was a honeymoon stage resurgence. My phone buzzed. “Hey, wanna go to dinner this Friday night?”

                “Yes!” I texted back.

                “Wanna go to Fork?”

                “Sure at 7?”

                “Great, I’ll make a reservation!”

                Each day that went by was agony as Friday inched closer. My brain was fuzzy; my mind kept wandering. It was disastrously unproductive. Friday finally came around, and I left work an hour early to drive home and prepare. I curled my hair, slathered make up on my face, and called my sister.

                “Lucie what shoes do I wear?” I sent her pictures of my closet, accepting her advice, and finally landing on a pair of brown pleather boots. The garage door opened, and Matthew came in. He walked in, and pulled me into his arms.

                “You look beautiful.” He said kissing me. He took my hand and led me out to his car. We started the trek downtown. I held Matthew’s hand, and kept blushing and looking down. Matthew shifted back and forth in his seat, and his hand cold and sweaty in mine.

                “I don’t know why I’m so nervous!” I exclaimed.

Matthew giggled, “I know! I’m nervous too!”.

As we pulled up into downtown, the lights of downtown sparkled against the dark cold sky. We made it to the parking garage, parked, and started walking towards Fork. We held hands, and fought off the impending cold. The cold air bit at our noses and lapped at our clasped hands chapping them. We raced to dinner, and then were sat in the back of the restaurant. I ordered my favorite drink A Time for Bourbon, and we perused the menu. Our eyes kept meeting, we’d blush and look back down. Dinner was perfect, and by the end of the meal. Matthew took my hand.

“Ready to go?” I nodded, and he led me outside.

“Where are we going?”

“I can’t tell you!” He laughed. He led me back down the dark sidewalks back to his car. We hopped in, he checked his phone and we started driving deeper into downtown. I kept giggling, smiling and shifting in my seat. He took me down through the downtown neighborhoods of Boise. Old houses lined the streets. Each of them sported rows and rows of Christmas lights. Trees were covered in white sparking lights. He pulled over to a side street, took a deep breath, and said “Wanna go for a walk?” I giggled and jumped out of the car. Raindrops landed on my skin, as I exited the car. I jumped over a puddle and headed to the street corner. Matthew met me and grabbed my hand. He led me down the street. His long legs carried him quickly down the sidewalk.

“Leetal!” I exclaimed. “I have little legs!” He slowed to match my pace.

“Sorry, I’m just nervous.”

“It’s ok.” I giggled. “I want us to enjoy this time too.” I threaded my arm through his, and we sauntered down the lane.  

“Which lights are your favorite?” he asked.

“I like the sparkly white ones that hang down like icicles.”

He giggled. “I like the exact opposite. I like the colored lights. Hey,” he exclaimed. “Look at those tall pine trees.” Up ahead stood two pine trees. They burst out of the earth standing four stories high. Blue, green and red lights weaved their way through the twin tree’s branches.

“They are so pretty!” I exclaimed.

“Let’s go check them out.” He squeezed my hand. My heart raced. We walked right up under the trees. He turned to face me, grabbed my hands, then knelt down on one knee. “Jessica, when I was a camphand and we first met. I dreamed about having the chance to propose to you. I never thought it would be possible. Now, four and a half years later, I make that dream come true. Jessica Marie Peretti will you marry me?”

“Yes!” I screamed and giggled and shrieked. He pushed the ring onto my finger, and I leapt into his arms. I kissed him and buried my face in his neck. We hugged and giggled for an eternity, and it felt like time had stood still. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”