Happily Ever After

Proposals. They are beautiful moments in the journey through love, and they are usually planned to be a surprise. The thing is most people get a feeling, an intuition if you will, when it is about to happen. They will spend the whole day before what they feel is about to be that “special date” getting their nails or hair done, buying a new outfit or whatever else the case may be while also trying to not make it look like they know.

This date with Jeremy and Rafael was no exception. They had been together for 2 years 3 month and 15 days (Jeremy had a count going, he didn’t want to miss a milestone) and he had that feeling when Rafael asked him to this fancy dinner date tonight it was for a proposal. This date involved a reservation at the restaurant where they had their first date, which they only did on very special occasions, and he had seemed more anxious than he usually was. Jeremy just hoped he wasn’t wrong. He played that scene from Legally Blonde where Elle went all out for what she thought was a special date that ended up becoming the end of the relationship through his head so many times. Jeremy thought about their relationship, they were so happy, there were no signs of impending doom that he could see but his mind always went to the worst-case scenario. No matter, he tried to prepare himself for whatever tonight threw his way. He showered and got out the new outfit he had just bought a few days ago from this new little local shop. It was a super slim burgundy suit that he paired with a teal top. He looked himself over in the mirror as he splashed on his favorite cologne hoping and wanting tonight to go the way he is imagining.

Meanwhile, Rafael was just as nervous. He played through this night in his head so many times over the last few months. He fished buttoning his shirt and put the ring in his pocket. It was matte black with a row of black diamonds in the center. It was like one that Jeremy had casually pointed out one day as they were passing by a jewelry shop. Rafael smiled at thought and tried to put his nerves to rest. He walked to the car and made his way to the date that would change their lives.

They hugged and gave a quick kiss as they arrived to the door of the restaurant. “You look so good in that color!” Rafael gushed as Jeremy opened the door. “Thank you, you look very handsome yourself.” They got seated and looked at the menus in silence for a moment. Jeremy was holding in the urge to ask why they had this reservation when it wasn’t a birthday or an anniversary, but he knew that if Rafael was planning something he would be devastated for the surprise to be blown, so he just continued to look at the entrées. The conversation stayed light and happy through the beginning, they laughed about something really stupid a mutual friend did with an ex and talked about possibly taking a small road trip in the near future when work allowed and finally, they ordered their food. After the food had arrived and they ate for a bit Rafael excused himself to the restroom.

Jeremy was beginning to wonder if maybe this was just a random date, maybe Rafael just wanted to have a nice dinner tonight.

Rafael walked to the waitress who was standing toward the back of the restaurant. “I’m so sorry to bother you but, I’m planning on proposing to my boyfriend over there and I was hoping you could bring us each a piece of the double chocolate cake and stick this on his plate under one of the strawberries?” The waitress chuckled and smiled “of course. I’ll also include two glasses of champagne on the house.” Rafael smiled and said thank you and went back to his seat.

They finished their meals and their plates got cleared. It was a great date they talked and laughed but Jeremy couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed, that was until he saw the waitress walking back. She brought over two beautiful and delicious slices of the double chocolate cake garnished with strawberries. “Enjoy.” She said with a smile. “I don’t remember us ordering cake?” Jeremy said, his butterflies returning. That’s when he saw the strawberry that looked a little different, he reached onto the plate and grabbed the ring. Rafel stood up and walked over next to him and got down on one knee. “These past two years have been the best years of my life all because of you. You bring me joy every day, you add adventure and happiness in ways that I never thought I would find. I can’t imagine not having you in my life so…” he grabbed the ring from Jeremy “Jeremy Willam Giovanni, would you please do me the honor of marrying me?” The restaurant was quiet at this point and Jeremy had some tears streaming down his face. This was better than what he could have imagined. “Of course, I will!” The surrounding tables cheered, Jeremy put on the ring and they sipped champagne for another hour and it felt like they were in the clouds, and they would continue to have chocolate cake and champagne every year to celebrate.