KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! I rapped on the door.
Hearing the hand on the other side of the door, fumbling with the lock, I took a deep breath and steeled myself for what was coming.
"Justin!" I said a little more breathlessly than I meant as the door opened.
"Danielle! You changed your mind!" he greeted me with surprise. "Come in, Please!"
"I can't." I answered.
"Oh, OK!" he said, obviously confused.
"No, I mean ... I can't." I repeated, this time handing him back the ring.
"OH!" he replied numbly. "There's someone else isn't there?"
"Justin, there has ALWAYS been someone else. I just never realized it." I explained. "You're a great guy, young, good looking, successful, any woman would be lucky to have you.
I
would be lucky to have you." I struggled to let him down easily "You're an amazing catch and I'm sure some people will say I'm crazy to walk away from you."
"Then why are you?" he asked, struggling to understand.
"Because if I married you, I know every time I told you 'I love you!' I would be lying." I explained further, setting the ring in the palm of his hand. "I'm not going to patronize you by saying all the typical things people say during a breakup. I would just like to say good luck, and leave you with this." Stepping up, I kissed him on the cheek.
Closing my eyes so I couldn't see the hurt look on his face, I turned on my heel and left, hoping he didn't see my own tears. He REALLY WAS a great guy. He just wasn't the guy for me.
Driving over to Chris's house was the hardest. It should have been easy but I knew I would be interrupting a 'guy's night' event. Parking my car in front of his house I approached the door and rang the bell. Standing there for several minutes, I rang the bell a second time and there was still no answer. Every light in the house seemed to be on, so I knew he must be home. Hearing voices and laughter, I started walking around the house. As I rounded the corner, I saw them sitting in a circle around the fire pit, several coolers positioned strategically between them, the light of the fire casting long shadows across the grass. Seeing them I began to second guess the wisdom of my actions. I was about to turn and leave when one of Chris's friends, his name was Chad I found out later, saw me and pointed.
'Too late now.' I thought as everyone stopped talking to turn and look my direction.
"Danielle!" I heard Chris before I saw him. "What are you doing here?"
"I ... I'm sorry, I don't want to interrupt but" I said as I started walking across the grass toward him, being careful to walk on the balls of my feet to keep my heels from sinking into the soft grass. "can we talk?" I asked.
"Yeah, sure." he answered.
"Privately." I said to much jeering from his friends.
Turning, I walked ahead of him, being careful to hide my hand as we got closer to the lit house. As we neared the house and pergola I struggled, trying to find the right words to say.
"Chris," I said as I turned around, still hiding the absence of the ring with my right hand. "you're an amazing man." I started saying once we had stopped.
"You're breaking up with me." he said with a neutral tone to his voice and a blank expression on his face.
'OK, so I totally screwed THAT up!' I thought to myself in a panic.
"NO! Oh God NO!" I said desperately, trying to salvage the situation. "It's just that ..." I took a deep breath to calm myself before continuing. "when you gave me this yesterday ... I was so overwhelmed ... and I ... I answered without thinking." I said handing him the small box that contained the engagement ring.
The voices of his friends rose a bit. One of his friends shouted something about being "pussy whipped" while another suggested I make them some sammiches and another asked if I was there to serve the beer.
"I've had time to think about it" I said ignoring them "... and ..." my entire being trembled with what I was about to say. "would you ask me again?" I blurted out. "Please." I said in a slower, almost hushed tone, practically begging.
It took a moment for what I said to process but when it did, he took the box I had set in his hand. His eyes were on the contents as he opened it. Raising his eyes to mine, his face softened and he turned the box toward me.
To the sound of increased shouts from his friends, Chris took a knee in front of me and with a exclamation of "HOLY SHIT!" from one of his friends, the jeers suddenly faded into silence.
"Danielle Reid." he began. "You are, without a doubt, the woman of my dreams, and I would be honored if you would be my wife."
I was tearing up as I stood there, under the pergola, with him kneeling in front of me.
"Danielle, will you
marry
me? Will you be my wife?"
"
YES!!
" I answered emphatically and once again Chris slid that ring onto my finger.