It's been like forever since I last uploaded a story. There are 4 stories in progress. So please be patient and enjoy this chapter.
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We were announced that the anniversary party of our company was due in 2 months. The announcement was made about the 2nd week after our vacation. All the employees were excited about it as everyone knew that the party would be held in grand scale. Usually, everyone attended the party with their partners, so I didn't attend the previous year's party as I couldn't find a date for it. But this time the story was different. I was looking forward to go to the party with Melinda.
She looked concerned when I revealed the news about the party. She sent Sara to her room as she had finished the dinner and turned to me, "Honey, I'm so glad that you want to take me to your party. But don't you remember what I told you before we started everything? What if there is someone who knows me as Maria? You'll be humiliated in front of everyone and I won't be able to bear it. So, I think it's better for you to go alone for it rather than getting humiliated."
I pulled my chair close to her and held her hands. "Sweetie, I know about you and I don't care what the others say. Let them go to hell with it. So, either we go to the party together or I won't be attending the party at all. Are we clear?"
"Oh Shaun please understand me baby. I'm not telling you to go alone because I don't love you. I love you and care about you so much. I know it is so important to you to attend this event. So please go to it alone," Said Melinda.
I wasn't going to give up that easily. I had to think about a better way to persuade her to go to the party. So we ended the conversation for the day.
I thought about it for the next few days. But nothing came up to my mind. About a week later, Clair, one of my co-workers came to the office. But she looked different and I couldn't identify her at first. She had dyed her black hair to blonde. Then it dawned to me that if I can get Melinda's hair dyed and use a different colored contact lens, she would look different too. I went home that evening and told Melinda about it. "You don't give up easily. Do you?" She laughed.
"Never. Especially when it is about you," I said and kissed her. We discussed about it and after much consideration she agreed to dye her hair in blonde and use blue color contact lenses.
Days turned into weeks and the party day arrived. Melinda was passing the 7th month of the pregnancy. So we were careful when choosing a dye for her. She looked completely different after dying and using the contact lenses. Even Sara couldn't identify her mom.
I had another plan in my mind. I wanted to propose her to marry me. I wanted to make it special and there won't be many better places than the office party with most of my work colleagues. So I bought a gold ring with a small diamond and kept it in the pocket of my jacket.
Melinda looked really classy and stunning on when she got dressed for the party. I wore a tuxedo and she was wearing a red color long V-neck dress. We called a baby sitter to look after Sara while we were at the party.
I was so excited to go to the party as I had never attended it. Also it'd be the first time my co-workers were going to meet Melinda. She too was excited to meet my co-workers and also quite nervous.
Even at the hotel, she was holding my hand tightly when we were entering the hall. "I've never attended to a party like this," She whispered.
"Don't worry. You're going to turn so many heads in your first party," I replied.
"I'm pregnant and fat. No one will look at me," She said.
"See that for yourself," I said and entered the hall.
Most of my co-workers had attended before us and they were chatting with each other. My best friend Nathan was the first one to notice us. He came to us with his girlfriend. "I thought you might not be attending the party this time too," He said and turned to Melinda. "You must be Melinda, Shaun's girlfriend whom he can't stop talking about." She blushed after hearing that.
We talked with several of my friends and then I met my boss. Melinda looked shocked as she saw my boss. "Jason please, I can't meet him." She pleaded.
I knew the reason why she refused to meet him. But I reassured her, "C'mon babe, don't be nervous. I'm sure no one will recognize you. How can anyone recognize you when even I can't recognize you."
Finally, she had to come with me to meet the boss. Luckily, he couldn't recognize her as she had changed her hair color and contact lenses.
Then the band started to perform. Some couples joined the dance floor. Melinda refused to dance as she was feeling tired even after doing a very little work. So she started to chat with some of my female co-workers while I went to the bar to have a beer. I saw Matt, one of my junior staff members sitting with the ladies and he was paying some attention towards Melinda. She too was talking with him in a friendly manner. It looked like she was rejecting an offer from him.
I quickly went to the band and asked them to play a slow romantic song next and then have a little pause before starting the one after that.
I went to Melinda and kissed her head. "Hey babe, what's going on?" I asked not caring about Matt being there.
"Matt asked me to dance with him. But I refused," She said.
"But you have to dance with me this time. I promise you, it won't be long and you won't feel any discomfort," I asked as I wanted to propose her at the end of a song, in front of everybody.
Melinda slowly got up as the band started the slow romantic number I asked. We joined the dance floor and swayed to the music as she couldn't do anything more with her belly. We were looking into each other's eyes with so much love as the song was being played.
I went down on one knee as the song was finished and took the box out of my pocket. "What are you doing?" She was confused.
"I've wanted to ask this from you for a long time. But I was waiting for the right time and now I know the time is always right with the right person." I was looking straight at her eyes and she looked absolutely shocked. "Melinda Jones, will you make me the happiest man on earth?" I asked and opened the box letting her see the Diamond ring inside. She was covering her mouth with both of her hands and tears of joy were running down her pretty cheeks.
She shook her head in affirmation and "Yes, yes, yes," was all she could tell. Then I took her left hand and carefully put the ring around her ring finger. I heard a loud round of applause and I could see everyone looking at us and applauding. Both of us blushed after seeing the reaction of my co-workers. I got up from my position and kissed my fiancรฉe for a long time.