Two stories…one ending!
Her Version…
Amidst a night of slumber after a long day of motions, objections and sentencing she was disturbed from her rest. A voice, both tepid and resolved, whispered to her, “Babe, wake up. Come with me to the living room”. She struggled to open her eyes. The room was dark and she was greatly disadvantaged without her contact lenses or eye glasses. She sluggishly asked why and was again beseeched to follow. It was either pure love or the fact that she didn’t have her wits about her that guided her away from the comfort of her hybrid mattress.
Led by a tender hand, she navigated the dark spaces of her childhood home to arrive at an alarming ring of fire. Taken aback and shocked into a state of circumspection, she called on the one name she’d been faithfully taught to rely upon. She uttered aloud, “Jesus!” Again the voice again asked her to do something. This time it was to step into the center of the ring of fire. She contemplated the salvation of her soul in light of what appeared to be a pagan ritual, she wondered whether the parquet floors with high gloss finish would soon be set ablaze, and she thought to herself, “What in the world is happening?” It was either pure love or the fact that she was sure the worst outcome wasn’t possible – damnation of her soul – that raised her feet across the threshold of fire.
The voice uttered two more requests. The first, “Trust me and close your eyes”. Having taken soo many risks already, she begrudgingly acquiesced. She heard nondescript rustling but managed to keep her eyes closed. The next question brought relief from the anxiety she had been feeling for the longest three minutes of her life. The voice gently said “open your eyes”.
The most brilliant vision she had ever seen was before her eyes. She was overwhelmed with joy, excitement and ultimately relieved of all disquietude. Sharif was on bended knee with a hand extended, holding a precious stone. He was done with requests and now posed an offer. His offer was eternal love and devotion. She finally said yes without hesitation!
His Version…
I had been ring shopping for quite some time. Given the highs and lows of trying to search for the most gorgeous ruby ring that she wanted I finally came upon the perfect one. I planned on proposing to her at her family reunion which was two weeks away and kept the ring in my bag to prevent her from accidentally finding it. For the next week I would occasionally take the ring out at my desk and look at how marvelous it was.
During the week….I began pondering, “What if I lost the ring in transit at the airport? Or if the ring is stolen somehow?” It was a Wednesday evening and once again the ring sat on my desk as I looked at it…..I felt like it was goading me somehow with its crimson red sparkle. Then…….something came over me and I said yeah let’s do this now.
I began looking around for items to support my cause. Luckily we had a myriad of candles which I lit in a circle on the living room floor. I said to myself, “Self, we gotta do this quick before the house catch fire.” I put some of our favorite songs on in the background then went to call upon my sleeping beauty. It was 11:30pm.
I said, “Babe……..Babe……..wake up.” She was quickly annoyed that I was waking her from her slumber and asked if it could wait till the morning. But I was persistent and finally convinced her to come to the living room. Jeanine came into the living room and saw the ring of lit candles and was immediately alarmed. (Jeanine wears glasses and she didn’t have them on so I could only imagine how a circle of candles looks when your vision is blurry.) She asked, “Why is there a ring of fire on the floor?!?! What’s happening right now????” I tried to reassure her that there was no incantation or pentagram on the floor. She exclaimed, “Do I have to invoke Jesus?!?!” (This is supposed to be a romantic moment but I’m laughing hysterically at this point.)
I asked her to step inside the ring of fire. She exclaimed once more, “Why do I have to step in the circle?? OF FIRE?!?!” I reached out to her and finally coaxed her in. I asked that she close her eyes. She immediately said, “WHY DO I HAVE TO CLOSE MY EYES?? WHATS HAPPENING?!?!?!” (It was a hilarious moment and I’m trying not to chuckle or make it seem as if she’s being led into a practical joke.)
She closed her eyes and I conjured what I felt from the heart off the cuff. I don’t remember the precise words but it went something like this:
“Jeanine, its’ been a wonderful time loving you. Our love inspires me to grow, do more and be more. You came at a time when I had given up on love and I thank the universe each day for us happening upon each other when we both weren’t looking. All the moments of my life have led me to you and I wouldn’t change a thing. I love you and my light only shines for you……….you can open you eyes now.”
I was on one knee with her ruby and asked her to marry me and she promptly said yes.