She Said YES!!!!

I’m a beaming bag of bumbling happiness this morning.

I pass a certain jewellery shop a couple of times a week and I think to myself, “One day,” as I gaze at engagement rings in the window.

Yesterday, I did it again. “One day,” I told myself as I passed it and then I stopped and remember something my Mother used to say.

“One day never ever arrives Adam. If you know in your heart that you want something ‘one day’ then you should make today that one day and grab it with both hands. Because nobody ever really knows if they’ll get their ‘one day.’”

Of course, she was right, as she was about almost everything.

I stepped into that shop and beamed at the shop assistant,

“I’m looking for an engagement ring for my girlfriend.”

She smiled back and was nothing other than delightful in helping me to find the perfect ring.

Then I called my sister to ask if she could look after my son.

“Sure. Is everything alright?”

“It’s fine,” I told her. “I just want a night with Chloe alone....”

“What’s going on?” I could hear that she was smiling.

“Nothing,” I lied.

“Ok, ok... drop him off whenever you want.”

So I went home, explained to him that Auntie Stacey wanted some help with a jigsaw puzzle that was driving her mad and asked if he would spend the night there.

“Yeeeah!” he shrieked, grabbing his overnight things.

Son at Sister’s, I called Chloe.

“Well since he’s staying at Stacey’s, do you want to go out for dinner?”

“Yes, why not!”

There’s an Italian restaurant she loves. Really loves. And that’s where I took her. But the timing didn’t seem right through dinner as a rather loud table next to us (typically) stole the show somewhat.

After dinner, heart pounding and hand continually reaching in my pocket to check it was still there, I suggested a canal side walk.

“Adam,” she protested, “It’s pitch black, freezing and raining.”

“So?” I grinned. “You like it down there...”

“Alright!” she conceded.

And that’s where I asked her to be my wife. I always imagined that when I asked her it would be in some perfect setting somewhere. It wasn’t a perfect setting traditionally speaking. It was pouring down, cold and windy. But she was perfect. And there is no more perfect a time than the moment you realise with everything that you are, that this is the one person you know you are ready to commit your life to.

I got down on one knee in the mud.

“What the Hell are you doing?” she asked, “The floor’s pissed we through.” She grabbed my hand to get me up.

I didn’t rise from the ground but I kept hold of her hand.

“Chloe.” I said, “This might seem like a really bad time and I know you’re freezing and probably think I am marginally insane for dragging you down here tonight. But... there’s measure to my madness.”

She looked somewhat stunned and actually looked at me for a second like I was completely insane, which was unnerving to say the least.

“Will you marry me?” I never imagined it would come out just like that... a four word question. I always imagined when I proposed to Chloe that I would find some elaborate way to put it. But I didn’t/ Everything I wanted just came out in that one moment and she said nothing. Panic stations.

It seemed like forever, but it was actually probably much less than a minute before she crouched down next to me in the mud and kissed me.

“Yes. Yes, yes, yes,” she reiterated several times.

She cried and I cried and we laughed through the happiest tears that have ever stung my cheeks.

This morning on my way to the office I phoned my sister and my best friend to break the news. Both of them were completely ecstatic for me.

I asked my sister not to tell my son. I’m going to tell him tonight...


I can’t believe I’m actually typing this, but I’M GETTING MARRIED!!!!!!!

Life has just begun.... : )