Off we went to the beach. The palm trees waved a welcoming wave, and we disappeared into a Corona commercial. After basking in Caribbean waters, and equatorial sun, we headed back to the room and eventually prepared for dinner. I’d been running trials all day on how to ‘pop the question’ and now my time was running out. Dinner would be it! I put the ring box in my camera bag, waited through 6 of her outfit changes (See Memoirs: Why God? Why?), and headed out.
As we arrived at the restaurant, I can’t front, my nerves set in. The host tried to give is a table right on the main isle, and close to the door. I motioned to him toward a group of tables that were a little more insulated, and he accommodated. Dinner passed too quickly. I drank as much wine as was necessary to calm my nerves. The main course passed, and my time was near. Gathering my wits, I asked her if she would like dessert. She agreed, and I headed over to the dessert table.
Having snuck the ring box into my pocket, I placed it in the center of one plate, and surrounded it with an assortment of the beautifully crafted gourmet sweets. Then I filled another plate with fresh sliced fruit. I carried the fruit plate above the plate with the open ring box, to further impede her view. As I approached the table I stumbled a bit, and nudged an orange slice off the plate so it would land next to her on the floor. As I got down ON ONE KNEE (wink, wink) to pick it up, I placed the ring plate on the table in front of her. She watched my hand as I reached for the floor, then noticed the plate on the table, and turned red. I took her hand, poured a bit of my heart out, and asked her to be my wife.
She said YES, and spent the next five minutes in disbelief, shaking her head, and grinning from ear to ear.