Chapter Two

I don’t get surprised. I credit this to years of watching CSI and other mystery-solving TV series and movies that I was hooked into. Boyet knows that I am a surprise buster. So when I accidentally found out that he was about to propose, he did everything he could to still keep the element of surprise. I knew that he already bought a ring and I also knew that he was supposed to give it to me on our fifth anniversary. I came to know this because he was simply so obvious. He took the day off on the day of our anniversary and he was so busy the night before that he even refused to talk to me. I know it was coming because we have already started talking about getting married. As a matter of fact, he started talking about marriage even before we officially became a couple. I blogged before that nothing happened on our anniversary date. So it was the first time that I was surprised because there was no surprise. Haha! He later on told me that there was indeed a surprise but his “accomplices” did not make it. So I let it go. The “talks” continued and we even attended a bridal fair once. We started doing online research of possible venues and suppliers. We even decided for a wedding date. But my onshore assignment came so we had to reschedule. I already have a church in mind which usually needs to be reserved a year before the wedding day. So I started asking him when we are ever going to call the church for reservation. I was also anxious that we started doing these things without even telling our parents first. He said that he still wants to give me a memorable marriage proposal. I was like “Ok, good luck!” We had sort of a send-off trip for me along with our trip buddies. I stopped expecting for a proposal because it will just totally ruin everything. Call me pathetic and desperate but if you’re in mid or late twenties and/or in a five-year relationship or more but not expecting for a proposal, then you’re either a hypocrite or you simply don’t think that the person you’re with is the ONE. It may also be that marriage is not yet your priority or you simply don’t believe in marriage at all. I am a hopeless romantic so I feel my blood rushing in every vein of my body each time I read of dream-like proposals. Some did it in concerts in front of thousands of people; some just did over a candlelit dinner for two. Some wrote “Will you marry me” in a big banner flown by a plane, some just wrote it in the girl’s favorite book. Some hid the ring in a piece of cake; some just simply opened the case while popping the question. I used to think that these things will make me jump off my feet and make me the happiest girl in the world. Did I get any of these? No! Did I end up being the happiest girl on earth? Definitely! :) So how did he do it? When someone asks me how he did it, I just answer with a smile. First, because I still want to savor the giddy feeling before I share it to the world. And second, it wasn’t extravagant. It was just simple – and yeah, funny! We had dinner the night before. After eating, I asked him to remove the cart away from the bed because I was scared that I might bump into it when I wake up the next morning. He obliged and moved the cart. But I woke up the following morning and the cart was in the same place as it was the night before. The slight obsessive compulsive inside of me suddenly awakened. I lifted the plate covers and saw the dirty dishes from our dinner. I told him to move everything away because our room looks messy. (It was probably a preview of how we will be in our future house! Haha!) He said that he moved it back because he thought that the hotel is serving in-room breakfast. We went back to our room after eating breakfast and my eyes were still in the cart. I started fretting because I was distracted with all the mess. He said that we’re having desserts so I lifted the plate cover again and I saw a paper coaster on top of another one. It looked like a cupcake so I opened it. And there it was – a box. So what did I do? I ran to my bed and curled up under the sheets! Haha! He even had to force the comforter out of me to uncover my face. He opened the box and asked, “Will you be Mrs. Efren Andrade Jr.? Baby, will you marry me?” I just nodded! I have imagined myself in that situation and I thought that I was prepared for it. But I couldn’t even say YES. I felt as if my lips were stapled in my ears because I couldn’t stop smiling. My eyes were so focused on his eyes that I didn’t notice the ring right away. I mean rings. It wasn’t the proposal that I was expecting. I envisioned myself wearing a dress on that day but I was wearing my pajamas instead. I thought that the best wishes of strangers from the crowd will complete the deal. But I realized that it didn’t really matter as long we shared that moment together. A simple proposal suits well for a relationship with a very complicated beginning. I honestly thought that I would care even with the smallest detail. But when you finally have happiness in your hands, it wouldn't really matter when, where and how you got it. What matters most is who gave it to you.