Chapter 15 #3
Ethan took a deep breath and reached across the table for her hands. She let him take them. She enjoyed his touch, finding the simple gesture of holding his hand safe, comforting, and exciting at the same time. She smiled at him. “What’s going on?”
Shaking his head, he let out the breath he’d taken in and looked her deeply in the eyes.
“Diane,” he said. “I thought I knew exactly what to expect when I asked you to come and join me out here. From our letters to each other, I thought I knew you. I admired your loyalty and your sense of adventure, which was nicely tempered with a good base in logic. What I didn’t know was your excellent sense of humor, your overwhelming compassion, and your bravery.
All of these things came to light over the weeks we’ve spent together. ”
“Well, you aren’t anything like the man I met through your letters either,” Diane said, interrupting him.
“You’re even better. The dedication you’ve shown, the steadfastness and bravery, not to mention your insightful, imaginative side, which could think its way out of a literal hole in the ground.
Ethan, you’re so much more than I could ever have expected from mere written words. ”
Ethan’s cheeks went deeply red. He swallowed and looked lost for a moment.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I threw you off,” Diane said, shaking her head. “I didn’t think?—”
“No! It’s fine, really,” Ethan said, recovering his grin. “What you said makes this so much easier.”
“What?” Diane asked, a nervous tingle developing in her stomach.
“This,” Ethan said. He let go of one of her hands and slid out of his seat. He was still low down and Diane realized, after a moment of confusion, that he was on his knees.
“Ethan, what are you doing? Are you okay?” she asked. Were his ribs all right or his ankle? He shouldn’t be kneeling.
“I’m fine. Stop interrupting, or I’ll be down here for hours,” Ethan scolded her playfully.
Diane pressed her lips together to signal that she wasn’t going to interrupt again.
“Good,” Ethan said and seemed to center himself. “Diane Hart, I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone. Please, would you do me the honor of marrying me?”
Shock and delight collided inside Diane.
She blinked several times, trying to digest what she had just heard.
Her first thought was a panicked one of, Am I ready?
Followed by, Of course I am. But what about work?
There’s so much to do, and I hardly see him now.
Would it work with both of us being so dedicated to our professions?
“Yes,” Diane said, pushing all of her fears, worries, and concerns to the side. “Yes, but with one caveat.”
It was Ethan’s turn to look confused. “A caveat?”
“Yes,” Diane said. “Would you please sit down again? This may take me some time to explain.”
Ethan shifted back onto his seat. He looked at her with what she guessed was mounting worry.
“What I’ve realized living here is that nothing ever goes to plan,” Diane said with an ironic smile.
“So, my one caveat is that we make time for each other and any children we may have eventually. There has to be balance in our lives between our dedication to work and to each other. I know the two of us … Given even half a chance, we won’t see each other for weeks on end.
So, we need to remember to make time for both love and work, like Julie and Andrew somehow do. ”
“How do you propose we do that?” Ethan asked.
“We keep the weekends free for each other, and it’s not negotiable,” Diane said. “If we can agree to that, then yes, I will happily become your wife.”
This seemed to take Ethan a little by surprise. He swallowed, looked down at the tablecloth, at his hands, and then back up at her. “Yes, I think we can manage that,” he said.
“Wonderful,” Diane said.
Ethan pulled a small velvet box from his pocket. He opened it and took out the most beautiful ring that Diane had ever seen.
“Oh my!”
“Do you like it?” Ethan asked, sounding nervous.
“I think it’s beautiful,” Diane said.
Ethan nodded. “I picked it up in a little store back east years ago. Want to try it on?”
“Of course I do! You can’t show a lady a ring like that and then not let her try it on,” Diane said, playfully holding out her hand.
Ethan picked the ring up off the velvet cushion it lay on and slipped it on her finger. It was too big and slid right off the moment Diane let her fingers droop.
“Oh well, it fitting well would be too much of a coincidence,” Diane said, beaming. “Do you think we can get it resized?”
“Yes, there’s a jeweler in San Antonio,” Ethan said.
“Well then, come here, husband-to-be, and kiss me. It’s the only way to seal this deal,” Diane said, holding out her arms.
Ethan was there in a flash.
It was such a sweet, loving kiss that they shared.
In it were all the hopes and dreams of the future, along with their joy at finding each other.
Around them, the restaurant exploded in applause.
Diane thanked God over and over again that, despite the ups and down and the craziness of life in Unity, they had managed to come together, and she knew nothing would ever pull them apart.