Chapter 12 #2
Not a lot, actually. His brain, already at capacity with trying to put together a proposal in three days, couldn’t quite hold onto the contents of the e-mail. “I’m going to have to get back to him on that,” he said.
A Nightly Global News van pulled into a spot beside his car and Pete, a veteran NGN camera operator, hopped out.
“Quinn! You look like a man ready to propose.” He spoke with an endearingly thick, Chicago accent.
He patted Will on the shoulder and then glanced around and said in a quieter voice. “Crap, is she here? Did I blow it?”
“Not yet,” Will said, bottling thoughts of Brian’s e-mail up like a wine that needed to age in a cellar for a few years before being opened. “We’ve got a few minutes.”
“Phew. I imagine blowing your proposal would have put a little strain on our working relationship.” He tugged on the sliding door on the side of the van, revealing piles of neatly stacked boxes, cords, and equipment.
“I’m glad you decided to wear a grown-up shirt on this momentous day and not one of those kiddie T-shirts. ”
Will tugged at the collar that pinched at his neck. “Don’t kid yourself, Pete. I wore it for you.”
Pete let out a bark of a laugh as he began to unload a large black case. “Okay, so before she comes—is the plan still the same?”
Will nodded. “Naomi still thinks she’s coming to see me on the job. You’re still supposed to act like you’re getting set up, but really, you’re recording.”
“You gonna want a live mic?” Pete asked, leaning into the van.
“Yes,” Freya replied for him. “We need to hear her answer loud and clear.”
He pulled a large, hand-held microphone bearing the NGN logo out and, after fiddling with it for a moment, handed it to Freya.
“I gotta say, Freya,” he said, procuring a set of headphones and giving them to Will.
“No offense, but this is a lot better than any of the other gigs you’ve put me on.
” He settled a camera onto his shoulder with the familiarity of an equestrian loading a saddle onto their horse.
“Offense, Pete. Offense,” Freya said, smirking, then glanced up at a car heading towards them. “Oh, here she comes.”
Will’s heart started beating so fast, it felt like his entire body had begun to vibrate. The rest of his life was starting right now.
Naomi rolled into a nearby space and then made her way towards them. She was dressed in jeans and her favorite DePaul University hoodie, and he was confident she had never looked more beautiful.
“Hi,” he said. He wanted to pull her in for a kiss, but he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to kiss her like he wasn’t about to ask her to marry him. So instead, he gave a small, awkward wave.
“Naomi!” Freya, thankfully, stepped in to help. “Will said you were stopping by to watch us record a segment. It’ll be nice to have a little extra estrogen to balance things out for once.” She jutted her chin towards Pete and Will.
“Don’t mind me,” Pete said, his eye pressed to the camera viewer. “I’m just getting set up.”
Smooth, Pete.
“Thanks for letting me crash,” Naomi said. “I have to admit I’ve always been curious to see what you all do, so I was pretty excited when Will said you’d invited me.”
“It’s nothing too exciting today, unfortunately.
A quick interview, but it should still be fun.
We’ll be doing it right over there.” She gestured to her left to a grassy expanse that led to the seemingly boundless Lake Michigan, its midnight blue water swelling with frothy waves.
The grass gave way to massive stones, cut into rectangles that formed uneven stairs down to the water.
It was one of his favorite spots in the city because it offered an unobstructed and remarkable view of the Chicago skyline.
And it was also steps from where he and Naomi had shared their first kiss, which was why he had picked it for today.
Will tapped his pocket again as he watched Freya lead Naomi across the grass until she was standing near the rock stairs.
“Here we go, buddy,” Pete said under his breath as they started after the two women.
It didn't shock Will that Freya hadn’t needed any direction or assistance. She was fully in her role, acting as if she were setting herself up for an interview.
“How’s that sounding?” she said into the microphone. It was only after Pete gave him a nudge that he realized she was talking to him. He put one of the headphones to his ear and gave her a thumbs-up. “It’s pretty windy out here. Good? Okay. There we go.”
Freya made a show of looking around before putting her microphone in her pocket.
She took hold of Naomi’s arms and nudged her until she was directly across from Freya.
“Bet Will forgot to mention that we were going to put you to work when he invited you to come along today. Normally, Will has to be my interview body double, but today you get to do it!” She and Naomi laughed.
“Now, if you could move a little to your left. See! You’re a natural at this!
Right, okay—so how’s this looking?” She turned and nodded at Will.
“That’s my cue,” he said.
“Good luck,” Pete replied.
He set the headphones down and did his best to walk quickly, but inconspicuously, around and behind Naomi. Freya was holding Naomi’s attention, still enlisting her to work out the “kinks.”
“Much better. Good, so let’s see. Now then, I’m interviewing you and I say something like—So how are you today, Naomi?
” Freya had taken the microphone from her pocket and was holding it towards Naomi.
Freya’s eyes remained on Naomi, but the smile on her face suggested that she could see that Will was in position and had pulled the ring box out.
“I … I’m great, thank you,” Naomi said, leaning in towards the microphone. “A little cold.”
Freya nodded. “I see. And tell me, Naomi, have you decided whether or not to accept Will’s proposal of marriage?”
“His what?”
He tapped her on the shoulder and as she turned, his colleagues, the skyline, the lake, and the entire city went silent. The only sound was Naomi, gasping, as he lowered onto his knee.
He’d written something down but now, looking up at her, the words were lost to the sparkle of her tears, which made his own eyes well up and his carefully crafted proposal fade away.
“Naomi Hoffman,” he began, hoping he’d find the right words.
“From the moment we met, you have changed my life for the better. You make me happy in ways that I never even thought were possible, and I want the opportunity to spend the rest of my life making sure I make you just as happy. If you’ll let me.
” He had to force himself to take a breath as he opened the box.
“Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Tears of joy streaked her face as she said, “Yes, of course!”
He bounded up, pulling her into his arms and kissing her with unbridled excitement.
Somewhere in the distance, he could hear Pete and Freya cheering.
He broke the kiss so that he could put the ring on her finger, but that short time away from her lips felt too long and as soon as he could, he pulled her in close for another kiss.
“I think you can put the camera down now, Pete.” He heard Freya say.
Naomi pulled back and whispered, “They’re not really recording this, are they?”
“Well, actually,” he replied. “I’ve got something else to ask you …”