October
When he went to
pick her up for their dinner date, Charlie didn’t even get to knock on the door
of the Vicarage as the door burst open and Toddy came out through it like a
greyhound out of the traps at Brighton and kissed him.
“You’re eager”
he said returning her kiss
“Are you
complaining?” she asked
“Not for a
second”
She was in a
very bubbly mood, and he was enjoying her excited chatting, though it was not
easing his nerves in any way for what was to come, and it was like that all the
way to the Kissing Angel which was on the outskirts of Pipershaven and it was
where they went on their very first date.
Having eaten
there before, they knew what to expect, and it didn’t disappoint, it was still
as lovely, and the soothing ambiance and cozy intimacy was exactly the same.
“It’s still very
classy” she whispered once they were settled
“So are you” he
said, and she blushed as he squeezed her hand
The waiter
arrived enquiring about drink, and as they were both teetotal, he ordered a
very pleasant bottle of alcohol-free Chardonay.
Her excited
conversation continued throughout the three-course meal, so much so that he
wasn’t sure if he would ever find a moment of silence to fill.
But his chance
came between desert and coffee after the waitress had cleared away the plates.
“Since that
morning in March when you knocked on my door and the sunshine of your smiling
face spilled over the threshold, my life has never been the same” he said
“You breathed
life back into me, and you filled my days with your unrelenting joy and
laughter”
“That’s….” She
began but he took hold of her hand and pressed on
“And every day I
spend that doesn’t have you in it, is cold and empty, which is why…” he paused
briefly and put a small package in front of her “I got you this”
“I can’t open it”
Toddy said “It’s not my birthday until tomorrow”
“It’s not a
birthday present” he said
“So, I can open
it now?” she asked excitedly
“That’s the
idea”
“How exciting”
she giggled and ripped off the paper, and exposed another layer, then more
ripping and there was another layer.
“My goodness,
not another one” she exclaimed excitedly but after removing the next layer she
was finely faced with plain blue lidded box about the size of a cigarette
packet.
“You are very
annoying” she said with a chuckle and took the lid off the box to reveal the
prize which she just stared at
“Well open it”
he urged
“I can’t” she
retorted
“Why?”
“I’m frightened”
she replied quietly
“Because of
what it might be?” he asked nervously
“No, I’m scared
that it’s not” she admitted
“Then it’s safe
for you to open” Charlie said, and she smiled nervously.
Toddy’s hands
were shaking as she picked up the little box, so he moved to the chair beside
her and put his hand on her wrist to steady her, and finally she opened the
hinged lid and gasped when she saw the platinum and diamond solitaire ring
“It’s beautiful”
she exclaimed and just stared at it as if mesmerized then she looked at him
with wide eyes and asked quietly
“Is it?”
“It is” he
replied as he took the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger “So
Millicent Winnifred Todd, my darling Toddy, will you marry me?”
“Of course,
yes, yes, you wonderful man, of course yes” she babbled and threw her arms
around him and kissed him.
Susie Bradshaw,
the waitress, had witnessed the unfolding proposal put the coffee’s on an
adjacent table and stood quietly until the drama was concluded.
When it was
clear that the proposal had been accepted, she picked up the coffee’s and put
them on the table and said
“Congratulations”
“Thank you”
Toddy and Charlie exclaimed in unison and beamed at her
“We would like
something to celebrate” Charlie said “Something special but nonalcoholic”
“How about a
mocktail” Susie suggested
“What a
splendid idea” Charlie agreed
“I don’t know what
that is” Toddy said with a giggle
“I’ll just get
you the drinks menu” Susie said
“No need for
that” he said “surprise us”
“Say no more”
Susie responded
She returned a
few minutes later with two flamboyant looking offering with umbrellas and sparklers
“Mojito
mocktails, with a celebratory twist”
“Oh wow”
exclaimed Toddy
“They are
perfect, thank you” Charlie agreed
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