Popping the question

They were only four words, so why was Mike struggling to say them?

Mike settled on the sofa next to Suzy and sneaked a glance in her direction.

He noticed she was wrapped up in her favourite soap opera, watching the comings and goings of fictional lives on screen.

At Suzy' s feet lay their old shaggy dog Baxter, snoring as usual.

Mike' s heart began to hammer. He hated keeping secrets from Suzy, but there was something he' d been keeping close to his chest for a while. And now he was trying to build up the courage to tell Suzy what had been on his mind for some time.

He glanced again at his beautiful girlfriend and saw her long brown hair falling around her shoulders. Her deep brown eyes danced with laughter as a funny scene unfolded on TV.

Mike looked at the clock on the mantelpiece, there was another 20 minutes of the soap opera to go before its credits rolled. Should he wait until it ended before he gave her his news?

He wished he had the confidence to know how she would take his words. If he felt certain she was going to respond favourably, then he' d stand up right now, pick the remote control up and turn the soap opera off.

He' d turn to Suzy, look deep into her eyes and tell her that he loved her. Then he' d drop down in front of her on one knee and ask her to marry him.

Mike had spent weeks waiting for the perfect opportunity to ask Suzy to become his wife. He wasn' t certain, while she was watching her favourite soap opera, if it was now.

Mike patted his jeans pocket where a diamond ring nestled in a small scarlet box. He sighed heavily.

Are you all right?' Suzy asked him, without taking her gaze from the soap.

Just a little tired,' Mike replied. Suzy, I was wondering¼

Sssh,' she said, nodding towards the TV. You know I love this show. It' s just getting interesting.'

Can we talk afterwards?' Mike asked.

Sure,' Suzy said, but then her face clouded over. But we' ve got that thing on catch-up that we' ve been promising to watch all week. The programme with the old toy restorers in that you love.' Mike smiled.

Sounds good,' he said, but inside he felt deflated.

The truth was, while Mike was certain that he wanted nothing more than to marry Suzy, he wasn' t sure that she wanted it as much as he did.

He was terrified of being turned down.

They' d been together since they were teenagers and had lived together for more than 10 years. Some of their friends assumed they were already married. And their family members took them as a couple who would always be together, with or without a ring.

Mike and Suzy were as close as a couple could be. And yet, Mike wanted more. He wanted to be married to her, the love of his life.

Suzy had said many times over the years that she loved Mike and the life they shared, the two of them with Baxter.

But did she love him

Suzy had said many times over the years that she loved Mike and the life they shared

Two fellas home alone. Did you notice that she told you she loves you before she told me?Õ

enough, Mike wondered, to agree to become his wife?

Leaving Suzy on the sofa, Mike disappeared upstairs, took the ring box from his pocket and returned it to his hiding place at the back of his sock drawer.

The next morning, Mike was getting ready to take Baxter out on a walk before he headed upstairs to his office, set up in their spare room. Mike snapped Baxter' s lead to his collar.

Suzy? How about we head out tonight to the new Italian restaurant on the High Road? It' ll be my treat.'

Tonight?' Suzy said, surprised.

Yes, I' ve got something I want to talk to you about¼' Mike began.

But the moment was lost when Suzy' s phone rang and she swiped it into life.

Listening to her end of the conversation, Mike could make out that it was a work call from her boss. When she hung up she shook her head.

I' m sorry,' she said. The office are asking everyone to stay back tonight for a meeting. Can we head to the Italian another night?'

Course we can,' Mike said, trying to hide his disappointment.

Would he ever find a moment in Suzy' s busy schedule to have her undivided attention?

Suzy walked towards Mike and Baxter and kissed Mike on the cheek.

Love you, Baxter,' she said. You too, Mike.'

Mike watched as she disappeared along the hallway and out of the door.

Looks like it' s just you and me again, Baxter,' Mike laughed. Two fellas, home alone. Did you notice that she told you she loves you before she told me?'

Baxter looked up into

Mike' s eyes and whined.

That evening, Suzy came home from work exhausted after a tiring day. She told Mike the meeting had been a challenging one, called by her boss, but said she didn' t want to talk any more about it. After eating dinner, Suzy headed for a long soak in the bath before going to bed.

Before Mike clambered in beside her, he cast a look at his sock drawer and thought about the item nestled within.

Night, Suzy,' he said as he turned off the bedside light. But Suzy was already asleep.

The next morning, Mike tried again to catch Suzy' s attention, to ask her out on a date night, just the two of them. He had in mind somewhere romantic, dimly lit, involving candles and lots of red wine. But he didn' t get a chance to talk as Suzy was in a bad mood.

I slept badly,' she said. I' ve been worrying about work after that meeting we had.'

Anything I can help with?' Mike asked.

Suzy shook her head.

I' ll find out more today. There are changes being made, redundancies even being talked about.'

Mike gently pulled Suzy towards him and wrapped his arms around her.

You never mentioned any of this when you came home last night,' he said.

I was still trying to process it all.'

Mike kissed her and let her go as she headed to work.

His heart went out to her, he hated to see her upset.

And he also knew that now was not the time to be thinking of proposing when she had so many worries about work.

Mike decided to leave it until the weekend, when

Suzy was relaxed, before he plucked up the courage to try to propose, again. He' d not had much luck so far.

On Saturday afternoon, Mike and Suzy were walking Baxter by the river, it was one of their favourite walks.

The couple walked hand in hand as Baxter plodded behind them.

The path meandered under bridges, and ducks swam by on the river.

Ahead was a bench with a view looking out over the river. Mike patted the ring box in his pocket.

Do you mind if we sit for a while?' Mike said,

pointing to the bench.

Once seated, Mike put his hand into his jeans pocket. He could feel the velvet box and his fingers reached for it. Suzy?' he said gently.

She turned towards him. What is it?'

Suzy, I want to ask you something,' Mike took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. Will you¼'

Oh no!' Suzy cried.

Mike watched in horror as she leapt to her feet and ran along the riverside path.

They' d both been lost in the moment and had taken their eyes off Baxter, who' d chased a duck into the river.

Mike quickly shoved the ring box back into his pocket and ran after Suzy, who was calling for Baxter.

The dog ran towards them, wet through, with a lopsided grin on his face.

You silly dog,' Suzy chided. Look at you, you' re soaking wet and filthy!'

Baxter shook his thick, heavy coat from side to side, splattering water all over.

Suzy, come and sit down,' Mike pleaded.

Not likely,' Suzy said, shaking her head. We' ve got to get this daft dog home and get him bathed. He' ll end up stinking the house out if we don' t.'

Mike looked at Baxter who was peeping up at him through long, wet strands of fur.

He clipped the lead on to Baxter' s collar and the three of them walked on.

Once home, Suzy and Mike turned the hosepipe on Baxter in the garden.

It was something he loved and he jumped about like a puppy in the spray. Mike soaped Baxter in his dog shampoo before Suzy hosed him down again.

Baxter shook himself dry, then Mike encouraged him to lie on a blanket Suzy had laid out in the garden.

Once the dog was settled, Mike took the precaution of closing the garden door so that he wouldn' t be disturbed by the dog.

The next thing he did was to hide the remote control so that Suzy couldn' t turn on the TV.

He turned off his phone, found Suzy' s and switched that off too.

Then he went to the house phone, their cordless landline, and took it upstairs to hide in the back of his sock drawer.

Mike was almost ready to propose. Just one thing was missing. Suzy?' he called. In the living room,' she replied. But I can' t find the remote control. Any idea where it' s gone? And my phone' s disappeared.

That' s all I need after the week I' ve had. What with worries at work and the dog jumping in the river, I just want to sit down and relax.'

Mike walked into the living room just as Suzy sank down on to the sofa.

Suzy, I' ve been trying to tell you, or should I say, ask you something for ages,' Mike began.

You have?' she said, confused.

Mike fumbled in his pocket for the ring box, but when he couldn' t find it he thought it must have been pushed deeper down.

However, no matter how much his fingers scrambled around for it, he couldn' t find the box.

His heart dropped as realisation sank in that the box wasn' t there.

Are you looking for this?' Suzy said, smiling.

Mike gasped when he saw the small velvet box Suzy was holding in her hand.

He looked at her face, where a mischievous smile played around her lips.

Where did you find it?' he asked.

Here, on the sofa, when I was looking for my phone.'

Oh, it must have fallen out of my pocket,' Mike said, then he cast a shy glance at Suzy. You haven' t opened it, have you?'

No,' she replied. But is it what I think it is?'

Mike took the box from her. Then, he bent down on one knee in front of her and took a deep breath.

Suzy, will you do me the great honour of¼' Mike gave a little cough and began again. Suzy, will you marry me?'

Yes,' she said, smiling.

You will?' Mike said.

Mike and Suzy locked eyes. Yes,' Suzy repeated. A million times, yes.'

I bought this for you,' Mike said, offering her the box. I guessed so,' Suzy said, laughing.

With shaking hands, Mike lifted the lid and spun the box around in his hand so that the ring was facing her.

It' s beautiful,' she said. Mike lifted the diamond solitaire ring from its box and held it gently between his fingers.

May I?' he asked.

Mike slid the ring on to Suzy' s finger.

I wasn' t sure you' d say yes,' Mike said.

Oh, I always knew

I' d say yes,' Suzy replied. We don' t need to get married to prove to everyone how much we love each other, but that doesn' t mean I don' t want to.' We' ll weather any storm, you know,' Mike said. Whatever happens for you at work, I' m here for you. Always remember I love you.' I love you too,' Suzy said.

Just then they heard Baxter whining at the back door and they burst out laughing. Mike stood and took Suzy' s hand. Come on, let' s give him the good news.'

Mike lifted the lid and spun the box around in his hand so that the ring was facing her