Thirty-Year Proposal

  It was the eve before Christmas eve. The store was packed with last-minute shoppers. Elle was standing by the door greeting customers. She was letting them know about the express gift card line. Customers commented on her festive spirit. Elle was dressed like an elf and was wearing a huge light-up Christmas tree hat. The hat had been a gag gift from her best friend Gina. Elle's birthday was exactly a month before Christmas. Elle acted like it was the worst gift ever but she secretly loved the ridiculous light-up hat. The hat was so big that it made Elle almost six feet tall. Elle loved the days leading up to Christmas, the excitement, the crowds. While everyone else in the store complained about the long hours. Elle was in the full holiday spirit. Elle greeted the customers as they pushed their way into the store. When a long line formed Elle started ringing up customer after customer. When she finally had time to look up she looked into a familiar pair of blue eyes. Elle suddenly felt self-conscious about the hat that was blinking away.

 "Nice hat," said the familiar pair of eyes.

Elle replied' thank you" yanking the hat off her head.

Elle handed the gift card to the owner of the eyes, her first love Jay Wilson.

" It's nice to see you. Please wish your family a Merry Christmas for me," said Elle.

 Jay didn't reply he just walked away. Elle was confused the man had to be Jay. The thought crossed her mind that perhaps it was Jay and he didn't recognize her. The thought caused tears to spring to her eyes. Elle's holiday spirit began to drop. Elle asked the other cashier to take over for her.

    Elle ran into Gina in the bathroom while drying her eyes. "Hey, are you excited for tonight I can't wait to see what the psychic says about my love life I'm going to ask her if Chris is finally going to propose. What about you are you going to ask her about your move to Colorado"? said Gina. Elle had forgotten all about their appointment with the psychic. Elle was glad Gina was too excited to notice her tears." Yes, I am" lied, Elle. Elle spent the remainder of her break convincing herself that it wasn't Jay that had come through her line. Elle had heard he lived out of state. Elle dried her eyes determined to put Jay out of mind.

     Elle finished her shift and was looking forward to a night with Gina. It had been almost a month since Gina had given her the hat and the Groupon for the psychic.

     Elle rushed to get ready for a night out with her best friend. Gina had purchased her a Groupon for a local psychic two half-hour readings for the price of one. Gina knew Elle believed in psychics since a celebrity psychic did a reading at the book store a year before. The psychic told Elle that her departed grandmother was a little hummingbird that came to the orange tree just outside her door. Gina arrived at Elle's door a half-hour later. " Are you ready to go? The plan is dinner and drinks at the loft, followed by the psychic reading". The Loft was a former speakeasy turned upscale restaurant. The Loft served amazing steaks and prohibition themed cocktails. Elle was glad that Gina had her boyfriend Chris playing chauffeur for the night. After all the overtime they had both worked they deserved a night of cocktails and fun.

    At the restaurant, both Elle and Gina indulged with several drinks, steak, and chocolate mousse. Elle loved the Bootlegger Moonshine Apple Cider that came slightly warm and in a copper mug while Gina loved the Bathtub Gin With a Citrus Twist, and they both loved the Filet Mignon, it was the restaurant's specialty. After the restaurant, they stumbled to Angel Heart Metaphysical and Spiritual Advisor Center. The pair giggled about what they thought the Psychic would tell them.

    A few minutes later a slightly drunk Elle and Gina were waiting for their psychic, Tanya. Elle insisted Gina go first. The colorfully dressed psychic Tanya told her that Chris would propose very soon. Then it was Elle's turn Tanya told her that she didn't see her completing her move. When asked about Elle's romantic life Tanya said she saw Elle with a man who lived in Texas or Arizona. Tanya told Elle she already knew her soulmate. Elle thought that was impossible they only people she knew in either of those states were family.

     Two months had passed since Elle and Gina's psychic reading and Elle had just been informed that her transfer to Colorado had been canceled. The store in Cheyenne Wyoming had lost their lease so they were transferring their staff to the new Colorado store. Since Elle was already a manager in a store that had just signed a ten-year lease she could just stay in California. Elle was upset about her transfer she was looking forward to a new adventure.

     Elle was working a morning shift at the store because they were expecting a computer technician. The store was getting a new computer system. Elle was to be the training manager for the new computer system so it was important for her to go over all the steps with the technician. The technician was already an hour late and Elle was in a bad mood. Elle had a lot of work to get done and the tardiness of the technician made her mood worse. Elle was so focused on the work in front of her she didn't even look up when her name was called. She just mumbled, “yes. Are you here to install my computers”. “I can be if you need computers installed” replied the man's husky voice. Elle looked up at the odd response to find herself looking into Jay's stunning eyes. Jay handed Elle his business card it read Jay Wilson Computer Installation and Networking. “So are you my computer guy”? asked Elle.

 "I can take a look at your computer if you need me to but I came in to buy a book for my nephew," said Jay.

 “I'm sorry I was waiting for the computer technician to come set up these new computers. The technician is over an hour late” replied Elle.

 Jay snickered “us computer gods are rarely on time, every time you think you are done someone always says hey before you go. Before you know it we are hours late for our next appointment. I came by a few times hoping to catch up with you but you were always gone. I've got to get going but give me a call anytime ...you need your computers fixed or you want to catch up” said Jay as he walked towards the front door.

     Elle spent the rest of the morning daydreaming about Jay. Elle jumped when Gina walked behind her and said “there's a call on line one for you I paged you three times and you didn't respond. What's up with you today “?

Elle responded, “trouble just walked back into my life that's what's up”.

“Elaborate please,” said Gina.

 Elle handed Gina Jay's business card

 “uh oh is this that Jay first love Jay”?

“Yep” replied Elle.

Elle cyberstalked Jay adding him as a Facebook friend and was surprised when he sent her a private message asking her to meet for coffee. Elle said she was working late.

 Jay messaged back well you do get breaks and your work does have a cafe. I'll be passing there in about an hour. I'll wait for you in the cafe. Elle and Gina spent their lunch getting Elle coffee date ready. Elle put on a little makeup, fixed her hair, and unbuttoned the top button on her blouse. Gina declared Elle was just fixed up enough to make Jay notice.

     Jay arrived a little more than an hour later. Jay was just late enough to make Elle think he changed his mind. Elle greeted Jay and told him she would meet him in the cafe. Elle made Jay wait ten minutes for her just as payback for him being late. Elle broke the silence by asking Jay about his mom. Elle had fond memories of Jay's mother. Jay said his mom was good. She was retired and living in Texas. Jay had just moved back from Texas where he had been living for the last ten years. Elle choked and sputtered her coffee as he said Texas. Jay said he had moved back right before Christmas and was surprised when he saw her working at the bookstore. "Your the first person I have run into since I have been back," said, Jay. Elle and Jay spent the next two hours catching up over coffee, it was just like old times. Jay finally said he had to get home to his dog Peanut a hundred-pound rottweiler. They hugged goodbye and promised to keep in touch.

     Gina was waiting outside the cafe for Elle. “Well tell me everything”? said an excited Gina. Elle told Gina Jay just moved back from Texas. Gina replied: “oh my god Elle what if the psychic is right that would mean Jay's your soulmate”. “You never told me what happened with Jay. You just said that he was your first love “. Elle told Gina how she fell in love with Jay over a bag of M&M's that he shared with her.

    Jay and Elle dated for three years during high school. One day while Jay was driving Elle home Elle gathered the courage to tell Jay she was ready to lose her virginity. Instead of pulling over for a romantic encounter, Jay told her he didn't want a girlfriend. Elle told Jay she loved him. that she was ready to make love to him. Elle was so heartbroken she jumped out of Jay's truck and ran the mile home. A week later Jay and his mom moved no goodbye or anything. Elle had heard from a mutual friend that they moved to his grandparent's farm.

     Jay Facebook messaged Elle later that night thanking her for the coffee date and asking for her phone number. Elle decided to make Jay wait a couple of days before she replied. When Jay received her number a few days later he called Elle and asked if he could take her to dinner at one of their old favorite restaurants. Elle met Jake for dinner and it felt like old times. They talked about friends and Elle asked Jay about blowing up the auto shop. Jay couldn't help but laugh “I wasn't involved and it was a fire. My coworkers were mad at the boss for taking credit for our work restoring a classic car. They were saying we should burn the place down one night after a few beers. I left they stayed. The next morning I got a call that the shop burned down and that a police officer would be by to talk to me”.

“Oh” replied Elle “did you get in any trouble”? “No, but my coworkers went to jail for a while, and I did lose my job. That's when I went back to school and got into computers”.

 The night ended a few hours later. Elle worked up the courage to give Jay a goodnight hug. She then got into her car through the passenger's side door and slid over the emergency brake handle. There was a tap on her window it was Jay “What's up with the crawling in through the passenger side of the car”?

 “My door latch broke so the driver's side door doesn't open,” said Elle.

Jay replied, “ Here's my address bring your car over tomorrow night and I'll fix your door”.

 ” I can't afford to pay you and I don't want to impose,” said Elle.

 “Who said anything about pay or imposing just bring it by tomorrow night and bring some of those amazing brownies you used to make me. We will call it even,” said Jay.

    The next night Elle and her amazing brownies arrived at Jay's house. Elle was greeted by a big friendly rottweiler. Shortly after Elle let herself in Jay emerged from the back of the house barefoot and shirtless. “I see you met Peanut she's a big slobbery love. Eighty-five pounds of lap dog”. Let me get my shirt and I'll get started on fixing your car door” said Jay. Elle followed Jay outside where he started taking her car door apart.

 “This feels like old times you fixing a car and me watching,” said Elle.

 Jay looked uncomfortable at the mention of old times.

 “Hey, Elle I owe you an apology and an explanation. I was surprised you even agreed to have coffee with me. I thought you must hate me for how I hurt you,” said Jay quietly from the now open car door.

 Elle replied, “I think I did hate you for a while but that was a long time ago. I think I understand why you broke up with me”.

“You mean you figured out I was young and dumb,” said Jay.

 Elle couldn't help smiling at Jay's remark.

“Seriously I always regretted hurting you. You were always there for me. Thank you for not punching me when I came into the store the first time”.

 Elle felt her heart softening towards Jay and it scared her. Before she fell for him all over again she said: “We were friends before we dated. We promised we would always be friends no matter what. We even spit shook on it”.

“I should have known you would remember that,” said Jay. Jay finished fixing Elle's door. ” let's go in and see if those brownies are as good as I remember”, said Jay.

 Elle and Jay enjoyed the brownies while watching Dirty Harry on the TV.

” I can't believe you still watch this movie you must know every line by now, “said Elle.

“I do and it's a good movie. I see you still have a way with animals,” said Jay.

 Peanut his dog was happily laying in Elle's lap. Elle stayed until the movie ended. She thanked Jay with a hug and left. Elle spent the car ride home thinking about Jay. It was such a nice easy night, too nice and much too easy.

     The next day Jay texted Elle to see how her car door was working. That's what he told himself but he just wanted to be part of her life again.

 His text read "how's the door”? “And how's the girl”?

 Elle texted back “some things never change car first girl second. The car is great thank you for fixing my door”!

Jay texted back “and girl”?

 Elle fired a flirty text back“Girl is tired a handsome man named ...

Clint kept her up late wink emoji.”

    A week went by before Elle heard from Jay again. This time Jay texted “Peanut's been crying at my door all week. I think she misses you want to come over and watch another Clint Eastwood movie”?

 Elle decided to play hard to get and texted" working late for the next two days but free on Saturday. What about meeting up for a walk? I'm pet sitting for my friend Gina while she is out of town. She has a black lab named Buddy that I think Peanut would love”.

Jay and Elle made plans to meet at the park on Saturday.

    Saturday came and Elle packed them a picnic lunch. The dogs got along just like Elle had hoped. At the end of their walk, Elle said goodbye and kissed Jay on his cheek. Jay took a deep breath and walked to his truck. Elle felt foolish she knew she had fallen back in love with Jay, actually she never fell out of love with him.

     The next day Jay texted Elle an invite to spend Easter with him.

" I make a great BBQ chicken. I even bake, angel food cake with strawberries. I know it's your favorite".

 Elle was excited about the invitation. She was looking forward to spending Easter with Jay. Elle and Jay had exchanged texts throughout the weeks leading up to Easter. They even had few flirty phone conversations throughout the month. Jay mentioned a few times that he wanted to talk to her about something important but he always managed to hang up before he told her.

 Easter Sunday finally came and Elle arrived at Jay's for dinner right on time. Elle let herself in and found Jay out back barbecuing chicken and talking to Peanut. Her heart melted at the sight of Jay conversing with Peanut. She knew she had to tell Jay that she still loved him.

 “ Hi I let myself in hope that was OK,” said Elle. Jay turned towards the sound of her voice and his mouth dropped open at the sight of Elle. The sun was setting behind her bathing her in a golden glow. Elle was wearing a lavender dress that went perfectly with the setting sun. Jay knew right then that he couldn't live another moment without Elle. Elle went over to the barbecue and Jay.

 “I” was all Elle was able to get out before Jay captured her by the waist and kissed her. When the kiss finally stopped Elle tried to tell Jay she loved him but he stopped her and said: “Elle I don't want a girlfriend”.

 Elle felt her heart start to break. After taking a deep breath Jay continued “I want a wife”. Tears started to fill both their eyes. When Elle could finally talk she said “Jay I love you. Always have always will”.