A Tale as Old as Time

It’s 5:45pm, “She will be here in 15 minutes, God, I hope she isn’t late,” George anxiously looks at his watch, pulling the curtain from the window, to see an empty driveway. “What if she is late? I hope she isn’t late,” George whispers to himself as he heads to the kitchen to check the cornish hens baking in the oven. “almost done.” He says as he shuts the oven door. He glances at himself in the mirror hanging on the wall, as he heads back to the dining room, to anxiously check the table setting one more time. Adjusting the color of his baby blue button down shirt, combing his fingers through his jet black hair, turning his face to the left, and then to the right to make sure, that every hair in his freshly groomed beard is properly placed. Satisfied with his correction, he heads to the window once again, no car. “I should have picked her up, that would have been the gentlemenly thing to do.” George is a very tall, dark and handsome man, who in all honesty should have nothing to worry about today. So why, today of all days was he so nervous, and anxiously waiting for the love of his life, May to arrive? George suddenly finds himself, with his right hand in his pocket, switching the ring, back and forth through his fingers. “What if she says no?” “Shake it off George, she loves you, you know that already.” George pulls the ring out of his pocket and sets it on the table next to his place setting. “No, that isn’t right,” as he quickly picks up the ring and shoves it back into his pocket. When the time is right, the ring will be in its rightful home, on her beautiful, soft, empty finger, once she says that she will marry him. George glances at his watch once more, as he hears the soft, thud of a car door closing. His heart starts to race, 5:55, “she is early!” he looks the table over once more, to check that everything is perfectly placed. George wants so bad for this evening to be perfect. “May deserves perfect.” He thinks to himself as he walks to the door to her. 

George opens the door, before May was halfway to the door. He loved to watch her walk. Red hair flowing ever so gracefully, in the crisp February breeze. The sun glistening through the ginger strands that surround her beautifully rounded face. The green in her eyes almost blinding him for a split second as she looks at him and smiles, that beautiful, bright smile, that made him fall so hard in love with her. “Hey there good looking!” She says as she steps up to him reaching out for a warm, hug. George steps down to welcome in her embrace, breathing in the smell of her subtle perfume, making his heart beat faster, and the butterflies in his stomach flutter. Turning towards the door, he grabs her hand and leads her into the doorway. “I hope you’re hungry,’ he says as he turns to shut the door behind them. “Starving!” she says, with a bit of growl, as she starts to shed off her winter coat. “Good.” George says as he helps her to take off the coat, and hangs it on the wall. “I’ll grab the wine,” George says as he lightly touches her back, holding out his left hand as if to guide her to her flawlessly place table setting. May walks over to her seat, running her fingers over the back of the chair as she walks by, then to the table cloth, she quietly smiles, looking over the beautifully arranged flowers sitting in the middle of the table, surrounded by a place setting that she has only ever imagined.  

“How was your day today?” George asks curiously as he brings over her glass of wine. “It was a long shift, but it was interesting, as usual.” May says as she lifts her glass as to cheers George before taking an almost too big of a drink. “Lots of flowers and happy crying girls.” May chuckles as she takes another sip. “Interesting huh?” George says as he thinks about the ring in his pocket. “You have no idea.” he secretly chuckles to himself. “well, you are here now with me, and your work day is over, its time to relax and eat some good food.” He says as he walks back into the kitchen. May jumps up to follow him to the kitchen, quickly deciding to bring along her glass of wine. “Ill help you bring out the food,” she says. As they walk in to the kitchen, she can smell the aroma of what can only be the best meal she has ever eaten. “Alright then, you can take the rice,” George says, as he points to the casserole dish in front of her. She sits down her glass and reaches for the pot holders sitting to the left of George. As he moves slightly in her direction, their hands brush each other, sending chills down both their spines. May, pulling her hand back quickly, “ I will be right back.” She says, smiling as she looks down at the floor.  

“That, was absolutely divine!” May says as she is wiping her mouth with her napkin. “Now, I have a gift for you.” She says as she rises and heads towards the hallway, where her coat is hanging. She reaches into the inside pocket and pulls out a small, maroon box with golden trim. May comes back to the table and sits in the chair to the left of George, giving him a perfect spot to bend his knee and ask for her hand in marriage, after he opens her gift of course. May smiling from ear to ear, shoves the box in front of George.” C’mon, Georgie, I have been waiting all day for you to open this!” She says clamping her hands together in her lap as if to keep them from ripping the box from his hands and opening it herself. “Okay, okay!” He says as he clenches the box with both hands and reluctantly opens it. Slowly, George opens the box and sees the shiny gold and silver pocket watch, that had the letters, G.W.S. engraved in the back of it. “I remembered you said yours quit working, I thought you might could use another.” May says, clapping her hands together .. “Oh yes! Yes, I can, oh I love it May, thank you so much, its much nicer than my last one.” George says as he flips the pocketwatch open and closed and puts it away in his inside pocket. “Now, I have something for you.” George says as he takes May by the hands. “Oh! George you didn’t have to get me anything, I would have gotten you the watch whether it was Valentine’s day or not.” May says gripping George’s hands tighter. “No, I know it has nothing to do with Valentine’s day really, but more to do with our lives together.” George says as he looks down at their hands intertwined with one another. “I love you more than life itself, May, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side, I want you to make my house a home, I want to come home to you every day, eat dinner with you, right here, I want you to be the first thing I see every morning, and the last thing I see every night, I want to go to bed dreaming of you.” George’s gaze never left May’s as he knelt to one knee and pulled out the ring, that was meant to live on her finger. May gasped, and tears of joy fell straight down her face and die on her chin. “Oh my gosh George!” May exclaimed. “So, will you make me the happiest man in the world, and be my wife May?” George says as he grabs May’s left hand, and singles out her ring finger. “Oh my gosh, yes, yes, YES!” She says as she jumps up to hug him. “How could I say no, I love you so much!” May says with her head buried in George’s shoulder. “I love you too.” George says, hugging her tightly, as a small tear drop rolls over the smile on his face.  

“This picture was taken on their wedding day,” Ryan says as he passes the picture over to Sarah. “Your grandparents are a beautiful couple, wow, 65 years together.” She says taking the picture from his hands. “Their smile could light up the sky, a thousand times over.” Sarah exclaims, as she runs her fingers over the picture of George and May. “Her dress is absolutely stunning.” She says, never losing her gaze. “Yes, and so will yours if you say, you will marry me.” Ryan says as he falls to one knee in front of Sarah. “Oh my!” Sarah says as she sets the picture on the table. “I knew you had something up your sleeve.” She says as she wipes the tears from her cheeks, putting her hands on his shoulders, in front of her. “You did?” he asks as he reaches into his pocket, to grab the box holding the ring that will fit so perfectly on her finger. “Yes.” “Yes? But, I haven’t even asked you anything yet.” Ryan chuckles. “No, I meant, yes I knew you were up to something, because I know you so well.” Sarah says embarrassed. “Oh, ok because, I thought you were saying, Yes, before I had the chance to ask you to make me the happiest man in the world, and be my wife.” Ryan says as he slowly slips the white gold band on Sarah’s finger. “Oh.” Sarah squeaks as she gazes at the ring on her finger, shimmering and fitting so perfectly, as if it has found it’s home. “Yes, yes!” She says hugging Ryan as if to never let him go. They stand up together, and continue their embrace. “I love you.” Ryan whispers in her ear. “I love us.” Sarah whispers back.