The Perfect Days in Life

A Rose Gold Ring

"So?" Eeli asked as we walked down the sidewalk stopping every few feet to admire the beauty of Greece. "Did you like it?"
"What?" I ask. There are so many things this week that I liked. That I loved. I don't know what he's referring to.
"All of it," he responds and I nod.
"No words," I say, "there are no words that could possibly describe it. I loved it. I really did."
"Well it's not over yet," he says and we turn onto another street. I take in a breath. Fast. Lining both sides of the street are bright blue and green balloons. All of them have the letters L and E on them on the middle of a heart. I turn and kiss Eeli hard on the mouth.
"You did this for me," I breath out.
"Yep," he responds. "Do you see anyone else I would do this for you around here?"
"I guess not," I say. We walk along the right side of the street. I softly brush my fingers across the first balloon we come to. Eeli picks it up. It has a little bag of candies tied to the bottom, keeping it from floating away. I open the bag. The candies are from my home country, New Zealand. I kiss his cheek.
"How did you get these?" I ask.
"Don't ask," he replies. I shrug and he opens the door of the first store we come to. I walk in and the lady at the counter runs up to me, smiling.
"Deary," she says excitedly, "oh deary. We've been waiting for you." Behind her an older man and a young girl emerge from a door which must lead to the back of the store.
The girl jumps up and down and comes over to greet me.
"I love it," she says, "very good. Very good." The lady sees my confused face and translates.
"Your book," she says, "my daughter loves your book." I smile at her. It's always nice to meet fans of the book I wrote two years ago.
I turn to Eeli, "you knew she was here," I say. He nods.
"And there's more," he says. He looks at the lady and they have an unspoken conversation.
"Ok," she says. She goes into the back of the store and brings out a big gift box wrapped in blue wrapping paper with polar bears all over it. I smile as she hands it to me.
"Thank you," I say. She smiles back and I sign her daughter's copy of my book before we walk out of the store and into the next. This store is a restaurant. I look up at the name of it.
"Nectar and ambrosia," I read out loud. I smile at Eeli.
"Good ace to get lunch?" He asks. I nod vigorously. As we sit down a waiter cones up and introduces himself as John.
"I'll be your waiter today," he says and immediately walks off.
"Isn't he going to ask for our order?" I ask.
"He already knows what we want," he responds. I raise my eyebrow but stop asking anyway. Soon the waiter comes back with two plates and two glasses.
"Ambrosia," he says, setting down the plates which are filled with cubes of all sorts of colours. I see what I think are square chips, square fruit chunks including pineapple, watermelon, and strawberries cut to look like cubes, and some sort of meat mixed in with cheese chunks and chunks of bread. All cut into cubes.
"And necter," he adds, setting down a tall glass. Mine is a different colour that Eeli's. His is a strawberry pink shade while mine is silky white. I take a sip.
"Mmmm, tastes like cheesecake," I say.
"It's supposed to," he replies, "and mine is strawberry." I lean over and take a sip, nit worrying about whatever germs could be transferred through his spit. I share kisses with him all the time after all.
"Mmm, you know, after last week strawberries have defiantly risen on my list of delicious foods," I say.
"Mine too," he replies and he kisses me.
We finish up our food and Eeli pays. The waiter brings out another gift with him. I take it and thank him and we head to the next store.
This one is a dress shop. The lady at the counter makes me try on a pretty blue gradient dress. The material is heavy and it drapes over my body.
"Wow," I tell Eeli, "it fits like it was made for me."
"It was," the lady says. I guess I look surprised because she says, "I asked Eeli for your measurements. When I heard you were coming to Greece I had to make something to five to you. I love your book.
"Thank you," I smile and do a little twirl. She asks me to sign her copy of my book and I do. Then she goes back to the back if the store to put the book away and comes back with yet another gift. I rank her again and we're on our way.
"I'm beginning to think there's something bigger going on than just a date," I tell Eeli.
"Oh really?" He says, raising his eyebrows. We keep walking.
After another three stores and another three gifts we walk into the last store on the block. This one is covered in blue and green streamers. When we walk in the store owner immediately hands me another gift. I take it and Eeli leads me over to a table.
"Ok, you can open them now," he says, "except that one." he points to the smallest gift. I begin with the largest gift, slowly unwrapping the paper so I can save some for my scrapbook later. Each one is wrapped in a different paper and I want a scrap of them all.
Finally I get the paper open and little plastic puzzle prices fall out. They all have little numbers on them.
"A 3d puzzle?" I ask Eeli.
"Yep," he nods, "and you have to build it as you go along."
I look down at the pieces and see that he's organized it so that the first thirty are together. That way I can build it as I go along rather than unwrap all the prices and then build it. I start assembling the pieces.
"Ok, this one next," Eeli says, pointing to one wrapped in a glossy blue wrapping paper.
Slowly the structure begins to come together. It seems to be a simple blue box but strewn all over the box are symbols that look familiar.
Finally I am done. I look at my work and try to decider the symbols. As I do this, Eeli grabs the last present and begins unwrapping it, hiding it from my sight. Finally I remember where I've seen the symbols before. They are part of a code I shared with Eeli two years ago in 11th grade. I begin to read them.
"Will," I say. Eeli nods and his arm begins to shake, "you," Eeli is now bouncing in his seat, "marry," now I have tears on my eyes. Eeli nods at me to continue reading, "me?" I finish and look at him. He has now gotten out of his seat and kneeled on the ground. In his hand is a what must have been in the last gift; a small velvet box cradling a slender rose gold ring with a small diamond on top. I cry a little more. Now tears are streaming down my face.
"Yes," I manage to whimper out.
Eeli grabs me in his arms and presses his lips to mine.
"Good," he says and then neither of us can say anything more so we just keep kissing.
Hey guys. Sorry for the long wait I was writing this extra long chapter for you. Can you believe Lily and Eeli are engaged? I can't. Enjoy!