Just Like a Movie.

Surprise!!!!

Tom and Alice. Two peas in a pod.  Two halves of the same whole. And now? Two engineers, quite unbeknownst to each other, of almost the same surprise.

As Alice walked away to the ladies, Tom pulled out his phone. He dialled a number and almost hopped from foot to foot. "Pick up pick up," he muttered, eyes glued to where Alice would come back from.

"Hiya you!" The voice on the other end was cheery and welcome. "You ready for your big night?"

"Dear God Emma, you took your bloody time answering. I'm having kittens here. She has NO idea. Is everything ready? Does the restaurant know we're coming? Is everyone in place?"

"Do you ever stop asking bloody stupid questions?" His little sister laughed at him. He may be a star, but he was just like any other man about to propose. A wreck of a human.

"Sorry. It's just...." he trailed off as the bathroom door opened. "Shit. Gotta go.  See you soon." He stuffed his phone in his pocket.

"Ready darling? Let's go...." he guided her out into the storm.  Now, his smile was just that little bit more fragile, his guiding hand just a little firmer. Protect her... protect your kitten... his mind repeated.  It was all he could do not to just grab her and run.

Alice handled the crowd like a pro this time. Secure in the knowledge she was about to blow Tom's socks off with her surprise, she felt she could take on the world.  Even if Sarah was late, her very appearance would make this an amazing night for her amazing boyfriend.

In the car, they were both silent. Each rehearsing what they would say.

Alice KNEW Sarah would be there, Tom knew Emma would be there. 

He also knew Sarah would be on a Zoom call so they could celebrate afterwards. Emma had arranged it. 

Alice, on the other hand, knew Emma would be on a Zoom call so she could see her sister.

They both KNEW everything was under control.

The car pulled up at the restaurant, the scene of their first - and most memorable - meal together. It was special to both of them in so many ways.  Tonight, they'd arranged to have the second floor dining space to themselves. 

The staff had rearranged the tables into one big table, flowers and candles along the centre. It all looked, as Emma ran her hyper critical eye over it, perfect. Tom and Alice would sit at one end, the "birthday boy" at the head of the table, his love on his right hand side.  The proposal would be both surprising and picture perfectly romantic.

All their friends would be there to share this moment. Tom had wanted this to be a sign of how much he loved her. Normally reclusive about his private life, he wanted EVERYONE to see how unspeakably lucky he was.

But now, as they walked into the restaurant, Tom suddenly stopped. What the HELL was he doing? Suddenly, he was second-guessing himself. This wasn't right. Not here. Not now. Shit.  He looked at Alice and pulled her to the side as Luke spoke to the hostess.

"Al? There's something I was supposed to do, but I can't. I had planned..."he trailed off, looking at her like a condemned man. "I need to.. I.. I need to... shit kitten, do you trust me?" He whispered urgently. His face was white, and his hands shook.  Alice was suddenly terrified.

"Of course I do. Tom, you're scaring me." She could hardly contain her nerves. This was about to go.horribly wrong.

"Come on." He grabbed her hand and left Luke standing in the foyer. They dashed out of the door and away.

"Fuck!" Luke slapped his hand to his forehead. "EMMA! GET DOWN HERE!"

Tom almost carried her as he dashed away, down a side street, towards the bayfront.  In her new and dangerously high sandals, Alice trotted along.