8 years in the life

Chapter 47- April 2014

Rory entered the restaurant and made a beeline to the table where Steph and Rosemary were already seated. Since she'd arrived in Manhattan two years ago, they used to meet every Wednesday for lunch. She noticed that the blonde was beaming widely, squirming on her chair, which made Rory raise an eyebrow to Rosemary to enquire for an explanation. The auctioneer shrugged showing that she wasn't aware of what was going on.

"Now that you're here, I would like to show you girls something," Steph said mysteriously, still grinning. Swiftly, she spread her left hand on the middle of the table letting a breathtaking pear shape engagement ring shine out on her ring finger.

"Wow! He did it!" Rosemary squealed.

"Finally!" Rory cried, "I'm so happy for you two."

They both hugged the blonde enthusiastically.

"I can't remember, how long have you guys been dating?"

"8 years, I know he loves me, but I have to admit that some days, I doubted he would ever pop the question. He's so scared to become a serial husband like his father."

"You've been living together for five years now, I don't think his father ever stayed married that long!" Rosemary said.

"You're right, the thing is, I hope he won't back up with all the wedding plans my mother is pulling. She has already called his father, and they agreed to something huge, like the society wedding of the year. Even I'm scared and on the verge of asking him to elope."

The girls chuckled but they knew Steph would never do that, she was dreaming to tie the knot with Colin for way too long, she already had the perfect dress in mind.

"Of course, girls, I hope that you'll be my bridesmaids and I'll ask Juliet too. My sister will be my maid of honor."

"I'll be glad to be your bridesmaid but more importantly, tell us, how did Colin propose? How did he muster the courage to finally do it?"

"Okay, promise that you won't make fun of him?"

The girls nodded, too eager to know the details.

"It was after a hot love session. We were regaining our breath and I heard 'Marry me'."

The girls giggled.

"So, you're that good in bed?"

"Let's say we're very compatible," Steph answered, the right corner of her mouth lifting up, "I have to admit that I thought I misheard him at first and just stared at him trying to rewind his words in my head. I wondered if it wasn't just post-coital daze, but then he got up to his socks drawer and pulled out a blue Tiffany box, and my heart was pounding so hard I thought it was going to explode out of my chest. Then he got down on one knee, still naked and said the sweetest things."

"What? What did he say?" The girls blurted out together hanging on the blonde's words.

Steph closed her eyes reliving the scene.

"With you, I've learned that love is an ever-evolving experience, it constantly shifts, changes and sometimes needs a reset. I know it took me forever and I would never be thankful enough because obviously, you understood what I needed before I knew it myself. You never pressured me, let me proceed at my own pace because you'd realized that what we have will last as long as there will be stars in the sky. Stephanie Adele Vanderbilt, thank you for waiting for me but now, will you please marry me?"

The three girls were weeping when the waitress arrived to take their order.

"It's damn romantic, but you might have to muster a rated G version of the proposal, though."