Bridge over troubled waters

50| Childhood Sweethearts

Bailey

When I was 11 years old Corey proposed to me one day over the summer break. He had stolen his moms ring off her dresser when she was in the shower and ran all the way to my house with it clenched between his little fingers. He didn't get down on one knee or do anything romantic. He asked me to marry him while I was sitting in my room listening to music and I said yes. He put the ring on me and I thought I was a married woman.

Of course his mom figured it out when I asked her to hold my ring at hockey practice the next day when she dropped us off. And she had to explain to us that this didn't mean we were married just because he handed me a ring. It was more than what we could understand at that point but we didn't care. I liked hanging out with him and he liked hanging out with me therefore we should get married. We thought it was as simple as that.

But it's more complicated than that. There's a lot of people who aren't married who have love, there's plenty of people who are married who are no longer in love. Love isn't the reason to marry someone. It's knowing that life is rough but it's better when you have that special someone to help you through it. It's trusting that person with your life and knowing that they will make it better. It's wanting to do some amazing things and wanting to do it with them because that's what makes it special.

Not a lot of people have something like that. I like to call that type of thing soul mates. You know, being meant to be, having the stars align, being two peas in a pod. Luckily for me I had someone who was way too good to me for nearly two decades and who will be good to me for all the rest of my years. And I know he isn't perfect, I don't expect him to be. And I don't want a perfect love either, such a thing doesn't exist.

I just want to be with him and now I am.

As for today we were going on a nice little walk around the garden in Millennium Park. There was some flowers and a cute little walkway and even a little gazebo. I've taken pictures here but haven't been able to come here with Corey. He was really insistent that today before lunch we came here and I wasn't one to complain. So we walk hand in hand around the flowers and I admire them. They certainly were beautiful.

"What a amazing day this is" I sigh as I look around. I'm so happy Corey ended up here so I did too eventually. This place was amazing.

"It's going to be" he claims and I look at him weird.

"What makes you say that" I wonder.

"Lets go to the gazebo and I'll explain it to you" he promises.

So he pulls me to the gazebo and we stop in the middle. I fix my hair so it's out of my face and I can get a good look at Corey. He looked nervous which is weird because he's a goalie, usually nothing shakes him. So whatever he wanted to say had to be important.

He turns turns to me without a word and I try to read him. But his eyes won't meet mine. "Is everything okay" I ask him.

He finally looks up at me with a smile and I relax seeing him look at me. "Yeah. I just don't know how to start this" he claims making me tilt my head to the side.

"Start what" I question.

He suddenly drops to his knee and reaches behind him. He pulls a small red box out of his pocket and sets it in his hand. He opens it up to reveal a beautiful ring and I let out a loud gasp. My hands cover my mouth to try and hide the smile but it was all over my face. I feel the tears threaten to fall as I look down at him.

"Bai-by" he starts, "I never knew what I wanted from this life. If it didn't have anything to do with hockey it didn't make much sense to me. I tried dating and I never connected with anyone. I tried branching out and cooking and dancing but it wasn't for me. I couldn't figure out my purpose beyond stopping pucks.

But when I was a kid and I proposed to you I knew what I was doing. I was making sure that the greatest person I knew would be with me always. Who would love me when it's easy and not so easy. Who would fight for me no matter how stupid I'm being. I always saw you as my end game and now I want to make it official.

So Bailey, my crazy best friend who I cannot live without, will you fulfill my dreams and agree to marry me" he asks.

"Yes. Hell yes" I sniffle as hell smiles at me.

He slips the ring on my finger and I look at it. I have to admit I was not expecting that at all. Never asked for my ring size or if I preferred one. He probably got my ring advice from my mom and knew that I didn't care what it looked like. Although he did a amazing job with it.

I suddenly grab his face and pull him into a long kiss. I hear clapping and I turn around and see his family and mine standing around. I smile as I turn back to Corey who was watching me close. "Did you do all of this for me" I ask.

"You didn't think I would propose without our families here did you? They would have killed me if I did" he laughs.

"I had no idea you were planning any of this" I admit.

"I've had this planned out since the day we first got together. I told myself that if you ever gave me the chance I was going to treat you in the best way I know how. I was going to make you mine and we were going to take over the world" he explains.

"How were you able to keep all these feelings a secret" I question. Because this is some heavy stuff he's talking about.

"Because I knew that when the time was right we would get here. Of course I would have loved for it to be a bit sooner but I can't complain. This is a beautiful day and it now it's the best day of my life so far" he insists.

"That makes two of us" I smile.