An engagement fairytale

Unlike the elaborate engagement surprises that everyone has going on these days, our decision to get married was a bit boring.  It happened over a period of months and by the end of our first summer together, we were quietly shopping for rings.  We chose a small, narrow, inexpensive band of white gold and a matching engagement ring with a very small stone.  My engagement ring was $189 and the matching wedding bands for Mark and me was an additional $200.  I told Mark that he would have to purchase the ring when I wasn’t around because it just didn’t seem right to have me be there for the “surprise.” 

I knew he was going to ask me on my birthday in October of 1977.  Before he could ask me, of course, he had to ask my father.  So, Mark and I had it all planned out.  He would come to pick me up for dinner for my birthday, but I would stay in the bedroom getting ready and waiting for him to have a few minutes with my parents.  My bedroom was down the hallway and I was, of course, already dressed and ready to go, but had to wait to come out.  I had the door open just a tiny crack so I could see and hear all that was going on.  Mark was really nervous!  I heard him say something like “I am taking Sue out for dinner tonight and was planning to ask her to marry me, if it’s ok with you.”  And then, I heard my father say, “I don’t think that’s a good idea!”  I couldn’t decide if I should run out there and save Mark or just stay in my room with the door shut forever.  Then my mother said “why don’t you go to college or get a better job and try that out for awhile and come back in two or three years and ask us again!”  HOLY COW!!  Now what are we going to do?  Poor Mark was stuck out in the living room with them and I could tell he wanted to run away for the second time in our relationship! 

As I am typing this, I am just laughing so hard at the memory of it all, but it certainly wasn’t funny at the time. 

I walked calmly out into the living room, as if I was all set to go and nothing was out of the ordinary, using my actress skills perfectly.  My mother says “so did you put him up to this?”  And I said “what?”  And I could feel my face getting beet red.  Mark grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the door.  When we got outside, Mark, said “thanks a lot, thanks a lot, that was just horrible.”   

We went out to dinner and I know the giant lump in my throat was what prevented me from enjoying the food.  Mark and I ate silently.  Every once in awhile he would say “thanks a lot.”  When we got out to the car, he pulled the ring out of the box and handed it to me and said, “will you marry me even though your parents hate me?”  Oh my goodness!!!  “Of course I will,” I said! 

Mark took me home with very little emotion.  He dropped me off at the door and both of us were scared out of our mind to find out what my parents were going to say.  I walked in the house and my father had gone to bed.  My mother, on the other hand, as always was waiting and watching and ever-knowing everything.  Her little 4’11” frame could drag a 6’ tall teenage boy 100 yards without even getting winded.  She was a powerful woman in that little body and we were all afraid!  (My son-in-law says he can’t imagine my sweet little mother ever scaring anyone, but I am telling you right now, she had that ability!!)  My mother said “so?”  And I said “Mark asked me to marry him.”  And I tried to sound surprised that he asked me and it was a wonderful thing and we were both so happy even though I was sure she could hear my heart pounding in my chest from across the room.  She said “what was the point of him asking us if he was just going to do what he wanted?”  Then she said “come over here and let me see this thing.”  So I walked over to her and she grabbed my hand.  She pulled it under the lamp by the couch and looked at the diamond with her eye squinted.  She let go of my hand and said “are you sure there is a diamond in there?  I can’t even see it.”  And then she said “well, you’ve done it now.  I hope you’re happy.”  And she got up and went to bed.

I will just let my readers ponder this story for a moment because honestly, what more can I say??