holly jolly

december 21st, 4pm, i saw his fedex slip and asked if he was expecting anything. he had just completed the semester's exams and was giddy at having the burden lifted from his shoulders. bulging bags scattered the house, discarded in disorganized fashion wherever i had finished frantically packing them as i anxiously prepared for our departure to st. louis. in the morning, i wouldn't be able to back out. i wouldn't be able to avoid interacting with his parents, meeting their potential disapproval.
"were you expecting something?"
"maybe....."
"well, were you or not?"
"maybe....."
"what?"
"maybe a gift...."
"a gift? for who? what gift?"
"i don't know...."
he grinned slyly and continued evading my inquiries. he did a little gig and poked me tauntingly in the side, still grinning, so secretive, so sneaky. i grabbed at his arm and continued pleading with him, telling him how unfair it was for him to tease me so.
we delivered presents to friends and, in the turmoil of strained interaction with them for the first time in some time and seeing his big feet and hazel eyes and blonde hair and hearing that glorious giggle and watching him kick and squirm and barf pale orange sweet potatoes all over his chest, we forgot about fedex. as we left their house, he held me to his side, kissed the top of my head and told me he was proud of me, he loved me.
we were on our way to longwood, but detoured to fedex, now 7:00pm, so he could collect his package. as he got out of the car, i leaned over.
"wait. leave your keys." i grinned at him.
he shrugged. "okay." he threw them on the seat and shut the door.
i promptly locked the doors. in the backseat, she giggled, only partly from understanding.
fifteen torturously long minutes later, he emerged from the building, purple and orange logoed package in hand. as he approached the car, i cracked my window and grinned out into the darkness at him.
"you can't get in until you show me what's in your box."
"what?"
"you heard me. you can't get in until you show me what it is."
he shuffled his feet, made exasperated noises, sighed. "do you really want me to do this here?"
"what? yes. yes. show me what's in the box."
"come on. do you really want me to do this here?" his eyes implored mine suggestively.
"okay. fine." he shuffled his feet again and rolled his head impatiently about his shoulders. "i'll do it here. but at least let me in the car."
"i'll let you in, but you HAVE to show me what's in the box."
grumbling, "i will," he headed around the rear end of the car. i unlocked the doors. he opened the rear driver's side door and placed the package on the seat.
"no. you said you'd show me what was in the box."
"it's not in the box."
"what?"
"it's not in the box. i took it out and put it in my pocket."
he opened the driver's door and sat down in his seat. rummaging, he pulled a small white box out of his coat pocket and offered it to me.
i opened it and stared at the glittering jewel inside.
"will you marry me?"