“The Proposal That Changed Everything”
Weeks of silence from Peter had felt like an eternity. Every time my phone buzzed, I hoped it was him, but it was always a friend or my mom asking for updates. I replayed that moment at the restaurant over and over in my mind. The shock on his face. His panicked escape. I kept asking myself, *Did I misread everything?*
Then, one night, as I sat on the couch scrolling aimlessly through my phone, a message popped up:
“Hey, can we talk? Meet me at the park tomorrow at 7 PM.”
My heart raced. It was Peter.
The next evening, I arrived at the park early, my nerves on edge. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the trees. Peter was already there, sitting on a bench near the pond, fidgeting with something in his hands.
When he saw me, he stood up, looking sheepish. “Hey,” he said softly.
“Hey,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.
Peter took a deep breath. “I owe you an explanation. That night… I panicked. You caught me completely off guard, and I didn’t know how to react.”
“I thought you’d be happy,” I said, my voice trembling. “After five years, I thought we were ready for this.”
“We are,” he said quickly. “Or at least… I am now.”
I stared at him, confused.
Peter reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, slightly scuffed box. “The truth is, I’ve had this ring for months,” he admitted, opening the box to reveal a simple yet stunning diamond ring. “I’d been waiting for the right moment, but I kept second-guessing myself. When you proposed to me, I realized how much I’d messed up. You were ready, and I wasn’t brave enough to take the leap.”
Tears welled up in my eyes as he stepped closer.
“I ran because I felt like a failure. I ran because I wasn’t sure I deserved you. But these past few weeks made me realize something… I don’t want to live without you. I love you, and I’m sorry I made you wait so long.”
Then, to my surprise, Peter got down on one knee.
“Will you marry me, the proper way this time?” he asked, holding up the ring.
I laughed through my tears, pulling the heirloom ring from my pocket. “Only if you wear this one,” I said, slipping my grandfather’s ring onto his finger.
The park erupted into cheers and applause from strangers we didn’t even notice were watching.
It wasn’t the proposal I’d imagined, but it was the one I’d remember forever. And as we walked home, hand in hand, I knew we’d finally found our moment.
