Page 101 of Brick Wall
I need a minute.
“I’ll be back,” I say quickly and then I turn around and walk fast in the other direction.
I don’t know what is wrong with me suddenly.
My palms are sweaty and my heart is racing. There’s a flutter in my belly that won’t quit. I wander around the camp premises to clear my head. After a few minutes of walking around in no particular direction, I land in front of that old red shed.
Without overthinking it, I open the door, enter, and pull out a stool that wasn’t here the last time. I close my eyes and picture the first time I was stuck in here with Annie, almost two years ago.
A smile touches my face at the memories. I can almost smell her sweet lavender scent again. I even hear that familiar sound.
Bang.
Screech.
Click.
I open my eyes and the shed is suddenly brighter, and all I can see is Annie.
She takes one look at me and frowns. “Hey, is everything okay? You left in a hurry back there.”
“I know. I’m sorry, but I didn’t want to go in the canoe.”
“Okay,” she says, stretching out the word. “That’s fine. We didn’t have to go in the canoe. It was just an idea.”
“Well, I want to, but not right now. Right now, I want to do this.” I pull out a diamond ring that was burning a hole in my khaki shorts’ pocket, and I drop down to one knee.
She covers her mouth with her palm, but no words come out.
Finally, the wordwhat?leaves her mouth cracked with emotion as she takes a shaky breath. I draw in one too, but I’m used to working through the nerves.
“Will you make me the happiest guy alive and marry me?”
“Yes, of course!” she squeaks out.
I grasp her left hand and slip the engagement ring on her ring finger while Annie chokes out a half-laugh, half-sob.
I wrap her up in my arms and hold her tight, and she melts into the embrace. After a moment or maybe longer, our mouths collide together in a long, deep kiss.
My heartbeat increases as well as the intensity of the kiss. I, begrudgingly, break apart the kiss, leaning my forehead against hers to catch my breath.
My arms are still around her waist, and hers are around my neck.
“We can go on a canoe now. I had the ring in my pocket, and I was afraid I was going to fall out of the canoe and lose the ring forever. I was originally thinking of proposing in the canoe, but then I remembered the whole water thing and our bad luck.”
“True,” she easily agrees.
I take a tiny step back and look directly into her eyes. “Also, when I was thinking about where to propose, I knew it had to be here. Your happy place in Plymouth and also the placewhere we were first stuck together, the first place we kissed, and the place that helped me fall in love with you. I wanted another first here with you.”
Annie lays a hand over my heart as it skips a beat in response. “I love you so much.”
“I loveyouso much,” I repeat her words right back, as I place a small kiss on her forehead.
I trail another kiss lower, and before I can do more, we both hear a commotion outside. Annie focuses on me with a question in her eyes, but I shrug in response. I have no idea what is happening.
Annie withdraws from my grasp and opens the shed door with gentle ease. We step out of the shed to a round of applause.
The parking lot outside is filled with people.
