It was the sixth of April, exactly one year and six months since the official (though not yet Facebook official) beginning of their relationship, and they had a date to catch. Anthony had suggested that they hit a few locations and take some nice pictures together, since they didn’t have very many yet. Anthony picked Lindsay up, slipping her a Dove chocolate foil wrapper that had the message, “You are my sunshine,” written on the inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They began the day by going to their friends’ baby shower, and afterward Anthony suggested they grab brunch at Panera. Despite being closer to the National and Elm location, he took a right and headed for the Campbell location. “For old time’s sake,” he said with a wink and a nod.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While it predated the officially official beginning of their relationship, Anthony first told Lindsay he liked her while seeing Galaxy Quest <\/em>at the Alamo Drafthouse theater, and right before the movie they had gone to the Panera next door. This was their first time back since that day, and they took their time while talking about where they should go next for pictures, soaking in the nostalgia. Before we left, Anthony handed Lindsay another Dove wrapper: “Sweet on you.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n With his brother’s camera and a tripod, they traipsed around parks and trails for the next few hours, snapping mostly passable photos of the two of them until they became too sweaty for the camera to ignore. One was good enough to end up as Lindsay’s Facebook profile picture. A few might find use later. Many will probably stay on the hard drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, as the day wore on, Lindsay felt increasingly ill, and a pain flareup sealed the deal: today was not going to be “the day.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n No, “the day” turned out to be eight days later on Sunday, April 14th. They attended church and afterwards headed to Anthony’s apartment for what was believed (by Lindsay) to be an uneventful day. A rest day. Nothing on the agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There was something on the agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A new Dove message was presented to her: “You make me smile.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n After a while, plans were made for dinner. 5 o’clock. They’d decide what they wanted when the time came. No need to waste energy on making decisions. It was a day to relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They watched a pair of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine<\/em> episodes (“Crossover” and “The Collaborator,” if you’re curious). They finished around 5, so it was time to head to dinner, but Anthony said he had something to show her first. Something he’d made for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He got up, handed her another Dove wrapper (You + Me = \u2665) and went over to the TV. He plugged his phone into the TV’s speakers while Lindsay watched expectantly. He then performed for her a song, the only one he’s ever written, which had references to themes about waiting while promising to be together forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lindsay, tears in her eyes, waited expectantly as the song finished. Anthony came over, sat down next to her, and said, “I have just one question.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lindsay breathed. Anthony stared back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Are you ready to go to dinner?” he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A few seconds of short-circuiting in her brain occurred before she said, “Erm… yes?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anthony put his hand on her leg. “Let me put it this way: you really <\/em>want to go to dinner with me right now.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Placated, she followed him to his car, and they headed downtown. They parked and walked down to Bruno’s only to find that it was closed on Sundays\u2014Anthony hadn’t looked since the original plan was for a Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thankfully Nonna’s down the street was open, so their Italian fix could still be had. Anthony had deep-fried lasagna, while Lindsay had chicken fettuccine alfredo. They shared Nonna’s Infamous Cheesecake for dessert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thoroughly stuffed, Anthony leaned back and sighed. He smiled at Lindsay. “We have one more stop.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n They got back in his car and started driving. Anthony mentioned that they were going somewhere special to them. They passed by the movie theater downtown, where they’d had a few memorable dates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Not here,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They approached the AG offices where they work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Not here either,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They drove past, then got on Grant and headed North. They passed Kearney, then took a right on Talmage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Here,” he said finally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They turned into the parking lot for Doling Park, the park they’d frequented in the early months of their relationship. The sun had set on the way there, so it was dim but still light enough to get around. They got out and walked the circumference of the park, first passing by the Doling Family Center and then around the lake. They passed a couple taking pictures, but almost no one else was around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They headed into an alcove that has the opening to a cave. They saw some bats flying around, which they hadn’t seen before, having only been during the winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anthony pulled out his wallet. As Lindsay watched, he unfolded it, pulled out one more Dove wrapper, and handed it to her. In the dim light, she read what was on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Say yes.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anthony knelt down in front of her and produced a box. Inside was a very special ring, one that Lindsay had mentioned more than once, occasionally as a wistful what-if but also sometimes as a specific, “This is what I want. Get exactly this,” type of thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Thank you for being patient with me,” he told her. “Lindsay, will you marry me?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n She will.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"