You Saw Me

65

"You can ask me anything, Henry", I replied, searching his face for signs of what was making him so anxious. His hands were clammy and there was a seriousness to his face. "Whatever it is, I won't be upset, I promise", I tried to assure him, so he could tell me what he needed me to know. My mind was racing, trying to get ahead of what he was going to ask. I knew he was closer in the process of finishing his album, there was a chance he would be going on a promotional tour soon, and maybe he wanted me to travel with him. It wouldn't be a leasure trip, but a work trip, so maybe he was nervous I didn't want to go. That that would be our first long period away from each other.
There was also the possibility that he was going to ask me, if we could hit the brakes. If I could stay in Scarsdale for a while, because everything was getting too intense. I wouldn't blame him, if that was the case. I was asking a lot of him, dealing with my mess with Adam. I wanted Henry to be happy, and if everything with Adam was dragging him down, I wanted him to be free. Just the thought made my stomach ache. Setting Henry free was the scariest thing I could imagine. But if that was what he needed, I loved him enough to do so.

"Ellie, will you...", he started at the exact same time, as I opened my mouth and said: "I'm sorry if I make things difficult for you".

"...marry me?" He finished his sentence, looking at me anxiously.

It took me a moment to process what he had said. I froze, looking up at him, wondering if I heard him correctly. "I'm sorry, what?" I blurted out, my mind racing. 

He swallowed hard to calm his nerves. "Will you marry me?" He repeated, his eyes wide and glazed. His breathing was faster, he was obviously very nervous. 

My mind was still racing, trying to grasp, if I truly heard him say what he said. My mouth was opening and closing, as I tried to get words out, but they got stuck. 

Henry's anxious look was escalating by the second. My prolonged response was killing him. 

"Yes! Of course, yes!" I almost erupted and threw my arms around his neck. "Are you kidding me?" I kissed him, his mouth, his cheeks, his nose, his eyelids. 

He chuckled and beamed at me, eyes welling with tears. "I'm in no way kidding you, Ellie", he laughed heartily. "I've wanted to ask you to marry me for a while, but I didn't know how."

I smiled at him and pulled him in for a tender kiss. He held me so tight, it was difficult to determine where he started and I ended. 

"Gayle has been helping me", he admitted when we ended the kiss. "She's been a good friend, encouraging me. I asked her a while ago, if she thought you would prefer a grand gesture", I whinced, making him pause to laugh, "she dismissed that idea immediately. I asked her, if I needed to talk to your parents to get their blessing, but she declined that as well. So I asked her for her blessing", he said, smiling at me. 

I really liked that. Of all the people he could ask, she was the most important one, the one I knew always had my back and wanted the best for me. I appreciated his effort to make me happy. 

"I wanted to ask you in London", he said in a small voice. "But then they called about Adam, and I decided it was the wrong time to ask. You needed to see that through first." That explained the awkwardness on the plane and at the hospital. He had been so close to asking me, when we were in Hampstead, but somehow Adam had found a way to overshadow Henry's moment. I was never going to allow him do that again. 

***

Henry dug a little, red box out of his jeans pocket. It looked vintage, the velvet box worn and loved. He swallowed hard before opening it and turning it to show me. It was a beautiful, delicate golden ring, with an emerald in the center and a diamond on each side. "It was my grandmother, Mary's", Henry smiled at me, taking the ring out of the box. "Mum had it cleaned and ready for me, when we came. I don't know if it'll fit you, but it can be fixed if it doesn't". His hand was shaking as he held it out for me. I put my hand in his hand and let him put the ring on my finger. It fit perfectly.  I admired it and the way the light reflected off it, making it sparkle. I hadn't noticed till now, but a tear fell from my eye and landed on my hand. Henry sniffled, which made me look up into his eyes. He was crying as well, but he looked happier than I had ever seen him. 

"It's perfect on you", he sniffled and caressed my hand, running his finger over the ring. 

"It's the color of your eyes, it's so beautiful", I whispered, smiling at him through tears. "I love you". 

"I love you more, Ellie", he whispered and bent down to kiss me. He lifted me up so I was sitting on the washing cabinet, making it easier for him to kiss me, long and deeply. He touched my face, caressed my arms and whispered in my ear: "I can't wait to make you mine". 

I smiled at the thought; me being his. I hadn't pictured getting married again, and I had no idea what a wedding for the two of us would look like. Luckily we would have plenty of time to think about that, there was no rush. 

"I can't believe I proposed to you in the bathroom", Henry suddenly said, making me burst out laughing. 

"You made everything perfect", I said as I wrapped my legs around him and pulled him close.