Three years ago, Andrea "Dei" Mendoza is stricken with wedding jitters and backs out of her wedding to Richard Faulkerson, Jr., a mere three days before the big event. She relocates to Vietnam and puts up her own ad agency with close friend Andrew V...
He made online reservations at Osteria la Voliera, a scenic restaurant here in Milan, perfect setting for his plan to seal his future with Dei. He already discussed with the Maitre 'D how he wanted to do things and was able to get their cooperation.
He was sure that she was the one for him. He never felt so alive, so emotionally invested in someone this much. There was always a yearning within him to take care of her, knowing that she was alone in life, since her sister was far from her and they didn't seem close. He knew she had a fragile self-image, that she needed someone to affirm her worth, and he wanted to be that for her. He wanted to share his parents' love with her, to make her feel cherished.
She was finally dressed and ready to go. She was wearing a royal blue dress with a slit that made peek-a-boo with her shapely legs. Her hair was in loose waves and her face flawlessly made up lightly. She looked like a goddess.
"Dei.........you make me feel like ripping that dress off you." He kissed her temple and pulled her by the hand, ushering her out the door.
"You don't look so bad yourself."
Richard was wearing a dark blue suit and white shirt, midnight blue tie. They made a striking couple, turning heads as they hailed a cab. In less than 15 minutes, they were dropped off at the entrance of Osteria la Voliera.
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He noted Dei was delighted with the place, loving the wonderful ambiance and old Italian feel of the interiors. The maitre'd winked at her and ushered them to a corner table where it was quite secluded and quiet, with just the faint music heard from the restaurant's main dining area. Richard whispered something to the maitre'd and both men laughed, with Richard clapping the Italian on his shoulder.
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"What was that all about?
"I just thanked him for giving us a nice table. I already ordered for us ahead of time, is that ok?"
"It's fine, Jay, I love this place, I'm sure the food is good. Thanks for bringing me here."
The food was divine. They had Filet Mignon and some antipasti with red wine. It was a joy for Richard introducing Dei to this side of the world, watching her absorb everything with the eyes of a child, her happiness transparent in her face. Watching her calmed his heart a bit, the wine settled his nerves. She had a good appetite, and it pleased him that she loved the food. He got a kick out of her trying out her Italian on the waiters, noting how her self-study with an Italian dictionary and youtube videos paid off.
"Happy, love?"
"Very. Thank you Jay, this is a wonderful anniversary celebration. The food was really good." Her eyes were shining as she said this, leaning towards him to kiss his cheek.
"Still have room for dessert?"
"Always."
He signalled for the maitre'd to bring in the dessert. Holding both her hands, he willed her to look at him and smile, taking a deep breath.
"Dei........I had this dessert especially prepared for you. It's a sweet concoction that you will never forget for as long as you live. It will change your life, baby. I hope you like it."
"It's that good, huh?"
"I hope it is for you as it is for me."
Like in the movies, the maitre'd came with a sterling silver dome covering the dessert. With a flourish, he laid the tray on the table and whipped up the cover, revealing a tiffany blue velvet box in the middle of the porcelain dish.
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Richard saw Dei's look of amazement, from the dish in front of her to him.
"Looks amazingly real, doesn't it?"
"Oh, so it's not?" She asked, seeming a little deflated. Richard struggled not to smile too much, encouraged by her disappointment.
"It's edible, baby. Go on, open the lid."
Dei opened the lid of the candied box and saw his mother's engagement ring inside. The joke actually ended there, he was ready to pop the question, but Dei took the ring and bit on it. Expecting the ring to be brittle, she grimaced.
"Ohhh. You said it was edible."
"Sweetie the box is edible but the ring is real." He laughed softy then and gathered her in his arms. Taking the ring from her, he raised her chin with his fingertips.
"No more jokes, Dei. I love you, and I don't want to wait for the right time to be with you. For me, the right time is now. I want to take care of you, go home with you and wake up next to you everyday. Please, will you marry me?"
"You're an asshole for tricking me but yes, I will marry you." Her voice broke towards the end, as he slowly slid the ring through her left ring finger.
