The Proposal

“Okay, I need details, like NOW!”

Kadie and I sat on a stack of plywood that the construction workers had been using in her new office space. They buzzed around us, hammering at walls and drilling the floors.

Adam had just left back to work and the two of us stayed behind to approve samples the renovation team was bringing by.

Kadie shrieked in excitement as she pulled her legs up to sit Indian-style. Her hands gripped onto my arm. “Lynn, it was perfect! Just perfect!” She giggled remembering the night before.

“Well, how'd he do it?! Start from the beginning!!” I impatiently shook her arms.

“Okay, okay!” She took a breath to calm herself. “I was working late drawing up contracts and meeting with the designer for the office space but, when I got home I noticed Adam's car outside. It was weird because he parked a few spots away, behind a Murano, when usually he parks a little bit closer to the apartment, in front of the neighbor's Mercedes...”

“Okay, Kadie, not that detailed. I want to hear about how he proposed, not how he parked his car.”

“Sorry! I'm just still so shaken up from excitement” She took another breath. “He works pretty late so it was weird that he was home before sunset. As soon as I went inside he whisked me into the kitchen where he had a couple of drinks poured out for us. He went on to tell me how he was named partner for his firm. Honestly, that's why I thought he was acting so weird. He was nervous yet excited. It made total sense at the moment. I mean this was what he'd been waiting his whole career for. Anyway, when I went into our bedroom there was a gift waiting for me on the bed. I told him he was crazy for buying me a gift when it shoulda been the other way around.” A single tear rolled down Kadie's cheek. I rubbed her shoulder to comfort her. “He had just gotten the best news of his life and the only thing he could think about was me, Lynn.”

I was so genuinely happy for Kadie that my eyes began to glaze over. “What was it?”

“It was a beautiful dress and a pair of heels.” She smiled. “I did my hair and makeup and we left to dinner. We went to this restaurant in Brooklyn that had this stellar view of the City. We ate and talked and laughed as we watched the sunset. Afterward, Adam said he was 'so full' and needed to walk off his dinner and insisted we stroll around. Normally, I would have bitched and complained to get a cab, but something was telling me to follow his lead. We ended up on the Brooklyn Bridge. It was kind of late so no one else was around, but it made it that much more romantic.” She fluttered her eyelashes.

“He was telling me this story, as we walked, about how his great-grandparents had dreamed of one day coming to Manhattan. They were lower class and couldn't afford to make a trip to the City. So, they hitchhiked their way up to Brooklyn. The guy who had been driving them said he couldn't take them past the bridge. So, the two of them got out the car and began walking, just as we were, to Manhattan.”

“Oh my, God” I whispered to myself.

“Right before they could step foot into Manhattan, his great-grandfather stopped his great-grandmother and told her there was no one else he wanted to experience his life with in this new world than her. He got down on one knee and proposed.”

I gasped. “That is so...”

Kadie cut me off “Well get this, his great-grandparents struggled to save enough money for their son, his grandfather, to go to school. The three of them worked and worked and worked until their son was able to graduate from Columbia. The night before graduation his grandfather takes his grandmother to the exact same spot on the bridge and tells her there's no one he'd rather spend the rest of his new life with than her and proposed. Adam's dad did the same with his mom the night before he took over his father's company.”

“You have to be kidding me. This is so fucking perfect, I'm honestly steaming with jealousy!”

Kadie blushed as she continued her story. “Just as he was done telling me about everything he stops walking. He pulls me in front of him and tells me that we're standing in the exact spot that 3 generations of proposals had taken place. The way he looked down at me, with that sparkle in his eyes, I began bawling like a baby! He went on and on about how he loved me and wanted to bring me here since the day he met me. He got down on one knee and told me there was no one else he'd rather be with and then whipped out this bad boy” She held up her hand flashing her diamond ring.

I took her hand and examined the ring.“It's beautiful, K! I'm so happy for you!” I threw her hand over my shoulder and leaned in for a tight hug.

Kadie got up from her seat and walked over to the table where we'd left our empty glasses and poured out more champagne. She came back to sit down and handed me a glass. We clinked our glasses together.

“I remember when you first met Adam.” Kadie laughed. She knew exactly why I was bringing it up. “You refused to go on a date with him!”

“I was too nervous about ruining it with someone so perfect.”

“Well, I guess it worked out, huh?”

Kadie smiled and took a sip of her drink. “Speaking of working out, what happened with you and Jonah?”

I gave Kadie a look. “We decided to just be friends.”

“Mhmm...” Kadie hummed as she winked.

“What?” I furrowed my brows. “I'm tired of the games. If I'm not thinking about Connor, I'm thinking about Jonah. I just want a minute to think about me.”

Kadie tapped her glass with her finger and raised her eyebrow. “We'll see what happens in a couple of weeks.”

“What's happening in a couple of weeks?” I asked, confused.

“We're planning on having a small engagement party.”

“You've already planned your engagment party?”

“Don't be silly, Lynn. I had that planned the minute I said 'yes'! Anyway, Adam's planning on inviting Jonah. Nobody can resist engagement party hookups”

I rolled my eyes, “That's not even a thing, Kadie.”

“Whatever, it's totally gonna happen. Just watch!”