The Proposal

Nervously I checked the time on my digital Sekonda watch. It was 6:55pm. Butterflies battered my tummy to the point of feeling nauseous. The waft of barbecued burgers filled my head from a family get together 30 metres to my left in the park. Ironically 'Under Pressure' from Queen blasted from their stereo system.

Beside me on the ground, was a small hiking back pack and two portable camping chairs. From the outside pocket of my backpack I withdrew a bottle of Poland still water and took a swig, the warm water not as refreshing as I hoped. Then again. what did I expect with temperatures in the late twenties. My attention is drawn to a group of 5 teenage skateboarders as they challenge each other to stunts around the paved monument of some military leader on horse back. To the left of them a Bootcamp warm up was taking place.

The slight blast of a car horn removed me from my trance. I gave the red mini cooper a conservative wave and monitored Vanessa as she reverse parked between a black Dodge Caravan and a grey Lincoln Towncar. My stomach rumbled, a bodily response to the adrenalin rush I was experiencing.

I placed the hiking bag on my back and carried both portable camping chairs in my left hand. Vanessa alighted the car. Her plump five foot two frame dressed in a light grey two piece trouser business suit. We strode towards each other, her broad smile stretched out her chubby cheeks, oh that smile gets me every time.
A pair of black ray bans, would deny me seeing the glint in her glowing brown eyes. "I caught you looking at those girls!!" she teased

I gently brushed aside her black shoulder length curly hair from her left cheek and kissed her, as I worked my way towards her moist wide lips.

I rested my right palm on her left hip and with a smirk on my face I replied "I have to keep you on your toes!"

Playfully Vanessa squeezed my left cheek "Am I going to have to keep you on a leash?"

Vanessa scanned her surrounds "Where are we going for the picnic?"
To her left, i pointed towards a three kilometre hill trail with a steep gradient. 'Up there'.
Vanessa starred at me like I was from another planet. "You do know I'm glued to my desk twelve hours a day!!".

The pain in my stomach intensified upon discovering the flaws in my plan. The heat! would it be too hot for her and her sinuses? As well as that apart from trainers she was dressed in a suit, more suited for a flight of stairs than a hike. Physically she wasn't the fittest, was this really fair?

"Maybe we'll leave it for another day, when it's not so warm" I suggested. Vanessa can read me like a book, no doubt she suspected something was going on "No, I'll do it. I don't want you running away with one of those hot girls in bootcamp".

I gently placed her soft left palm in my right one "I should have told you to change clothes, sorry".

She landed a reassuring kiss on my left cheek "That is why I am the brains of this relationship!". She was never stuck for an answer

"Well!!" I said "You will probably be the first businesswoman wearing a suit to complete it".

"Well dear" she replied "I will probably be the first businesswoman wearing a suit to have an asthma attack trying to complete it five hundred metres in".

"We don't have to do it all" I suggest, I tried to ignore cramps gathering inside my lower tummy.

"Stop worrying, I will be fine, anyways, I'm sure the picnic will be worth it". She didn't attempt to hide the grin on her face. I didn't know if she suspected the question or was making fun of my picnic skills. She removed her suit jacket revealing a sleeveless white silk blouse.

"C'mon, let's go, we don't have to do it all". Voices in my head pestered me, questioning my decision making skills.

"Before we do, let's take a selfie, I'll need evidence for the girls in the office!" She hands me her Iphone. The responsibility as always fell to me, though I was only one inch taller. I positioned the phone in my left hand "No higher!!" she ordered "Try and hide our double chins". I took the snap and hand back the phone, as she quickly examined the photo "Well, are we chin free?" I inquired.

She shared the photo "It will do, eventually we won't be able to hide them!' She laughed.

'You never know Vanessa, after this, you might tackle Everest in a suit!'. 'Ha' she laughed sarcastically 'I haven't survived this one yet'.

I placed my right hand in her soft left hand and proceeded to lead her up the trail. Nine hundred metres in I found myself grinding my teeth in anger with myself, I overlooked the high pollen count. Her breathing laboured; the steep gradient and air quality proved to be challenge for her plump little body. I was outraged with myself. "Let's take a break!" I suggested. I removed my bag from my back and handed her a bottle of her favourite Dasani sparkling water. She took several swigs between catching her breath "I am beginning to wonder if your trying to kill me for one of those boot camp girls" she joked as she fanned her face with her right hand.

I rubbed my left palm around her back "I would never do anything like that to you my love" A group of 5 ladies pass us by, all chatting about some baby shower. She pressed her lips, embarrassed by how easy the ladies made it look. "We're only giving them a head start" She smiled at my quip. I loved her smile, her infectious laugh like that of Muttley from the cartoon Dastardly and Muttley. I loved her generosity towards those not so fortunate. I loved her business brain and the way she waved her hands as she expressed herself.

We began to move again and my mind flashed to when we first met. It was in a bar for my friend Lottie's 40th. I first saw her in a short sleeved red dress, her head craned upwards talking to a Dutch lady that towered over her. However; she didn't get my attention. Like most of the men there, we fawned over three East European girls but of course it got us nowhere.

Three weeks later some of us meet with Lottie. During the discussion we got talking about those girls and then she said to me 'What about Vanessa?'

"I'm not sure!" I said. Lottie nearly choked on her drink "What do you mean, your not sure, why? she likes you".
"Oh" I asked "Does she?". One thing about Lottie is she is straight to the point "If you think you've a chance with those other girls, your wasting your time. Vanessa likes you, what is it about her you that your not sure, is it her weight?"

I was taken back I struggled to answer but Lottie being Lottie didn't give me a change "She's lovely. Your forty three, she's forty one, stop having opinions about yourself, and what others would think and do whats right for you and hopefully her too!!".

Two weeks later, we met for a coffee and the rest as they say is history.

At the half way stage we stopped again. I placed my hands on her flush cheeks a feeble attempt to cool them. I regretted this excursion, I could have brought her to McDonalds or Burger King and the answer would be the same or a nice hotel, or worse done nothing at all. She deserved something special and I wanted to give her something special. I was in no doubt that down the line we would laugh it off. I assured her, she had no reason to be embarrassed. As a senior Wealth manager she worked long hours and a dodgy Thyroid didn't help her either. I am no model either. Five foot three and slight build, but some how we saw past the blindness of what society deems beauty and found each other.

"We can go back if you want, it's no problem, nothing to be ashamed of", "No" she gasps "I want to be the first businesswoman to finish it wearing a suit and also your bland picnic has to be tried and mocked". I laughed "ohhhhhhhh cheeky, you might be pleasantly surprised!"

"Or Pleasantly disappointed" she grinned cheekily, as she placed her left hand into my right hand and continued our ascend.

We made one more break stop before the moment of relief when, we made it to the summit. Vanessa gasped from fatigue and from the splendid view around us. "Well done you made it" as landed a kiss on her rosy right cheek. "I did, you see I don't need bootcamp!!" she boastfully declared.
Beneath us, the far side of the summit was a golden sandy beach. We held hands tightly as we watched some scantily clad men and women having a mixed game of volley ball. Out from the beach away from the swimming was a yacht, music pumped from it, it was party season. To the left of us we could see the distant city skyline, it felt great to get away from the rat race.

I placed my hiking bag on the ground, opened up one of the camping chairs and assisted Vanessa as she gingerly sat down on it. "I assume we're having caviar and truffles for this picnic. A high flying exec like me can't be seen eating your cracker and cheese efforts" I gave a royal bow "Your majesty, if I may!"

"Please proceed!" trying her best Queen Elizabeth impersonation

I opened my hiking bag, I began to feel nauseous the moment of truth was upon me. I withdrew a non alcohol bottle of bubbly and two champagne glasses and handed one to her, popped open the bottle and filled both glasses. I removed her ray bans and stared into her bright brown eyes. My hands shook, my nerves gave in, she sandwiched my right hand between hers and gave me a reassuring stare. "It's okay" she said "No need to be nervous!" She knew it was time. Slowly I withdrew my hand from hers and fumbled in my bag until I felt the small square box. I looked upwards, she gave a smile as tears flowed down her cheeks.

I removed the small black box from the bag and got on bended knee. I opened the box and presented to her the diamond ring.