The restaurant was a pretty romantic setting. It was much quieter than it had been on our first date. But then again, there weren’t 60 drunken wedding guests in the middle of a celebration. The DJ lights and sound system had been replaced with candles and a jazz pianist. Susan was the same though, radiating beauty and grace wherever she went.
Dinner was a quiet affair, but hey, I was really nervous. I couldn’t find an easy way to start, so I just jumped right in.
“Suze, I think I should take over my father’s business. I’ve been giving it a lot of thought, and even though it is an accounting firm now, I think it can be transformed in to the company I have been dreaming about. The current clientele will provide a steady stream of income while we diversify. And we can use our current relationships with clients to add a new line of services.”
I was having a hard time seeing what I had done wrong. I always wanted Susan’s opinion about the big decisions that would affect our lives. Granted, we had only been together for six months and there hadn’t been many big decisions. But I had declined the hospital’s offer of a full time position in favor of starting a new position at the bank after speaking with her. I had let my lease expire and moved in with Susan after another one of our talks. But she looked devastated.
“David, I thought we were getting along so well. I can work on whatever it is that is bothering you. I can change, I promise.”
“Suze, what are you talking about?”
“Please, David. Don’t leave me. I love you.”
“Wow, honey. Where did that come from? Why would you think I was leaving you?”
“You said you were going back to Chicago.”
“No, honey. I said I was thinking that I should take over my father’s company. I wanted your opinion. I would never make a decision this big without hearing your thoughts.”
She still looked like I had just kicked her in the stomach. But she was recovering.
“Well, I think I may have done this out of order. I apologize, honey. This is my first time.”
This was not going as planned, but then again life never does. It was time to try and save the day. I waved my hand at the maitre de, and he signaled for the pianist to change the song. Slowly the wait staff stopped by our table, each leaving a single red rose for Susan. Finally, I stood reached for the box in my pocket and fell to my knee.
“Suze, I have known from the first moment that we met that you were the one for me. Every day I get to spend with you just confirms what I have always known. I love you with all my heart. I will be a good husband to you, Suze, and I will show you every way I can just how special you are to me. Susan, will you marry me?”
The kicked in the stomach look had been replaced by one of shock. I was beginning to wonder if I had made a giant mistake. But the camera flash saved me.
Susan’s eyes blinked trying to re-adjust to the dimly lit room. That was when she glanced in the direction of the flash and saw her family, her dad, mom and sister standing looking over the short partition trying to get a better look. Her mom was smiling and crying, holding her camera waiting to capture the big moment. It didn’t take long.
Susan tackled me. Right there in the middle of the restaurant. Now, I am a man and it has always been my contention that I could have held my ground if I wanted to put up a fight. Opinions vary. At least I held on to the ring.
“YES! OH, David!! Yes. Yes, my love!”
My pride would recover. I had my Susan.
***
“Hi, Susan. Hello, Shannon. It is lovely to see you again. I am so sorry it is under these circumstances. May I come in?”
“Please. Come in. Come in.” my sister said as she ushered Maggie through the door.
“May I have a moment alone with Susan, please?”
“Of course, of course.”
Margaret Peterson was a stunningly beautiful woman even dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. She looked at me with a look that said it all: I am sorry, but there is nothing I can do to help you.
“I am not here as a lawyer, Susan. I am here as your friend. I just came to make sure that you are OK.”
I didn’t think it was possible for me to feel any worse. But I was starting to realize that there are in fact worse things than being a piece of shit. I had betrayed her very best friend and she had come to my sister’s home, to make sure that I would be OK. It was just like her.
I am not sure if she learned that trait from David, or if he had learned it from her. They probably learned it from each other. It was just one of the many things that they shared.
My friend’s initially told me that I should be cautious with Maggie, she would eventually try to steal my David. But it is hard to be jealous of someone who always has your best interests at heart. Whenever I needed a friend, Maggie had been solidly in my corner ready to take on the world to defend me. This was no exception, but there would be no fixing this one.
“He doesn’t love me anymore.”
“Oh, Susan. Of course he loves you. He has loved you with everything he has from the first moment you met. You can’t just turn that off.”
“Well, he’ll never forgive me. Not after the things I have done.”
“Oh, you silly woman. Of course he will forgive you. I am almost certain he already has. I am as certain of his forgiveness as I am that you haven’t told him everything.”
I had to smile at that. She knew him best. She knew me, too. He would forgive me. She was right.
“Susan, he’ll forgive you. But he’ll never forget.”
“I know, Maggie. I know.”
She held me as I cried. Long into the night, without judgment.
“It will get better, honey. You’ll be OK.”
***
My first foray with the sneakiness of women came soon after my proposal. Apparently, behind the scenes, wedding plans had been started about two months into our relationship. Susan, her mom and sister and several friends all had secret assignments and had been in attack mode for quite some time.
Less than two months after my proposal it was time. Maggie came to Boston the week before the wedding to finalize the details of my parent’s affairs and our new life in Chicago. I can honestly say that I had no idea what I was signing. I can also say that I trusted Maggie with my life, so I really didn’t care. I did care about my hand hurting when we were done.
Maggie and Susan spent an entire day together just two days before our wedding. They both said it was time for my soon to be wife and my best friend to get to know each other. Their day of bonding was very secretive. But at the end of the day, when they arrived back at the apartment, Susan simply kissed me on the lips, grabbed her overnight bag and said, “I love you, David. When you see me in two days, know that I will be yours forever.” Then she was off to stay with her parents.