“You what?”
“I
want to marry Olivia.”
“Dude,
she’s nine years older than you. She’s an author. She has a retirement fund.
She’s in her thirties. I mean, forget
the fact she looks like a supermodel, or is loaded from her daddy. She’s is a responsible person. And who are you?
Petri Dmitri, from college, who got a job as a magazine editor.”
“Lewis…”
Dmitri sighed. “You act like those are bad things.”
“They
are bad things!” Lewis nearly
shrieked. He looked at Dmitri. “Look, I’ve hung with you for a long time. A
looonng time. And when we were kids, you never, ever said anything about wanting to spend the rest of your life
with an accountant.”
“Your
point?”
“Look.
You’re twenty three, bro. Live your life! Go out there, and do something
crazy!”
“Like
that last girlfriend you had?” Dmitri asked.
“Oh,
hehe. She had issues.”
“Issues?
Issues, Lewis?” Dmitri leaned over the table. “She tried to knife your
landlord.”
Lewis
rubbed the back of his neck. “E-harmony doesn’t ask about mental health. ‘Do
you believe that someone from Pakistan is Osama bin Laden?’ ”
“It
doesn’t take away from the fact, Lew, that I have far better taste in women
than you.”
“Okay,
so you don’t have to date someone that lied to you about being in the psych
ward. But an accountant? Really?”
“She’s
the love of my life.”
“And
a real bang to be around, I bet.”
“Lewis,
I’m tired of trying to get through to you. I love her. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t
have bought this.” Dmitri reached into his satchel and pulled out a blue box.
“Oh
man.” Lewis breathed. “Tiffany? For
real? You are serious, bro.”
“It’s
the only way that I could show her that I am serious. She’s been hurt.”
“Yeah,
I know.”Lewis looked at his friend pointedly, then sighed.
“Fine.
If you love her, then go ahead.”
“I
didn’t come for your approval. I came to ask you to be best man at our wedding.
If she says yes.”
“She
better marry you, man.” Lewis said. “You just bought a twenty thousand dollar
ring. I’d marry you for cash like that.”
“Don’t
go there.”
Olivia
turned her head as Dmitri entered the room. She put the folder she was holding
on the chrome and glass coffee table and stood, arms outstretched to hug him.
Dmitri embraced her, then stepped back.
“I
got this for you.” Dmitri swallowed, smiling faintly. “I hope you like it.”
With shaking hands, he pulled an ocean blue box from his jacket and put it on
the glass tabletop next to her.
“Dmitri…”Her
tone was soft, sad. She sat down again, beautiful green eyes staring up at him.
“Olivia,
please. Hear me out. I’ve been seeing you for two years now. I have never felt
the way I feel about you. I never want to be away from you.” He leaned closer.
“I want you to be my wife.”
“But
our ages-“ Olivia began. “You are sweet, but I think that this is a friendship
that has gone too far. We are close; even think I love you sometimes. But
marriage? I’ve been married before.”
She
stood, leaving the box on the glass table. “It all seems too much. I don’t know
if I’m ready…”
Olivia
opened the glass door, stepping onto the eighth story balcony. Dmitri followed
her, carrying the little blue box, still dressed in his suit.
“Please,
Livvy. Please.” His brown eyes were
pleading, the blue box in his hand. With a cry that was somewhere between a sob
and a laugh, she took the box from him, and then leaned into the kiss he
offered. She stared at the box for a long time.
“Yes.
Yes, Dmitri Cameron, I will be your
wife.”
She
turned to the city, the fading day at once beautiful and melancholy, gilding
the buildings with ruddy sunshine. She felt Dmitri wrap his arms around her
waist, pressing his nose against the back of her neck, in her hand the little
ocean blue box was clasped, resting on the stone railing. They remained like
that for a long, long time. A man, a woman, and a promise.
It
was a good day.
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