Maybe it didn't matter if he married her, or they had children. Maybe it was worth the sacrifice, just to be with him. But she didn't say it to Andy and she wasn't sure of that herself.
He waited while she got dressed, and there was a hansom cab waiting downstairs when they left her apartment. She was bowled over by it. It seemed incredibly romantic. And the horse clip-clopped along as they rode to the restaurant while passersby and cab drivers smiled at them. And she was cozy and warm under a heavy blanket, in the closed carriage.
The carriage turned on Fifty-second Street, and dropped them off at the ‘21’ Club, while Kate smiled at him.
“You spoil me.”
“You deserve it,” he said, as they walked into the restaurant. She was surprised to see heads turn as they entered. They made a very handsome couple. And a few minutes later, they were shown to a quiet corner table upstairs.
It was a wonderful evening and a delicious meal, and they were talking quietly when dessert came. He had ordered a tiny heart-shaped cake for her, and when she cut into it with her fork, there was something hard in it.
She pushed the cake away with her fork, and saw that it was a jeweler's box.
“What's that?” she asked, looking puzzled.
“Better open it and see. Maybe there's something good in it. It looks pretty good to me,” but she could suddenly feel her heart race. And when she looked up at him, he was smiling, and spoke softly. “It's okay, Kate, don't be afraid… it'll be all right, you'll see.”
“What if it isn't?” She knew what he was doing and she was frightened.
Joe had hurt her very badly, and she had hurt Andy. She didn't want to do that again, or make a mistake they'd both regret.
“It will be. We'll make it all right. It's up to us to do that, it doesn't just happen.” It was everything she had wanted, just not with the person she wanted. But maybe it worked that way, you only got half your wish in life, not the whole one. She no longer believed in happy endings anymore. And Andy's version was happier than most.
She very carefully opened the box, and licked the cake off her fingers, and as she opened it, she saw a diamond ring sparkling at her. It was an engagement ring from Tiffany, and Andy slipped it on her finger. “Will you marry me, Kate? I'm not going to let you run away this time. I think this is the right thing for both of us… and by the way, I love you.”
“By the way?” she said. “What kind of proposal is that?”
“A real one. Let's do it.
