Will the Ears Listen as the Mouth Speaks?

"What are you doing here, Ray?"
Startled out of my thoughts, I realized where my feet, once left to themselves, had taken me out of long habit. Back to the café.

Estelle peered at me over the high countertop beside the register, her eyes telling me to get lost but her mouth looking like it had tried to forget things said earlier. Her nose was half-turned up, either in disgust or cool appraisal, but that was normal. Eyes or mouth, which to believe?

***

"Estelle, I guess I just came back to say this." My brain hoped my mouth knew what it was doing here. "I love you. There's just no way around it. The things you said to me this morning? They hurt. A lot. I've never let anyone hurt me like that before. I've never let myself get that close to someone before. The pain surprised me and I lashed out like a small scared boy. I didn't mean what I said. Heck, I don't even remember exactly what I said, that's how little I meant it. You hurt me, but it helped me see how much you mattered to me. I can't say I'm looking forward to more hurt like that, but if you're the one causing it, I guess that'll be alright." I took a deep breath before plunging ahead on one knee. "Estelle Lewis, will you marry me?"

There was a gentle rustling as the loose assemblage of customers and staff slowly turned to look up from my face to hers.

After a long pause she sighed, left hand on her hip, the back of her right hand rising to wipe away some unseen grime from her forehead. "Ray, you are a fool, you know that? An impetuous, irritating, irresponsible fool." With barely a glance at the hushed crowd Estelle continued, "But you're my fool and I don't know what I would do if you were anything else. Yes, you silly man, yes, I love you and, yes, I will marry you." An excited murmur filled the café and a few supportive hands clapped.

Estelle paused, though, looking at me sidelong. "Did you think this through enough to actually have a ring or am I going to have to wait for that, too?"

A smile almost broke my jaw as I straightened and reached into my jacket pocket. "I haven't had it resized yet, since Mom just gave it to me this morning, but we both hope you'll like it as much as she did."

The café buzzed again as Estelle hurried around the counter to meet me coming the other way. The ring didn't fit but with our arms full of each other and our hearts full of hope for the future, I don't think either of us was too concerned about some empty space between finger and metal.

---

Posted by Gregory Taylor