Page 83 of Choose Us
The wall was covered in long streams of paper tissue. Each layer was a different colour, but they didn’t stray too far from the pink palette. There was a large balloon arch stretching from one side of the wall to the other; it was made from a mix of pink and white balloons, some small, some large, and the odd one here and there with New Year’s themed slogans and dates. It wasimpressive.
“Did you make that yourself?”
“The balloon arch?”
I nodded.
“God no. I can’t even tie balloons without hurting my finger. I paid a woman.”She grinned.
Brooke had awomanfor everything these days: a woman to clean the oven, a woman to do her eyebrows, a woman to supply her with candles and diffusers, and now a woman to do balloon arches.
The display was impressively finished off with a fluorescent pink light up sign in the middle that spelt out the word,Hooray.
“This is the photo wall.” She gestured towards the tripod set up in front. “You put your phone in here, turn the light onand voilà.”
She set the ten-second timer on her phone and pulled me behindthe camera.
“Smile.”
She ran back around, clicked the timer again, and launched herself into my arms, showering mewith kisses.
“One more.” She hit the timer again, took her position at my side, and pinched my bum for good measure.
“Why is nothing flashing,” I mumbled through the sideof my smile.
“Because this one’s on video.”
Brooke stepped back and looked up into my eyes. I watched in slow motion as she bent down slowly onto one knee.
“Brooke, what areyou doing?”
There was a look on her face I’d never seen before. There was a longing in her eyes. I could sense her nerves as her hands began to shake. She looped her hand behind her back and brought forward a small brown box tightly grasped in herfingertips.
“Oh My God.” Mymouth gaped.
“Holly Garland...”
“Yes,” I said eagerly.
“When I tell you every morning that you areitfor me, I mean it. There is no one else in this world I would give up my whole life for. There is no one else I would move across the world for with a suitcase and no plan. You are my once-in-a-lifetime, and you aremy forever.”
Her eyes began to fill andso did mine.
“Do you remember, in the letter you wrote me? You said one day you hoped I’d be content with my life. Maybe I’d even be married with children, and you hoped I would remember the time we spent together and smile at the memories. Well, that wasn’t possible for me. It was never going to be anyone but you. I will never want that life with anyone but you. Here I am today, down on one knee, which wasn’t something I saw as a kid when I dreamt of a wedding, and ponies, and dresses. As little girls we are often programmed to think Ken is destined to be with Barbie, but what if Barbie wants to marry another Barbie?”
“Barbie should always do what’s right for her.” I chuckled through the tears.
“Exactly. Holly Garland, I love you. I have loved you since the moment you looked up from your desk and asked me what my favourite colour was. Will you please make me the happiest girl on this planet and agree to spend the rest of your life with me? Marry me?”
“Of course I willmarry you.”
Brooke leapt to her feet and placed the gold-banded single solitaire diamond on my finger. It fit perfectly.
“I knew you wouldn’t want anything too extravagant, so I went for a single diamond. I hope you like it.”
“I love it, andI love you.”
I cupped her face with my hands and kissed her tenderly. The taste of salty pretzels was still on her lips from her inability to avoid the snack station.
