Our “Will You Marry Me?” Story
May 2, 2024 | 11:31 AM
Spoiler Alert: Paramount/CBS series FBI: Most Wanted S5 E9 “The Return.” is mentioned in this article.
It’s a clear evening in Tribeca, NY. Special Agent Ray and his girlfriend Cora walk out onto the pier of the restaurant where they’ve finished dinner. Twinkling behind them is a majestic span of Brooklyn Bridge.
Ray: “You know where we are right?”
Cora: “The East River.”
(both giggling)
Ray: “It’s where we had our first kiss and our first date.”
Cora: “Yeah, I guess it is. (both giggle). I remember it was freezing cold and raining and you wouldn’t let us go inside.”
At that moment, Ray motions his head as if telling someone to buzz off. He looks towards the restaurant, Cora following his gaze.
Concerned she whips her head back to look at him. “What are you doing?
Ray playing it off points to his neck and stutters that it’s just… neck… problems.
(three second pause)
Cora: “Riiight… Are you okay? I feel like you’re acting kinda… nervous.”
Ray smiles awkwardly and mumbles. “Uhhhh, haha… uhh… look, I need to ask you a question.”
Cora pauses, completely bewildered, and in a gentle voice asks, “Ray… are you breaking up with me?”
HAAA! loudly launched out of my mouth.
Ray quickly interjects. “NO GIRL, NOOO!” Realizing this isn’t going in the right direction and Cora is distressed, he gets serious.
He takes her hand into his. “Ever since I met you, you’ve made my life better. I’ve stopped thinking about myself and started thinking about us more.” He continues to acknowledge the qualities in Cora that made him fall in love with her. From there he bend down on one knee and proposes.
Cora says yes! Jumping out of the restaurant comes her young son and Ray’s father with champagne. Ray’s head motion was a signal to his father to start recording video of the proposal.
. . . . .
It was a cloudy and breezy July afternoon in the Southern Highlands of Southwestern Las Vegas. A lightening storm was coming and we were both excited to feel the thunder and nature’s light show.
Less than a mile away from home sat a mountainous, rocky hill. We climbed it to get a better view of the light show. In hindsight, it was not the best idea to be out in the open to watch a lightening storm.
We sat there for a moment marveling at all we could see from this vantage point. Grant commented on how nice it was to be sitting outside with me under the storm clouds.
“Where do you see us in three years?”
Where do you see us in three years… that’s a weird question. Grant doesn’t ask me long term questions like that.
“Umm… with you, still working at the station, traveling together.”
“What about in five years?”
This situation would make a really good story about a couple talking about their future. The man asks his girlfriend these types of questions and then BAM, he kills her and says something like “I bet you didn’t see that coming!”
I loved to write stories with a twist. My mind was always writing, directing, and editing a movie. This was probably not the best time for creative thought.
“Hmm… in five years… I’m not sure. I had plans before I met you. And now that we’re together, I need to reevaluate them.”
We had just met not that long ago, Grant was still in school, I was unhappy at my job… it was a lot to think about. And why is he asking me these questions? Grant doesn’t bring this kinda stuff up.
The wind was picking up and faint sounds of thunder began rumbling across the sky. Then I realized… Grant was going to dump me. I mean it was a stormy, thundering, lightning day and in movies those elements signify something bad was coming.
“ARE YOU BREAKING UP WITH ME???,” I blurted out in a panic as I swept away my hair flying into my mouth. (Sound familiar?)
Grant looked at me with surprise and confusion. “WHAT?!? NOOO!” He proceeded to tell me that he wanted us to spend our lives together. He wanted us to go on adventures. He wanted to marry me.
And that’s why I laughed when Cora asked Ray if he was breaking up with her. I wasn’t expecting Cora to ask that and it just took me back to that beautiful, stormy day.
So that’s my will you marry me story. When I think about it… Grant could’ve changed his mind and not ask. I mean, why wouldn’t he? How does two simple questions lead to me thinking he wanted to break up with me? But he chose right, muahaha!
Grant and I have been married for seventeen years and nothing about our lives before we met and after we met has been conventional. Our journey together has been a heartfelt unconventional adventure.
. . . . .
Post Script…
It’s 10:08 PM and Grant is delayed on a Chicago runway. He texted me that the delay is due to a lightning storm!!!
Funny timing that I’d write about our marriage proposal during a lightning storm adventure and now he’s stuck in one!
Screencap from a video Grant sent to me from the airplane in Chicago.
I woke up the next day to this email from Grant :)