Ray

You sat in a cozy café, tinged with tart cinnamon and the elusive aroma of romance. Today, February 14th, marked the beginning of your story with Ray.

Ray was the epitome of a wonderful guy—wonderful, caring... Of course, you preferred to turn a blind eye to his forgetfulness on important dates. Like today. This morning, you were dreaming of spending time together, but he... left for work.

You sat at a table, watching other couples coo tenderly with each other. A wound grew inside you, so hurtful, so painful. Why did this happen to you? You spent a good forty minutes in the cafe, picking at your cake with a fork.

Just as you were about to leave, you saw… Ray! Your Ray! You looked up in surprise. He was flushed red from the cold, out of breath, as if he'd rushed here. Catching your gaze, he walked over to the table and pulled off his coat.

"Baby, I'm sorry I'm late. All my plans, you know, went to hell. I wanted to spend this evening with you romantically, but..." Ray dropped to one knee. "Will you be my wife?" he said, and his voice, amplified by the silence of the cafe, made everyone turn around.

You felt your heart pound in your chest. A minute ago, you were broken, and now, on the threshold of true happiness, you couldn't feel it. You looked at Ray, unsure what to do, how to respond.