A Leap of Love (14th March daily prompt - "pop")

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I walked down the windy road hedged in on both sides by similar-looking houses, all painted blue and white with brown corrugated roofs, fidgeting with my sweaty fingers. The sun was disappearing from the sky, leaving its orange glow on the surface of the brown roofs. It felt hot even though the evening was cold.

“Do you want me to give you some tips on how to do it ?” My brother, who walked closely beside me, asked; he must have noticed my anxiety.

I turned and told him in a stern voice, “Don't talk to me Jayson, I'm thinking.”

He laughed. “Thinking about what?” He asked, coaxing his head to the side. “How to pop the big question?”

I looked at him from the corner of my eyes and shook my head. “Please leave me alone,” I replied.

“Come on brother! You're bigger than fear; you're the one who taught me to hunt, remember? Big, bold, and strong Lawrence! I can't imagine that same Lawrence being a chicken in the face of a proposal.”

I looked at him; it was true what he said; I wasn't a coward. But it wasn't just any woman I was proposing to, it was Agnes, the love of my life, the only woman whose ground I worshipped. I could literally stutter while speaking to her, even though we had been together for three years already. I shook my head and blew some air into my shirt, I was dripping sweat all over, especially under my arm. Then I nodded at my brother to stop him from talking further and dipped my hand into my pocket to pull out the little red box that housed the one thousand dollar ring I had bought for Agnes. Sighing heavily, I returned it to my pocket. “Let's go make her mine,” I said to my brother, feeling a little puff of confidence.

He smiled and said, “That's more like it!”

But the road to Agnes’ house seemed longer that day than any other day. She lived just three blocks away from us, but it seemed like a hundred miles to me. Before we got to her house, my shirt was feeling damp from sweat. I asked my brother to wait a minute so I could revise my lines and take a moment to get myself back. The young man just stood there looking at me and shaking his head. He must have been disappointed in his older brother, wondering where all the courage he knew me for had gone.

I wished I could take off my shirt and wring out some sweat, but I couldn't. So I dusted myself with my hands and asked my brother to ring the doorbell. The lawn of her house was filled with daffodils and hibiscus flowers; I could perceive them mixed with the aroma of beef stew coming from the house. There was a rocking chair on the balcony, it was the one her grandmother loved to sit on every evening. I could hear her mom call out her name, asking her to come check the door. So I rushed to arrange my clothes one more time and heard Jayson chuckle beside me. I knew he was laughing at my predicament, so I shot him a death stare, and he straightened up.

Suddenly, the door opened and a fair, round face with lovely eyes poked out. She smiled when she saw me. My heart jumped. Then she walked out, down the front porch, and threw her arms around me.

“Hi, Jayson!” She said to my brother while holding me and laughing.

“Hello, Agnes,” my brother responded, and I heard him take some steps backward.

I put my hands around her too. “I’ve missed you,” she sang into my ears like a little child. I chuckled and said, “I've missed you too.” Then she let me go and noticed my damp shirt,

“what happened? Did someone pour water on you? She asked.

I shook my head and said, “Honestly, I've been very nervous.”

“Why?”

“I_ I _ I” I stuttered, then noticed she was smiling at me and felt calm all of a sudden. I pulled out the little box and lowered myself on one knee. She screamed and called to her mother and grandma. Before long, they were on the front porch singing softly and clapping as I managed to pour out part of the lines I had rehearsed, the other part was made up in my imagination. She screamed, “Yes,” before I could finish, and yelled for me to put the ring on her finger quickly. I laughed as I did that and before long, the whole neighborhood had gathered to celebrate with us. Her mother cooked up a large pot and stayed up all evening calling her friends to inform them. Agnes and I didn't mind all the attention. To us, it was the happiest night of our lives, the first step to forever.