| 31. Taking Chances 4:46 pm Paul had been able to steal an hour while Meg and her father caught up on old times. His excuse was to go look for a new shirt to wear that night to dinner. Now, in Meg's BMW, he drove through the clogged traffic, wishing he had walked. I should never drive in New York. I should know that by now. He sighed and looked over at the bag in the passenger seat. The traffic at a stand still, he reached over and pulled out the small velvet box and smiled. He knew he was crazy for deciding to ask to marry her after meeting her father only once and she had only met his once, back at the start of the tour when it came to his hometown of Lexington, Kentucky. Luckily, his parents had been impressed with her. I've got to call them. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed their number. Ring. Ring. "Hello?" "Hey Mom, it's Paul." "Paul! How are you?" "I'm stunk in traffic, but it's all good." "You're stuck in traffic? Where?" "Well, Meg just found out that she's cancer-free, like, she's in remission. So she gets this crazy notion that she wants to go to New York and see her dad, so we went on a private jet and get here at about 2." "Meg and her crazy notions..." she laughed. "Well, actually, I�ve got one myself. Ready for this?" "Oh no," she joked. "I've really thought about this, Mom, and I've talked to Garrett, Meg's dad and...I want to ask her to marry me." His mom was silent. "Please say something, Mom." He heard an exhale on the other end of the line. "Is this what you want?" He swallowed. "More than anything. Meg doesn't have a lot of time and...I can't imagine not being with her after these five years are through. I just...I want to spend all the time I can with her. But even if she wasn't going to die in five years, I'd still want to marry her. She's amazing, Mom." "Then go for it." Paul was shocked. "What?" "I think about the happiness that I've had being married to your father for the past 25 years...I don't regret a minute of it. You've got five years, Paul. Make memories, don't waste a second fighting or bickering or suspecting. Use those years and don't regret it when it's all said and done." Paul smiled. "I love you, Mom." "I love you, Son. Good luck tonight, okay?" "Alright. I'll call you later." "Bye." Paul put the phone back in his pocket and opened the velvet box. Three glittering square-shaped diamonds were set on a thin platinum band. It had cost a fortune, but he'd been able to afford it from doing some studio work on a Kenny G album. Still, Meg was worth it. But what if she said no? What would he do then? Paul felt a pang of worry in his gut. Even if she said no, he still had the moments with her. Moments when her kisses lingered on his lips, when her hair tickled his nose while they embraced. Moments he would never forget. He closed the box and pocketed it. So how do you ask someone to marry you? Hey, what's up, Meggie! We should tie the knot! As traffic slowly began to lurch forward, he sighed. However I do it, it'll change my life forever. 32. Plan of Action 6:03 pm Paul�s hands were shaking in the car on the way to Brooklyn. Nervously, he tried to cease them by clasping them together. He�d only been this jittery right before a concert when he was younger, when his mother, backstage, would have to grab his hands and grip them until they stopped rattling so he could play. He needed her now. Of course, he had good reason to be nervous. Meg looked amazing in a dark blue satin skirt and black backless shirt�heartbreaking, really, because of the thought that she might say no. Paul gripped his hands tighter. Meg and Garrett were talking about her tour, and Paul pretended he was interested. Normally, he would be, but tonight, only Meg was on his mind. He had developed a plan of action for the proposal and really, it was risky. |