Short Story Submission: The Proposal
Date Published: May 28, 2022, 2:43am
Written By: anonymous19
I think I'm following the rules. If not that's okay and it can just stand on its own. It doesn't quite meet the word count.
When Tommy had invited Sarah to his great-grandmother’s old place for a weekend getaway, Sarah had been ecstatic. She had immediately called up her best friend Cindy and exclaimed, “He’s going to do it!”
“He’s going to do what?” Cindy had asked.
“He’s going to propose!”
Cindy had shown the appropriate amount of excitement, and the appropriate amount of reserve, “Just remember, he may not. Don’t get your hopes up!”
But it was too late. Sarah had her hopes up.
When they arrived, Sarah was impressed. The place was clearly dated, but it was nice. A large front porch. An open loft area. An old fireplace. The railroad tracks ran right behind the house, but it had a large front yard. Tommy said they could follow the railroad to a trail and go hiking the next day if they wanted.
Once she had been given the tour, Tommy showed her the bedroom on the first floor, “This one can be yours for the weekend. While I turn on the breakers and stuff, why don’t you get situated,”
The room was cozy. It had its own bathroom and it had a large walk in closet. Sarah used the bathroom and then realized that Tommy had left his own bag in the closet. She smiled. She would discreetly do some investigation. She opened up the bag. And immediately on top she saw a looseleaf sheet of lined paper.
She picked it up and started to read. It was the worst engagement speech she had ever heard. But it was an engagement speech! And then she the ring. It was the ugliest ring she had ever seen. She figured it was that cubic zirconium stuff and not a real diamond, but it was a ring! She was conflicted. She was glad he planned to propose. But couldn’t he have picked something nicer? She put it all back in place, and thought about trying to call Cindy, but just about that time Tommy came back upstairs.
“Hey, I still have to go check the annex house and get my own stuff to my room, but make yourself at home. I’ll just be a few more minutes.”
Sarah tried not to let her emotion show, “Sounds good.”
Tommy grabbed his pack from the closet and headed up the stairs. It was only then that Sarah saw what was in the closest. His great grandmother’s old clothes, for one, some old magazines, and several packs of adult diapers. She laughed out loud. She knew it was perfectly natural for someone that old to eventually need them, but it just struck her as odd.
Tommy must have heard her laugh as he came back down, “What’s funny?” he asked.
She pointed to the diapers. “Sorry, they just…”
“They just what?”
Sarah was still laughing hard now, “I’m sorry, it just seems odd. Why not throw them away or donate them when she passed?”
Tommy was good natured, not offended, “So you can try one on of course,”
Sarah blushed, “What?”
Tommy grinned, “No, it’s because we really haven’t messed with anything. She wanted things left the same, but we know we have to take care of some stuff soon. That’ll be on the list. Donating is a good idea. I’ve still got to go to the annex house, but I’ll be right back.”
Sarah was desperate to change the conversation, “What is the annex house again?”
“Kind of like a small guest house.”
Sarah grinned, “So you have other guests here? Another girl?”
Tommy laughed, “If I did, would I admit it?”
“I guess not, but I’m on to you mister,”
“Fair. I’ll be sneaky. I just have to make sure the water is running over there too, and then I’ll get dinner going. Can you just preheat the oven for me?”
“To what?”
“375?”
“Ok great,”
“Ok, then go ahead and get diapered up,”
Sarah blushed and laughed again, “Maybe I will.”
Tommy laughed and headed out the door. He wouldn’t be able to keep up the charade long. He would have to propose tonight. His one saving grace was that Cindy had been willing to drive the old Oldsmobile that was always sitting on the family property. It wouldn’t look out of place.
He made his way to the annex house and sure enough, Cindy was there. He grinned, “Thanks for doing this,”
“Sure thing, Tommy. I wouldn’t miss my best friend’s engagement.”
“You have all the camera equipment you need to get the photos?”
“Yep. I just have to figure out how to be there without being there – hold on.”
Cindy reached for her phone and grinned, “It’s Sarah. She says, “I found the ring. Yuck! But yay?”
“You brought the real one?”
“Yeah, it’s right here.” She held out a glimmering diamond, “What should I tell her?”
“Whatever, just something normal,”
“How about, “Lame… but congrats on the engagement?”
“Perfect.”
“Okay, what about getting me over there for the engagement itself?”
“Um, let me think. An hour to an hour and a half for dinner, how long will it take her to get ready for movie night?”
“Um, nothing fancy tonight, I don’t think, but if she thinks you are going to propose, she might take a little longer. Maybe 45 minutes, an hour?”
“Okay. So that’s what two to two and half hours, so it’ll be dark. I guess I’ll just have to let you in. I’ll text you right before.”
“That makes sense. I’ll be ready.”
“Great, and you have food already?”
“Yeah I stopped at the Subway on the way in.”
“Perfect. I owe you!”
“No problem. Glad you let me part of it.”
Tommy made his way back to the main house. He smiled as he got in and saw Sarah on the couch. He wondered if she knew. The oven had been preheated and so he just took the chicken Florentine he had made earlier out of the carrier, took the lid off, and topped it in aluminum foil. Then he placed it in the oven and set a timer, before sitting down beside Sarah. “So now what?”
They wound up kissing, a lot, and then just lounging. Soon enough the oven dinged. Sarah said, “That smells really good,” and Tommy said, “I hope it tastes just as good.” After plating the Florentine and nuking some frozen veggies they sat down and began to eat.
Sarah was a little bit anxious. Would he propose during dinner? Or would he wait til the hike tomorrow? Or even Sunday? But so far he had acted like everything was normal. Or was it a giant fake out of some sort?
Tommy placed some pre-made chocolate chip cookies in the oven and told Sarah, “I’m going to freshen up for movie night. You mind if I get in my pajamas? Nothing too scandalous, I promise.”
Sarah tried to come up with a witty comeback, but came up blank, “No that’s fine. I’ll do the same. What movie did you pick out?” They had similar tastes in movies, even if Sarah enjoyed a good chick-flick now and then. She was curious what he would pick?
“Well, I kind of have a tradition that I watch Fantastic Four when I come hear, but I thought we could go for Enchanted,”
“Enchanted sounds great.”
Tommy headed up the stairs again and Sarah went into her bedroom and got in the shower too. She wouldn’t dress too sexy. Tommy was conservative – thus the separate rooms while they were here. But she wanted to be slightly playful. She was struggling to decide.
She got out of the shower, dried off, and wrapped the towel around her body. She rummaged through her suitcase. She had brought plenty of options, but none of them seemed right to her. Then she looked up and saw the closet and the diapers again.
“How hilarious would that be?” she said to no one in particular. “But then again, what if he proposes. Do I want to be wearing a diaper when he proposes?
Tommy was on the phone with Cindy.
“Yeah, I think she’s on to me, but we should be ready soon. Come on over.”
“Okay, want me to through her off the trail?”
“No, its okay, just head on over.”
Sarah put the diaper on, and then put on her jersey-tee.
Tommy grabbed the real ring and went through his speech one more time.
Cindy walked across the property and knocked on the door.
Sarah gasped. “Tommy, who is that?”
Tommy reached the bottom of the stairs and saw her in the diaper. He laughed out loud. And then he panicked.
“Let me check.” He had to think fast.
“Please don’t them see me in this. I just put it on cuz we were joking about it earlier.”
“I know. Don’t worry.”
He opened the door and before he could say anything discreetly, Cindy said, “Hey Tommy.”
“Is that Cindy? Oh my gosh, you really did invite another girl over here?”
“I, uh-“
“What’s going on Tommy?” Sarah said, still hiding in the bedroom.
“I, uh-“
“Well, Tommy, can I come in?”
“I, uh,”
“Let her in, we’ll figure this out.”
“Fine, come on in. Just don’t laugh.”
“Don’t laugh, you did!”
Cindy came in and after she came around the corner, she saw Sarah in the diaper.
“Um, Sarah?”
“I know!”
“Was this part of your plan, Tommy?”
Sarah turned to Tommy, and said, “What plan?”
Tommy sighed, “This plan,” he said, and revealed the real ring.
Sarah gasped, “Are you serious? That’s gorgeous!”
“Of course. Did you think I’d go cheap and get the one you found in my bag? That was part of my plan. I love you.”
Sarah smiled, “I love you too. But why have Cindy… for pictures” she saw the camera. “Got it. And you knew she’d be the first one I wanted to call.”
Cindy smiled, cherishing her friend all the more.
Tommy paused, “So, um, do you want to change or should I…”
Sarah laughed at herself, “Just go ahead. I’ll marry you no matter what I am wearing.”
Tommy gave his speech, then got down on one knee, “Sarah Petree, will you marry me?”
“Absolutely, I will.”
*Click* The camera went off as Tommy stood up, placed the ring on her finger, and embraced her.
After a few moments of oohing and awing over the ring, Tommy and Sarah settled onto the couch, and Cindy headed back to the annex house for the night. She promised to take more pictures in the morning, but didn’t want to intrude on the night.
When she was finally back in the annex, she let out a big burst of laughter. She went back over the pictures trying to figure out how many she could actually upload. She would have to talk to Sarah about what was appropriate. The diaper was hidden in some of the pictures, at least.
Tommy was content. It wasn’t quite the proposal he had imagined, but somehow it seemed to fit. Part of the reason he loved Sarah was her silliness. And as he laid his arm around her as she reclined on his lap, he felt the diaper and thought that it oddly seemed just right for her.
Sarah was thrilled. She was going to marry the man she loved. Sure, the proposal itself was a bit awkward, but they were engaged in the end, and that’s what mattered, right? She song along with the movie, “That’s how you know…” ate another warm cookie fresh out of the oven, took a sip from the hot chocolate Tommy had made, and drifted to sleep with a smile on her face.
She nearly forgot about the diaper.
But it was a good thing she had put it on. She would find that out in the morning.