After the final day of complex conferences and rescheduled first aid training, the team had made their way down to the Christmas party, tired but happy to finally be celebrating after the intense workload they'd encumbered over the last few days.
Jacob slipped his hand around Connie's waist, his tux gently sweeping along the deep blue of her dress. "Roof terrace, 20 minutes" he whispered, tugging her a little closer, kissing her cheek lightly and turning away. She blushed and he stalked off into the crowds of renouned doctors; the New York convention was a known by all doctors and it was very difficult to have your application accepted onto the course.
Twenty minutes later, Jacob stood in the roof garden, staring over the balcony at the New York skyline. A small black box was held gently in his left hand and his right grasped the balcony – traffic was rushing beneath him and the air was thick, sirens faintly sounding it the distance; Jacob was lost in his thoughts.
What if, after all this time, she rejected him? Was it too soon? – They'd been dating for 4 months, oh God, he was so wrong! She'd be coming soon, provided she wasn't too caught up in the party downstairs. If she said no, his life would no longer be worth living. At least he was already atop the high-rise building, NO he had to stop thinking like that, and he didn't need sectioning again, not at a crucial time like this. Where was the point? She wasn't going to come anyway.
He flicked the box open again, his eyes watering with hope as he stared at the silver ring, diamond encased in an emerald green varnish. It was beautiful. Connie was beautiful. He needed her.
Jacob span violently to the sound of hurried heels clacking along the terrace, shoving the box back into his pocket. "Jacob? I'm so sorry I'm late, Charlie wouldn't let me leave the wine bar until I'd spoken to this heart surgeon whose name I've long since forgotten and…" she trailed off. "Jacob?"
Jacob was looking back down at the traffic 600 metres below. He took a deep breath and slowly turned back to Connie, who could now see the tears glistening in his eyes, illuminated by the amber glow through the clear night air. Never before had she seen him look so vulnerable, so broken and concerned. "Jacob please, step away from there, you're scaring me" she almost whispered, a pleading tone so rarely heard, present in her voice.
"Connie." Jacob's voice came out gruff at first and he cleared his throat "Connie."
She stepped forwards and took his hands in hers. "Jacob?"
"Connie." He took a deep breath and continued "I like to look at things from a different perspective when I have a problem" he said softly, leading her across to the edge of the terrace.
"W-what do you mean?" she asked, her eyes begging, imploring, to settle with his. She shivered into the chilly air and he turned back to face her once more.
"I have a problem Connie" he whispered, placing a hand on her face as he slipped his other hand back into his pocket once more. "I've been dodging it since I came to the ED and now seems lie the right time". He grasped the smooth shell of the box once more and silently slid it out of his pocket, careful not to draw her attention to it yet.
Connie's eyes searched his, the desperation to understand aching through her body.
"You see, I need to know" he stopped, felt a shiver pass up his spine "I-if this fits you" he held out the box, the ivory of the wood gleaming jet black against the night, "A-and I need to know if you'll take it. I love you Connie". Connie was shocked. This was all she'd wanted for the past two months. "Jacob" she breathed, tears of happiness collecting in the corners of her eyes, "Jacob, yes"
Jacob knelt on one knee and opened the box and Connie gasped in surprise. The ring was beautiful and tiny, so fragile and delicate she was afraid to touch it. Jacob gently levered it out of the box as Connie reached out her hand and he slipped it onto her ring finger.
It was a perfect fit.
