We had a wonderful dinner that evening. Big decided to make his famous spaghetti for

me. The aroma of the fresh garlic filled the air. It was a magical evening. We even

reenacted the spaghetti scene from "Lady and the Tramp". How romantic, and silly at the

same time. It was like we were just so perfect for each other. But I guess something was

still missing because Big didn't even try to ask me the question I was so longing to hear. I

almost was ready to throw protocol out the window and ask him to marry me. I was so

ready this time. I sided on caution while eating and drinking thinking maybe he would be

old fashioned and would float the ring on the ice in my drink or put it under the mint

leaves of my chocolate mousse. But nothing happened all evening. I did hold my breath

though when Big got off the couch and on one knee in front of me. I was ready to

explode but he just turned around and settled in between my knees with his head resting

on my knee rubbing my feet as he had so many times before. A comfort only he could

provide. I wouldn't let just anyone touch my feet. Especially since Charlotte found that

guy in the shoe store with that foot fetish. There are some real crazies out there. We

decided to watch a movie together. He loved the old Clint Eastwood movies with Dirty

Harry. Every time it came to the part of Dirty Harry and the guy he had his 350 magnum

gun pointed to, Big would turn to me and say, "Hey kid, how lucky do YOU feel? " I

would just smile and kiss him as we always did, playfully, and my response was "Oh so

lucky." We never did get to finish watching the movie as we laid in each others arms

drifting off to sleep with only the embers of the fire glowing as the fire burned down.

The next morning I woke with the sunlight streaming through the windows. I reached

next to me to find Big was gone. I got up and wrapped the blanket around me as I walked

through the house in my bare feet. The feel of the Italian marble in the foyer was

encouraging my senses to wake up further. I found Big in a room which looked like an

unfinished study. It had a desk and a few books but not much else. Big was standing there

in his Prada shirt and briefs with his hands on his hips in contemplation over something. I

walked up beside him and whispered in his ear, "Good morning, stranger." Big just

smiled and remained standing there with a puzzled look. He then asked, "Do you think

Ecru or Eggshell would look good?" I asked what he meant. And he said, "The walls, I

never liked this color, what do you think?" The room was done in a dull grey color which

even the sunlight couldn't brighten up. "Hey kid what was the color of the paint you used

in your apartment kitchen?" I told him it was eggshell. He told me he liked that color and

it would brighten up the place. He also said," Since you did such a great job then you can

paint it." I said, "Are you kidding?" He said, "No, it can be our project for today, how

soon can you be ready?" I asked, "For what?" He said, For our road trip to town of

course." "I think I saw some painting supplies in the shed in the vineyard but we will

need paint. I told him I needed a quick shower and he responded with ,"Need someone to

wash your back?" He had that eyebrow cocked up just as he always did when he was in

the mood. I told him if I had company in the shower we would never get to painting that

room. He backed down reluctantly, with a, "I'll take a rain check then." I told him to give

me at least 30 minutes. He said he would give me an hour because it usually took me that

long. I gave him a playful sneer and scampered away as Big grabbed the edge of the

blanket as I was walking. I then rushed in all my glory to the marble bathroom to get

ready. I opened a window noticing how warm the air was and taking in the smell of the

grapes in the arbor. I decided to wear a pair of shorts with my Rolling Stones tee shirt

complimented with a pair of Manolo Blahnik sandals of course. The perfect outfit to go

to town I thought. I put my hair up in a pony tail knowing full well we would be painting

later. When I met Big in the foyer his comment was," I would love to paint on your

canvas, wow!" I just smiled feeling I had accomplished getting the reaction I was hoping

for. He opened the door and we got into his car and drove into town. On the way we

passed the Italian restaurant we ate at the first night I was here. We then came to a small

country looking hardware store. Big asked if I wanted to go in and I said I would wait in

the car. He went in and a little while later he came out with bags and bags of things we

would probably need. He had several gallons of paint too. He loaded all of his new

purchases in the trunk and we started driving back to the house. He was so excited about

getting started on the room. I helped him unload the car. I told him we probably won't

need half this stuff. He told me, Maybe not but I don't' want to need something that we

don't have and have to go back for it." I agreed. He asked if I needed to change but I told

him, no, I was alright. After all it would just be my arm painting. He put up a ladder and

set out 2 cans of paint with trays to start. He put on some Frank Sinatra music and when I

heard, "New York, New York." I got sentimental thinking about the girls and wondering

what they were all doing right at that moment. Big saw me holding a paint brush and

staring off into the distance. He said, "OK slacker get with it." I told him, "I will show

you a slacker." I then proceeded to start to paint my section of the room. I was on one

side and he was on the other. The paint cans and trays were in the middle. Several times

we would both need paint at the same time and it became a competition of who would get

to the paint first. I needed paint and went to the tray but it was empty. Big said he would

fill it for me but I remembered how I didn't need a man to help me with my kitchen and I

didn't need one now. I told him, "Thanks but no thanks" I started pouring the paint into the

pan and got too much coming out at once. I let out a squeal and Big came over to be a

man and take control. I went to push him away and forgot the paint brush full of paint

was in my hand as was the can of paint. I pointed towards Big and the can slipped out of

my hands falling on Big's foot. He yelled out in pain and I tried to make it better by

reaching down to his foot. We both hit heads. He then smiled and said, " So you want to

play dirty huh?" I said." No!" and he started to chase me around the room with a paint brush,

flicking the paint off of it when we would get near each other. I slipped running through

the center of the room in paint on the drop cloths. I caught my heel in the plastic and fell

backwards into Big's arms and we both fell to the floor covered in paint. We started

laughing because a quarter of the paint was on the wall and most the rest of it was on us.

We looked like a couple of pigs wallowing in the mud. He said, "Now look what you

have done." I replied, "Me, it was your idea for all of this Michael Angelo." He just

smiled as he always did. I told him I was going to get cleaned up and I expected him to

be ready to complete this project when I got back. He said, " Oooh I just love a woman

who takes charge." I smiled back with my "I am woman, hear me roar." smile and left the

room.

When I got back there it was, right in front of me, it stopped me in my tracks. He had

done it. The writing was on the wall. He stood there looking at me with those beautiful

eyes and said, "Well?" The doubts were gone the fear was not there anymore, I was ready

to answer his question. I ran across the room and into his arms saying," What took you so

long?" I turned and couldn't believe my eyes, he had written across the wall in eggshell

colored paint, MARRY ME. Simple but the most profound thing I had ever seen. I

whispered in his ear" Of course, but really what took you so long?" He told me he was

looking for the right time and this was it. He said he wanted me for his partner in

everything we do. His partner for life. He realized I was his one and he was not going to

ever let me go again. I started to cry with joy and he said, Watch it kid, you'll make the

paint run." I replied, "It may run but I won't anymore." He said, "It's about time."