Mia sat sprawled underneath the tree, thanking the gods of fashion for jeans and tops that weren't cut down to about here (finally the girls were in check, at least for tonight). Beside her, with his arm round her waist, sat her boyfriend Diego. Mia sighed and turned to him, trying to pluck up the courage to say what she had to.

"The fireworks are beautiful tonight, aren't they?"

"Yes, Kitten. They're perfect, just like you."

He squeezed her a little tighter.

"Now quit stalling and tell me what you really wanted to say."

Mia sighed. That was always the way with Diego. How the heck was she always so transparent around him?! Even back in the day when they were just colleagues, he always knew exactly what was wrong. And, she mused, how to fix it.

"I'm just thinking about how this whole dating malarkey has been a bit of a pointless exercise."

"Oh?"

"Well, look at us. I've spent months getting to know you better, and then after all that I still love you as much as I did at the start."

Diego chuckled. That was his Mia, so cynical and sarcastic in a really cute way. Kittens can scratch too, you know.

"I suppose I did get one thing out of it", he whispered as he fidgeted with the thing in his coat pocket.

"And what's that then?"

"Broke."

"But I paid for-Oh. Oh my God. Are you actually..."

"Yes, Mia. Will you marry me?"

You could almost hear the crickets chirp in the still summer air as Mia tried to process the information. There were probably some real ones hopping about and doing other crickety things, but Diego was mostly having issues with the metaphorical ones.

"Yes or no, Kitten. I hate to rush you, but my knee is hurting."

Eventually, Mia let out what could safely be described as a squeak.

"Yes..."