Untraditional
"Sometimes I just... I just don't think I know you anymore" Chase said with disgust as he moved his fork around the plate, toying with his food. I rolled my eyes at him, dramatic as always. He always has to make a fuss over something.
I sighed "Why honey?".
Chase looked up, his purple eyes giving me a look of disapproval. "I thought we weren't using pet names" I shrugged, we had agreed on that but that was when we had first got together and that was years ago now. Probably about four now. "Pet names are for married couples, we only live together".
"I think you've forgot that we are in a relationship Chase. We don't just 'live together'" I took a fork full of food and took a bite. The meat was chewy and dry, I frowned and decided to take a bite of the vegetables. They were cold and undercooked. I cursed to myself in disappointment, I had tried my best.
I looked up at Chase who was also making faces at the food I had cooked, he looked up and frowned at me. "Well if it was my decision we wouldn't have lived together until we were married."
"Because that worked perfectly well for you and Maya" I snapped back. I wasn't even angry at his comment, I'd had this before and I knew that that was what was traditional here, but so were a lot of things it didn't mean people stuck to them. "Anyway, you moving in with me was a convenience. For one you now live half the distance from the restaurant than you did before and let Taylor have somewhere to live other than his parents house."
I took another bite from my home-cooked meal and almost threw up, it was disgusting. I stood up and walked over to the bin, tipping the food into it. I walked back over to the dinner table and refilled my glass of wine, offering Chase a refill too. He refused and placed his fork down. "What happened with Maya was different" He finally said. I shrugged, it was nearly ten years ago that Chase had married, and eventually divorced Maya. I was only 20 then and Chase 22, things has changed since then, we had both changed. Back then Chase and I had hardly talked Chase once admitted to me that he had loathed me for reasons he had never quite justified.
Chase got up and repeated what I had done with my meal, "Who would have thought that it would have been me that was the cook in this house and not you?".
"That's a very narrow view", I said "If you say things like that people might think you're sexist" I took another sip of my wine as Chase came and sat back down opposite to me. This time, he did refill his glass and took a sip too "At least the wine is nice" He smirked and put the glass down "I'm only joking. But seriously I'm sure you get worse every time you cook."
"Its only so I don't have to cook."
Chase chuckled "Sure it is" For the rest of the night we sat and talked about our day, for me who I had seen out and about in town, my encounter with Luna and our argument over the price of some mittens. For Chase, he told me about his day at work and all of the gossip he had overheard while behind the counter.
One bit of information he had found out was that Kevin was planning on buying a plot of land between my farm and Flute Fields, it was only small but just enough to build a house and a barn and still have room for space for crops. Apparently he and his new wife, Maya, were planning on starting a family, according to Anissa and Jin anyway. It felt a bit odd to know that my boyfriend's ex-wife was going to be moving next door, pretty much, but I had nothing against Maya and I wondered if Chase and I ever had children whether they would be friends with Kevin and Maya's.
At around one Chase and I went to bed as I had to be up early and if I was going to eat, which Chase insisted I had to in the mornings he would have to get up too to cook our breakfast.
We were up by seven, because who seriously gets up at six? Chase cooked eggs and bacon for us both and a cup of coffee before I left for my day out on the farm and a trip into the mine as I hadn't been there in a couple of weeks.
By two, I was in the mine looking for ores and jewels to be sold and made into jewelry or tools. I travelled up and up and up not finding much the whole way. I must have climbed to at least 30 of the possible 45 levels before I found anything of use. I continued to climb starting to find more the higher I climbed, by level 40 I decided that I might as well go to the top and take a dip in the hot spring before my climb down.
I reached the top of the mine and the peak of the mountain, it had been years since I had been up here but when I looked around I remembered immediately where the spring was. I stripped down and climbed in letting the warm water soothe my skin and aching bones. I have a spring by my own house but I barely use it and for some reason this spring just felt better more relaxing, or maybe it was just the view was much better. You could see the whole island all the way up here.
It was starting to get dark so I got out and redressed myself, now energised and ready for the venture back down the mountain. I got to the top of a couple of steps from the hot spring when I stopped, mesmerized by a little bird standing by the entrance to the mine. The bird was a sapphire blue, its feathers shimmering in the dusk. It must have only been about the size of a robin but its feathers were long and elegant that glimmered and reflected all shades of blue every time it moved. I watched the bird for a while standing very still when I remembered a letter once sent to me by Hamilton.
It came back to my suddenly and I instantly recognised the bird to be the famous blue bird that leaves feathers for those ready to get married. The blue feather was traditionally used to propose with. I stepped closer to the bird, this wasn't right, this couldn't be a sign could it? I was a woman, after all, isn't the man supposed to propose? The bird took flight and soared into the sky leaving behind one blue feather. I picked it up and examined it, it was beautiful even if I didn't use it on Chase I could keep it. I placed it carefully in my pocket and began my descent down. All the while thinking about the feather.
Maybe I could think of a way to plant it so Chase would find it and use it or get rid of it, at least then I would know if he wanted to marry me. But after considering many ways on planting it I recalled that the bluebird was only found up on the tallest peak and so gave up on that idea. It's not like Chase would ever consider going all the way up there either, no one ever did anymore, the only person I knew of who had done it was Owen and he was up there all the time mining. Not even Phoebe and Calvin did.
I debated the fate of the found feather all the way back home too still unsure about what to do, I got so caught up in my thoughts I forgot to drop off what I had found in the mines to Julius but maybe that was for the best, I wouldn't want him seeing the feather, of all people.
It was as late as nine by the time I reached my home, I wasn't sure how I had got back so late but I figured that I must have spent a lot of time in the hot spring. Chase wasn't back yet but would be within the hour. I waited for him, heating up a meal Chase had prepared earlier ready for him to return. I had just finished putting out our meals when Chase arrived home.
"Good day?" I asked as I sat myself down. Chase only nodded, took off his coat and sat himself down opposite to me.
Chase looked around the table and down at my leg, pulling his eyebrows together. "I thought I saw something funny when I walked in, what's that in your pocket?".
I glanced down too at my leg and realised the tip of the blue feather was sticking out. I pulled it out and placed it down on the table for him to see, I didn't say anything at first and neither did he. Chase glanced up at me, his eyes begging for an explanation. "I..." I bit my lip, closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
Okay Angela, just do it. "Chase, would you marry me?".
We stared at each other, Chase in shock, I in disbelief that I actually said it. After a minute or so of silence Chase laughed "As long as we can have an untraditional wedding too."
Hi again, another one from my 50 one-shots that I didn't want to get rid of totally. Thanks again.