Every Penguin Has a Song
By angellwings
The Question
Summer 2017
Nate took a deep breath and began to pace in the room behind Eleanor's habitat. The little penguin hopped up out of the water and waddled up to Nate. She sat down at his feet and tilted her head in confusion as she watched him. He was muttering to himself as if he were rehearsing something. He turned and noticed Eleanor out of the corner of his eye and stopped.
"Well, hello there," Nate said with a grin. "You're early."
Eleanor cooed at him and he chuckled.
"Maybe you can help me," Nate said as he knelt down to look at the penguin. "I'm about to ask Ella—"
The penguin squawked and then burrowed her head into Nate's hand at the mention of Ella's name and he smiled.
"Yes, she's coming to visit you. How could she not? Anyway, I'm going to ask her to marry me. You probably have no idea what I'm saying, but it's a pretty big deal. Do you want to hear what I'm going to say?" Nate asked as he nervously cleared his throat.
Eleanor let out a high pitched trill and quickly settled at Nate's feet. She watched him closely and appeared to be waiting for him to speak. Nate laughed lightly and grinned. He'd never seen an animal with such a big personality. Sometimes it felt like Eleanor was a human and not a penguin.
"Right," Nate said as he took a deep breath. "Here we go." He paused and gathered his thoughts and while he did he could have sworn he saw Eleanor yawn. "Okay, okay, I get it. I should get on with it." He took one last deep breath and then immediately went into his speech. "Eleanor Billie Pador—"
Eleanor the penguin made a shrill noise at the sound of her name and Nate smiled at her.
"Yes, her name is Eleanor too. Can I continue?"
Eleanor ducked her head for a second and then looked back up at him.
"Maybe the full name is too much, huh? Eleanor Pador? Ella? Eleanor Billie—"
Eleanor squawked brightly and he took that as a sign that she liked the last one best.
"Right, Eleanor Billie it is. Eleanor Billie, it's been 8 years since we met, and in those 8 years I've gotten to know you, grown to love you, and now I can't imagine myself without you. And I'm hoping I'll never have to. I love you more than anyone or anything and I want to spend the rest of my life with you—"
Eleanor trilled in approval and burrowed a little deeper into his side.
Nate chuckled before he continued. "You once told me that, much like the penguins in Happy Feet, I would find the girl who could hear and understand my song. You were right. I found her. She's you. You were talking about yourself. Did you know that at the time? Because I didn't. Not then. I'm hoping I can make it up to you though. With giving you all of my days for the rest of my life." He paused and smiled peacefully. "Marry Me? Please?"
Nate sighed contentedly as he thought back on his speech. It was everything he wanted her to know. Everything he felt. Eleanor cooed and he responded by tickling her stomach and back. She let out the rolling high pitched laugh he loved and he smiled brightly. He froze when he heard a bucket clang behind him. He spun around to find Ella staring at him in shock.
"You…that was—was that a proposal?"
He couldn't seem to form an answer. This was not how he pictured this happening.
"Please tell me that proposal was for me and not Eleanor the penguin," Ella said after the silence continued to linger.
Nate smirked at her and chuckled before speaking dryly. "Yes, Ella. I'm proposing to the penguin."
"Well, you did fall in love with that Eleanor first, you know," Ella said with a shy smile. "I had to make sure."
"That was totally intended for you. I was just getting Eleanor's opinion. I was going to ask when you got back with the fish…but I guess…you've already heard my big speech."
Her eyes watered and she laughed softly. "And some speech it was." She sniffled and stepped closer to him. "You really want to marry me?"
"More than anything else in the world, Ella," Nate told her as he stood and met her halfway.
Ella smiled brightly and nodded eagerly. "Yes! Yes, I'll marry you!"
He returned her smile and immediately pulled her into his arms. "You will?"
"Yes!" Ella said with a watery laugh. "Of course I will."
Nate pulled away to look at the penguin who was watching them curiously. "She said yes, Eleanor."
Eleanor let out a loud shrill sound and her whole body jumped and shuddered in excitement.
Nate pulled the ring box out of his pocket and fumbled with getting the ring out of the box. Ella smiled softly as she watched Nate's hands shake and she gently took his hands in hers and helped him put the ring on her finger. She sighed happily and wrapped her arms around his neck. "The ring is beautiful, Nathaniel. You're proposal was beautiful and this was absolutely perfect." Ella kissed his lips and then turned to look at Eleanor. "Right, Nora?"
Eleanor squawked in agreement and flapped her little wings.
It wasn't exactly what Nate had planned, but sometimes plans change for the better.