The next morning Steve had a headache. Thank God it's Saturday he thought. He stumbled into the kitchen and made himself some coffee. Then he took the ring out of his pocket and looked at it, he turned it around making the light reflect in the diamond making it sparkle and shine. I gotta find a special way to propose he remembered. He sat down – a coffee mug in hand and a cigarette in the other. He started to think of all the ways he could propose – take her dancing and take the mic from the DJ and ask her, nah he thought too many people around, take her on a picnic – too cheesy, maybe I can take her to the beach and write on the sand "Will you marry me?" He liked that idea. Not corny and not a lot of people around. He finished his coffee and grounded his cigarette.
His dad walked into the kitchen, "What ya smiling about?" he asked gruffly. His dad just as Steve was getting over a hangover. His appearance was disheveled – his black hair was sticking out in every direction, his shirt unbuttoned. He poured himself a cup of coffee.
"I'm smiling 'cause I have something nice in my life for a change." Steve smiled even wider.
"What's that?" his dad asked scratching his head.
"I'm gonna marry Evie." Steve said proudly, looking his dad straight in the eyes. His dad stopped what he was doing abruptly – "you what?" he asked as if he thought he heard wrong.
"I'm gonna marry Evie Reynolds" Steve repeated louder, "and that's why I'm smiling 'cause I love her, but you wouldn't know anything 'bout that," Steve added somewhat bitterly, and regretted it right away. He didn't mean to say that, he didn't need another fight with his dad, but it just happened. Steve's dad divorced his mom when Steve was really young. Steve's dad liked going to bars and bringing different women home. Steve really hoped his dad wouldn't start on him after he said that. He stared out the window intensely and avoided his dad's gaze.
"You watch it, don't be mouthing off to me," his dad pointed a finger in Steve's face. Steve clenched his teeth and turned his face away from his dad's finger, frowning.
"Where are you going to live? What are you going to eat?" His dad snorted taking a sip of his coffee and walking away. Steve felt a pang of anxiety in his stomach - he hadn't thought it all the way through. What he was making at the DX would barely be enough to rent one bedroom on the poor side of town, but then there are other bills like gas, electric, cable. He felt beads of sweat form on his forehead. Maybe Evie could get a job he thought. He sighed heavily, he didn't know how things were going to turn out, but he knew one thing for sure he loved Evie Reynolds and he wanted to marry her before some other hood may make a move on her. He decided to go through with the proposal.
He took a quick shower and skipped breakfast that cup of coffee was all he had. Next he called Evie. "Hi babe what are you doing?" he asked affectionately, twirling the phone cord in between his fingers.
"Nothing, I'm bored," Evie complained.
"Wanna go to the beach?" he suggested trying to sound as casual as possible.
"Who's going?"
"Just me and you. Since when you need company, am I not enough?"He asked half joking and half serious. She giggled, "all right pick me up when you are ready." She said and then she hung up.
Steve felt his heart beat faster. This was it, the big moment. He put a nice shirt on and carefully combed his hair, putting just enough grease in it, then he sprayed some cologne onto his shirt - he wanted to look good for this occasion. He took the box with the ring from the table. He opened it and played with the ring in his hands, looking at how the light reflected in the diamond. It sure was beautiful, good choice he thought, mentally thanking Soda for picking out this ring.
In about half an hour he was at Evie's. She was wearing spaghetti strap blue top, a denim skirt that was short but not too short and white flip-flops that said "drama queen" on them. Her wheat color hair was down. She noticed Steve's nice shirt "don't you look nice today," she giggled.
"Thanks babe you look beautiful," Steve gave her a peck on the lips.
They got into the car. Steve cranked the radio up and was singing along loudly.
"Someone's in a good mood," Evie gave him a sideways look.
"I'm always in a good mood when I'm with you." he replied looking at her admiringly. She smiled, and he took one hand off the steering wheel and brushed it against Evie's cheek. She smiled even more grabbed his hand and brought it up to her lips. The car wobbled, and Evie let go of Steve's hand. "Now you drive before you get us killed Steve Randle." She said, but she was laughing. He put his hand back on the steering wheel, but smiled widely.
Finally they were at the beach. "I'm going in," Evie said immediately. Steve couldn't help it but notice, how cute she looked in her black two piece swim suite. She had a really nice figure. Steve walked up to her and gave her a long kiss on the lips – "you are beautiful," he whispered. "I am going in," she said again, putting her hair in a bun so it wouldn't get wet.
"I'll be right there hun," Steve said, taking his converses off and noticing how nice the sand felt against his bare feet. Evie went in, while Steve got a stick and wrote in big letters on the sand "Evie Reynolds will you marry me?" and drew a large heart next to it.
In a few minutes Evie was back, "what's taking you so long? You haven't even taken your shirt off…" then she noticed his facial expression – "what?" She asked confused. He pointed at the message on the sand. She looked at it and froze "Oh my God …" He got on one knee and took the box out of his shirt pocket.
"Oh my god, oh no…" her eyes grew wide. He ran his fingers through his hair nervously, then opened the box – "Evie Reynolds will you marry me?" he said affection and pride in his voice. Her eyes watered with tears. "Yes," she whispered, wiping her eyes. He took the ring out of the box and put it on her finger. She wrapped her hands around his shoulders, and he spun her around. She kept looking at the ring. "It's beautiful," she finally said, stretching her arm out admiring it. Then all of the sudden she sighed heavily and said, "There is one problem though,"
"What's that?" Steve asked somewhat impatiently. The last thing he needed was any sort of a problem.
"You got to ask my dad." Evie said sounding somewhat apologetic and looking down.
"You are kidding right?" Steve croaked and let go of her hand staring at her in disbelief.
"No babe I ain't kidding. He will never let me get married without his permission." She said, gently brushing his hair out of his eyes. "I'm sorry," she added, "but you really got to ask him. We are going out for dinner tomorrow night you can join us, and you can ask him then".
Evie was one of the few who had a pretty decent family. Her parents were not divorced. They weren't drunks and nobody was beating nobody. To tell the truth Steve had always felt a little inferior whenever he was talking to her folks. They knew what kind of family Steve was from.
"What if he says no?" - Steve gave Evie a concerned look.
"He'll say yes, we'll talk him into it." She assured him, taking his hand.
Steve swallowed hard "Ok I'll do it. I still can't believe it though." He said reluctantly.
Evie leaned in and kissed Steve on the lips. Then she looked at him playfully and started running towards the water. He quickly threw his shirt and jeans off and started running after her. He reached her, picked her up bridal style and then threw her into the water. She laughed and started splashing him, he splashed her back. In this moment they both were genuinely happy.
