"Well, Dad -" Richie began.

His father interrupted. "This is about Rose, isn't it?"

"Yeah, actually, it is. How'd you guess that?"

Rob smiled. "Because that's the look I used to get back in the army, when I was seeing your mother. You've got it bad, haven't you?"

"I would say so, since I bought this." He produced the box with the ring from his pocket. "I was all set to ask her, and then I started to get cold feet. I mean, a lot has changed since you and Mom did this."

"It sure has," Rob agreed. He remembered when Richie first moved out of their house. Laura suddenly didn't know what to do with herself, without a son to raise. But she quickly found a new purpose in teaching music and dance to a few of the neighbors' children. It wasn't a full-scale dance school, but she got quite a bit of word-of-mouth. Rob's mind returned to the present. "Some things have changed, sure. But there's one thing that's stayed the same: love."

Richie started to object. "But, Dad -"

"Don't 'but, Dad' me," Rob said firmly. "I can still remember sitting in the jeep with your mother, getting ready to ask her to marry me. I was in the United States military, and I can honestly say that was one of the scariest moments of my life. I tried to talk myself out of it again and again."

"Well, that's great advice, Dad," Richie said, rolling his eyes.

"I said I tried to talk myself out of it. Every time I did, I just kept picturing your mother's smile, or how it felt to kiss her. No amount of logic could ever stand up to that. I was still scared, but I did it anyway. Because I knew if I didn't make my move, someone else might. I couldn't let that happen."

"So you're saying I should do it, even though there's a chance she'll say no?"

Rob nodded. "Trust me, if you love her, it won't matter that you're scared. From the first moment I saw your mother, I knew she was special. I just had to get to know her. I talked another guy into letting me be her dance partner, and -"

"You stepped on Mom's foot and broke it. I know, Dad. I've heard the story." Richie couldn't help rolling his eyes. The stories of his parents' romance, his birth and the time his father had thought he'd been switched with another baby were just a few of the stories Richie had heard over and over growing up.

Rob saw that he wasn't getting anywhere. "OK, if you aren't sure about marrying her, let me ask you this. Suppose you don't marry her. A few months from now, she meets some other guy, and she goes out with him instead. He decides to ask her, and she says yes. How do you feel now?"

"I'd want to tell the guy to get lost, because she's mine!" The answer came immediately, even before Richie had thought about it.

"Well, then, if she's yours, don't you think you should let her know that?" Rob asked, putting a hand on his son's shoulder.

Finally, Richie saw his father's point. "I guess you're right. I knew you'd know what to say." He hugged his father tightly.

"You're welcome, son. Just don't wait too long to ask her, or I have a feeling your mother's going to die of anticipation!"

Richie laughed. "No, I won't. And I promise I'll let you know when we set a date. I have a feeling this won't be a small wedding."

"With your mother planning it? I wouldn't count on it," Rob said, smiling. It was hard to believe that the man standing in front of him now was the same little boy who used to hide in the closet when he knew his father was coming home. "I'm proud of you, son. I know people seem to think marriage and relationships today are no big deal, but they're wrong. I wouldn't trade what your mom and I have for anything in the world. I thank God every day that she actually said yes."

Laura knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help it. She smiled as she heard Rob tell their son about love and their relationship. Rob had been her first love, and she couldn't begin to imagine where she'd be now if they hadn't met. I think God every day that you asked, she thought, wiping a tear as she watched father and son hug once again.

As Richie got back into his car and started to drive home, all he could do was pray that, someday, he and Rose would have a love like his parents'.

The End