Title: Snapshot 216 – When You Say Nothing At All
Author: Dragonfly's Girl aka Ki Ki
Disclaimers: Not mine. Never will be. Just borrowing them out to play and will return them soon as they have finished acting out my dreams and fantasies! Pinky swear!
--
The camera flashed; the moment captured.
She was uncharacteristically shy, looking down at her hands instead of anyone around her. Her body was turned towards him though, as if trying to seek sanctuary from the outside world right then and there in his arms. He was sitting beside her – close, closer than friends should or would – with his hand on her back. His face was to her, a mixture of emotions: worries, embarrassment, nerves, but also pride, joy, pleasure. His lips were set to a grim line of slight disapproval, his eyes projecting a slight glare at the stage. Still, there was no mistaking the sparkle of love and pleasure in his eyes.
There was joy; they were both elated. Of that it was apparent. Despite the unease they seemed to display, they were the epitomes of happiness that simply shone through to the world.
--
I have to say, this place is like a little gem in this city. It has great food, nice music, polite servers, and is generally out of the way of all the tourists. The first time I came here was by pure coincidence – well, that and I was trying to prove a point. But then I just fell in love with this place. It's also not too far from my Uncle Freddy's, which also gives me some excuse to visit him.
The waitresses recognize me now. I even have "my" table off to the side of the stage, almost in a little corner. I have a great view of the stage, which is a great bonus.
Annie, a sweet girl putting herself through college, sets my order down with her usual smile, "Here you go. How are you today? How's the little one?"
"Oh, we're both fine," I can't help but rub my stomach. I am still in awe that a life is growing inside me. "This little guy, though, I'm sure is an incarnation of a monkey or something. He treats my stomach as his own personal monkey gym."
She giggles at my joke, and leaves my table with the promise to return later to talk before going to tend to other customers.
I find myself relaxing in this quaint little place. It's not a romantic restaurant, but the soft lighting of the place just gives an alluring glow. Coupled with the music by the live band, it's the perfect place to unwind and relax.
I was just about to wave Annie down to ask for the tab when she comes by and puts another glass in front of me.
"You'll like it tonight," she says, with a wave of her hand, "This one's on the house, and you'll want to take your time finishing this one up."
I watch her as she leaves again to take the order of another table. This is getting curious.
The staff all knows that I love to be here on Wednesday nights. They assume that's because I like the band. In a way, it's true. I do like the music the band plays on Wednesday evening, but more so because that's when Mac plays, and I like to watch him when he's not in work mode.
Taking a cue from Annie, I scan the room, especially the tables around the stage area. Lo and behold, Mac Taylor is sitting there. His back is to me so he won't see me. And it looks like he has brought a friend as well.
No, not just any friend – a slender lady friend with a head of curls.
It's not hard to guess who that friend is. I'm just surprised to see them so open about their relationship here. It's a little strange, actually. Almost everyone on the team knows they are dating – none of us are saying anything to anyone, of course – but they have always been so careful with the appearances.
Tonight they look different though. There is definitely no doubt that they are a couple. Now if I can only figure out why Mac has taken Stella here on a Monday evening, and why he looks so nervous doing it.
I find that it's always very fascinating to watch the two of them interact, especially when they don't think anyone is watching them. They are just so natural together, so in tune. I have to admit it makes me a little jealous sometimes to see how easy they are with one another. I, on the other hand, am just always in a more or less dysfunctional relationship.
I am too far away to see what they are talking about, but I don't really need to hear them. So much of their communication is through gesture and touches anyway.
Now wait a minute – is that a little blue box that Mac just set on the table between them? Oh, be still my heart, but I think Mac Taylor just put a little blue box on the table in front of Stella.
But what is going on here? Why is my boss standing up away from the table? She hasn't even opened the box yet!
"Guys, we have a special guest joining us tonight," the lead singer of the band says cheekily. "Please put your hands together for Mac!"
Okay, I am definitely surprised. He's not going to pop the question with an open mike, is he?
The first strum of guitar starts off the song, and it takes me a while to realize what they are playing. The Keith Whitley classic "When you say nothing at all".
I have to hold my breath. The music sends tingles down my spine, and I keep looking back and forth between Mac and Stella. It's pretty obvious his move shocks her too, and I can only imagine what she's feeling right now if I am so touched.
I wonder if the audience knows what's happening, because everyone is shushed in the place. His eyes though, they've never left hers. He strums the chord and plays the tune to perfection, but his eyes never left hers.
Maybe this is what people call true love, after all? It's something you can't ask for, but something shared by two people so close together.
The whole place breaks into applauds when they finish, and Mac gracefully takes a bow before getting off the stage. I am tuning out the rest of the crowd, my tunnel vision on the table Stella sits, her shoulder shaking slightly, something suspiciously glittery on her cheeks.
Wasn't it Danny who told me that Stella Bonasera doesn't cry? Well, maybe I have just once again proven how he doesn't know his team as well as he thought!
Mac finally approaches their table again and takes his seat across from her. Still, the man hasn't said anything – or nothing that require him to move his lips much.
He is reaching for her though, his hand right across the table, grasping hers. Are they really going to play this game now? Man, I hope Mac isn't really going to propose by saying nothing at all. I can't imagine any woman would like that.
But then, maybe Stella would.
Finally, he draws her hand closer to him and slips open the little blue box that has been bugging me.
Yes, I was right, it was one of those little blue box, with a ring inside. Oh boy, I feel like a voyeur right now, but I'm being caring. This is too good to pass up.
Oh, the look between them. That simply says it all, doesn't it? They just have to look at one another. You would wonder why they ever bothering saying anything out loud. This really must be the only proposal in the world that doesn't require the man popping the question out loud.
She just nodded. That's all that has happened. He asked with his eyes and gestures, and she agreed with a simple nod.
Where is the big declaration of love that normally takes place before and after a proposal?
Mac Taylor and Stella Bonasera. Understated must be both of their middle names!
I realize that I have tears streaming down my cheeks too. Damn hormones.
I hate to leave when this is getting so good, but I really have to get home to get ready for shift. Both Mac and Stella are probably going to be in fairly good mood, but I still don't want to chance getting on their bad sides.
I leave a more than generous tips for Annie on the table before taking my leave, and just when I reach the door, the lead singer's voice booms, "Oh, ladies and gentlemen. Looks like our Mac here has just made an honest man out of himself!"
The whole place once again erupts into cheers, and the couple now becomes the centre of the whole place's attention. I can just see the two of them amongst all the people cheering around them. They are both uncomfortable, to say the least.
I have honestly never seen Stella this shy before. She just keeps looking down at her hand instead of all the people around her. Her body language, too, says a lot. She's turned towards him, as if trying to hide from the world right then and there in his arms.
His hands are on her, taking her in and holding her close. His lips are set into this grim line of slight disapproval that we all know so well, but his eyes, really, they tell a different story.
I can see the embarrassment in both their features, but there is no masking the pride and joy there.
And most important of all? Love. There is no mistaking two people in love.
A/N: Well, this came out a little better than I thought it would - let's play that game again! haha, can you name this pov? I mean, I had the toughest time writing this pov (I think I said that all the time, but this is the truest though.) but really, I have to wonder, is it my own deficiencies in capturing this character's voice, or did the show really did such a poor job with developing this character? I have browsed through several episodes, read several transcripts, trying to pick out the unique speech / way of expression... NOTHING! The only thing I got was simple sentences, but really, how is that distinctive?
Anyway, the challenge here really is to write a proposal without having them been heard... haha... It's silly, and frankly one of the first problem I realize I'd have when I was set to do a snapshot on their proposal... really, I got myself into this one completely!
This was meant to be a Valentine's Day piece, but then, a lot of things conspired against it... 1 a family emergency that's turning into a sort of a nightmare... 2 an assignment due on the 15th... 3 a serious case of the flu... 4 i completely forgot about v-day (how i managed that i don't know)... 5 a serious writer's block in getting through some parts of it... but then, as I said, it's done... and i'm happy :).
And special thanks to Lily for sticking with me through my crazy brainstorming stage - I sent you an email on this one, dear... read that too :).
Until next time (I have a Flashpoint fic in the works too... but if not, definitely the update to Truth this week XD)!