"Jess, do we really have to watch this again?" Nick grunted as he lay in bed, with her curled up against his side; she was nuzzled into his chest while he lazily played with her pony tail.
She let out a muffled plea, "Please Nick, it's important to me that we watch it together today."
"Why is today, of all days, so important? We've watched it twice since you went on sick leave and a million times before that." The irritation in his voice was clearly evident.
"Because Nick, it's just important, that's all." Jess pouted.
"Ok, that's it. We're getting up." Nick stated as he swung his legs up and jumped out of bed, startling their poor dog who had been laying at the foot of the bed.
Jess glared at him, "Come here Mario, Daddy's a meanie."
"Sorry buddy." He apologized as the little dog curled up in a ball next to Jess.
"Come on Jess, get up. The doctor said that you no longer need to be on bed rest, so long as you don't over do it. So let's get out of here and go enjoy the day."
"You really don't know, do you?"
"Know what Jess? You're acting like a crazy person. Besides I thought Dirty Dancing was your break up movie. Now for some reason you want to watch it all the time."
"You really don't remember what today is?"
"Well I know it's not our anniversary, because that's in May. And unless you're thinking of getting a divorce, I don't think there is any reason to stay in bed all day and watch it again!"
"Nick, this movie means so much more than that, it's not just my break up film, it's full of memories of us." She uttered, tears beginning to well in her eyes. The hormones were clearly starting to get to her. "Don't you remember? Today was the day that you asked me to marry you."
"Oh Jess, I had no idea that was today." He admitted as he kneeled down next to the bed where she was lying.
It had taken a year before he finally asked her to marry him. He would have asked sooner, but he could never find the perfect moment. It was only when business at the bar picked up, did he finally get the courage to ask her. In fact, the bar was so popular, that Nick and Schmidt were actually thinking of opening up a second location; but in the end they had decided against it, because they were both too busy with their other careers.
"But I swear, I could never forget that day, because that was the day that my life changed forever." He smiled as he swiped a tear from her cheek.
"It really was perfect." She smiled back, running her hand through his hair as she recalled the memory of that night.
Nick had taken her to dinner at Beso's' that night as an excuse to celebrate. But in reality, it ended up being a perfect way to set the mood for his proposal, and luckily Russell wasn't there to ruin it like the first time he had taken her there.
After dinner, they went for a walk through the local park and it just so happened that Dirty Dancing was also playing that evening. As it turned out, Nick had actually set the whole thing up and they made it just in time as "I've had the time of my life" started playing.
That's when he turned to her and said, "Jessica you are a beautiful woman and it would mean the world to me if you would be my wife." He then got down on one knee, let out a breath and presented her with his grandmother's wedding ring. "Will you marry me?"
Apparently he had had it since his father's funeral, when his mother had given it to him and made him promise that he would save it for when the time was right. Bonnie later told her on their wedding day that she always knew Jess would be the one to take care of her son.
And she had been so excited when he finally asked her to marry him, that she knocked him over and nearly messed his back up again, just like the time when she tackled him during a friendly game of touch football. She also happened to startle a young couple who were making out behind a bush, as she shouted 'yes' a half dozen times into Nick's ear.
"You have no idea how many failed attempts I made before I finally asked you to marry me. It was only when I managed to convince that sleazy park manager to play Dirty Dancing, that I knew I had found the perfect place to ask you."
She laughed. "You always see the worst in people Nicholas."
"That's because people are the worst, Jessica!" Nick scowled at the memory as he stood up.
"He was a harmless old man." Jess asserted.
"Don't try and tell me that he didn't feel you up when he came over to congratulate us afterwards."
Jess rolled her eyes, "Nick, you're exaggerating. He barely even touched me."
"OK, whatever you say." He teased, raising his eyebrows high. "But seriously Jess, as much as I love you and that day, I cannot sit through another hour and half of this movie. So come on get up." He said as he held his hands out towards her.
"Alright, alright, I'm up, I'm up. Besides it will be good for lil' Reg and I to get some fresh air and stretch our legs." Jess puffed as she tried to push herself upright.
"Lil' Reg, huh?" Nick quipped with a smirk.
"Yeah, yeah. Reggie Walter Miller has a nice ring to it, don't ya think? Almost sounds like a baseball star." She smiled knowingly.
"Good Ol' Reggie Miller." He nodded in agreement with a lop-sided smile. "I like it Jess."
"But if we have a girl, there will be hell on earth before I name her Reginald. It's bad enough my middle name is Christopher, so don't even go there." She glared, waving her teacher finger at him.
"Alright, it's a deal." He agreed. "And I'll tell you what, how about I check the local listings and see if they have any movies playing in the park tonight. We could make it our annual tradition with Mario and lil' Reggie here, to go see a film together. And this way we can watch something new, but still enjoy our perfect day as a family."
"Come here Miller..." She lightly tugged him down and gave him a chaste kiss. "This is why I love you. You always know just what to say to cheer me up."
"That's my job as a writer and husband, Mrs. Miller." He smiled as he lingered against her lips kissing her back deeply and with more fervour.
They may just not make it out of bed after all, but that would be ok, because the day would still be perfect.