After they are discharged Enke intends to propose to Keeler.
This was probably the hardest thing he’d ever done inhis whole life.
No, scratch that. It was the hardest thing he’d ever done. Harder than growing up in thecolonies. Harder than fighting ‘Terons and circumnavigate fucking militarypolitics.
It was the singular hardest thing ever. Period.
Originally, he’d planned to ask Keeler in the fancyrestaurant he’d taken him out for dinner to. But the place had been fucking packed. The air buzzing with laughter,snippets of conversations and the clinking of cutlery.
So the plain gold ring was still burning a hole in thepockets of his slacks when they left the place about one and a half hour later.
Since it was such a beautiful night, they’d decided totake the long way back to the apartment complex they’d moved in just a coupledays ago. Hand in hand, they walked through the nice little park, the windrustling in the treetops, the moon casting silvery light over lawns and flowerbeds.
Encke might not been the type for sappy romance shit,but even he appreciated the atmosphere of peace and quiet.
When they passed the pond, waterlilies floating on thesurface reflecting the night sky laced with stars, he struggled to work up allhis courage to finally go through with his plan.
“Keeler, I …” He fell silent when he dug his hand intohis pants pocket and didn’t find what he was fumbling around for.
His heart skipped a beat.
“Can it be you’re looking for this?”
And by some miracle there was the ring, held betweenKeeler’s thumb and index finger, shimmering in the moonlight.
Encke swallowed. His mouth was as dry as the Saharadesert back on Earth. “How did you …?”
Keeler smiled. “It seems you lost it on your way to therest room. Our waiter found it next to our table and gave it to me.”
For a moment there was silence. Encke’s heart waspounding like mad.
“Keeler, I … You know … I …”
“My answer is yes,” Keeler said, smiling even wider. “Whenit comes to you my answer will always be yes.”
They kissed, and Encke thought, this was probably thebest thing he’d ever done in his life.
No, scratch that. It was the best thing he’d ever done.
The singular best thing ever.
