[Previous: Chapter 1 - A Cake and A Ring]
Spaghetti bolognese was affordably delicious, with a small hint of sweetness the lingered only for a moment. It was enough to savory fill the tongue with flavor. In an ordinary day, it would be worth a conversation or two. Maybe even a recommendation to other friends.
Today, it was utterly ignored.
A nagging panic in Earl's mind seemed to relegate his speech processes to grunts and short sentences. Elise, the lady before him, hardly noticed. She was oblivious as she mumbled a squabble with her grandmother that ruined her morning. It was over some small matter with the family business. Earl looked at he lips that parted back and forth. Occasionally, it would bite some pasta.
He was almost hypnotized.
Earl's mind felt like it was stung by a thousand narcotic bees. Everything seemed dreamlike and unreal. Earl either ate baked bread or arroz ala cubana - a ground beefy mix with rice. He wasn't really sure. He didn't care.
He looked at the lovely figure before him. Elise, the princess of her own dorm kingom, was frustrated by the controls enforced on her. She craved her freedom. Earl found her was cute that way. As she blabbered on, Earl calmed her. In truth, he himself was boiling inside. His heartbeat seemed erratic and his head was warm.
"Just do it." He kept telling himself.
This went on for a few minutes or so. As she finished the remaining bolognese sauce, Earl casually signaled the waiter and asked for the dessert menu.
It was all pretend. The waiter already knew what he wanted - a cherry topped brown cake inscribed with the chocolaty wedding proposal.
A table away, Ardy pretended to be busy constantly flipping the menu. In truth, a camera was aimed at the couple from behind the cardboard facade. He was filming the whole event.
Ardy recorded it real-time in video, but Earl swears that everything was going slow motion when it happened. He saw this:
A waiter casually nodding.
Elise driftly looking the other way.
The kitchen door swinging to and fro.
A cake on a plate with the words "Marry me."
Him knelling down on one knee.
And a ring that came from somewhere.
Ardy would comment later that - "Well that's really how it is." In disbelief, Earl played it over and over. Ardy was right.
Presently, Elise cried a billion tears.
"Can I think about it?" In her shock she smiled but blurted the odd words in response to the gesture.
The whole restaurant crashed down upon Earl in mocking laughter. Or so it seemed.
Still, he smiled a very congressional face. He was, after all, an actor playing the part of a prince that would be whisking away her princess.
Earl became dearly aware of this. Awkwardly, he signaled Ardy to stop recording.
Minutes later, as Elise calmed down, she explained herself. Her mother warned her not to make snap emotional decisions.
She was influenced with the notion that a whole week must pass before a proper response be made on marriage proposals. Elise claimed she didn't completely agree.
"Still, there was a bit of wisdom in thinking it over." she said.
Earl wore a very rubber smile.
Elise must have noticed.
"Ask me again tomorrow." She suddenly said.
Earl's reverie seemed to pass. He remembered a visit to church scheduled the next day. She was a practicing Roman Catholic. They have become church regulars since they dated. Earl had grown accustomed to the ritual.
"But to ask again... " He thought. "I might as well been an atheist."
He looked at her and simply smiled.
[Next: Chapter 3 - On Faith]
Minutes later, as Elise calmed down, she explained herself. Her mother warned her not to make snap emotional decisions.
She was influenced with the notion that a whole week must pass before a proper response be made on marriage proposals. Elise claimed she didn't completely agree.
"Still, there was a bit of wisdom in thinking it over." she said.
Earl wore a very rubber smile.
Elise must have noticed.
"Ask me again tomorrow." She suddenly said.
Earl's reverie seemed to pass. He remembered a visit to church scheduled the next day. She was a practicing Roman Catholic. They have become church regulars since they dated. Earl had grown accustomed to the ritual.
"But to ask again... " He thought. "I might as well been an atheist."
He looked at her and simply smiled.
[Next: Chapter 3 - On Faith]
