by George Nagle
Carissa melted. She even began to cry a bit, which was rather unusual for her, as she wasn’t typically overly emotional. Then she hit him again, a bit harder this time, with the organizer.
“Ow, what was that for, then?” James said, taken by surprise. “Shouldn’t be hitting a driver, you know.”
“It’s for being a prat. You could have said all that and saved the whole of that argument. Oh, and I suppose I have tae erase the mark I put. Turns out you are right, sort of. Prat. Go figure, I wrote it in ink, too.”
James just laughed as she scratched it out. She looked stern, but James caught her eye and she smiled and gave him a wink that made a tingle go through him. James thought the wink was odd, as it was just the two of them in the car, but didn’t dwell on it.
They parked, walked into the ticket office, and approached the counter like the first time. James thought it might even be the same chap who had given them their tickets last year.
“May I help you?” said the man.
“Hi, yes, two tickets under Boyd,” said James.
“Seems like yesterday I was getting those tickets.” Carissa smiled at James and he smiled back.
“Right, Mr. Boyd, just a moment please, sir,” and the man walked away.
James hoped Larry hadn’t let on that anything special was happening with all the staff. This was supposed to be a surprise!
A moment later, the smiling young man appeared again and handed him two tickets, saying, “Please enjoy the match! You will find the stairs and lift to your left.”
They took the stairs as before. Each step gave James a greater and greater sense of excitement. He did his usual scan of the room, but only half-heartedly. Something wasn’t right, but it didn’t fully register, and he didn’t care anyway.
They walked though the double door, and Carissa held out her hand. Thinking she wanted to hold hands, James took it.
“Oh, you actually took my hand! Well, this is something, then, as you hate public displays.” Carissa grasped his hand tightly, as he’d pulled away at her words. She held up her other hand.
“Well, as you have a death grip on my hand now, I’m certainly not giving you the other to crush,” James said, squeezing back a little.
“No, John, don’t be silly. If we are repeating our date from last year, this is the part where you give me twenty quid.” She smiled a huge, tooth-filled grin.
“Oh, same as last year, is it?” James smiled, knowing what was to come.
“Aye, you even got the same seats!” She stuck her tongue out as James gave her a look of surprise.
It was true; he had gotten the same seats, but how did she know? “And just how the bloody hell do you know that?”
“I can read, you prat; it was on the tickets the bloke handed you,” she said and clicked her fingers at him.
The only comeback he could muster was “Oh, right,” before handing her the money.
She placed the bet, and as they walked away, she said, “Oh, look!”
James looked up. He thought she was pointing at the security camera, but she was pointing at a couple in the distance. She began to drag him over to the couple as James now registered what he’d seen on the steps. He paused for a moment, unsure of why, and was pulled back to reality by Carissa’s words.
“This is just too funny! Mary and Joseph, fancy seeing you here!”
It took the older couple a moment to remember them, but soon the ladies were off talking like the oldest of friends. Scottish people often spoke to one another like this; it was a part of their culture that James truly enjoyed.
They talked to the couple for about fifteen minutes before venturing off to find some food. James almost thanked Joseph for his insight on castles and exits but thought it would just lead to odd questions.
“Can you believe they were here, then? Did you arrange that? If you also found that wee Glassy lad and his dad and uncle, I’m not sure what I will do. Well, I will be saying something tae the lad and all if he still has that foul mouth. But oh, this is turning out to be so brilliant. I am loving today, and it has just begun. You didn’t arrange that, did you?” she asked James.
James chuckled. “No, Risa, I didn’t. They come to all the home games, remember?”
“Oh, right,” she said, a faraway look in her eyes.
He smiled. “And if the lad is here, that is also by chance.” He saw Larry waving at him from behind Carissa. “Going to visit the toilet. Back in a second.”
“Oh, good idea,” and she got up with him. She headed for the ladies room, and James turned to Larry, who spoke quickly and nervously.
“Everything is set for after the end of the match. Just have to get her to the dining room as everyone leaves.”
“Right. I am planning on saying I dropped my wallet as we exit so we have to go back for it,” said the hopeful groom-to-be.
Larry returned a very brief smile and wiped his forehead before saying “Okay, great, have to dash,” and he was gone.
Weird guy.
James made his way to the bathroom, as he actually did need to go, then returned to his seat.
***
The match was soon underway. The lad was not here, but it was still a great game. Carissa, smiling nonstop, kept stealing glances at James and biting her lip. James kept looking at her sideways and smiling.
At one point, she took a deep breath, grabbed his hand, and looked into his eyes. James didn’t pull away.
She opened her mouth to speak, then kissed him.
He enjoyed the moment before breaking away. He really wasn’t a fan of public displays of affection, but today was somehow different.
The Celtic had a 2-1 lead with one minute to go and a lot of people had started to leave. James planted his wallet so that when they came back, he could easily find it.
They left their seats a minute later and made it through the dining area before James stopped. He pretended to check his pockets and then announced he’d lost his wallet, a sheepish look on his face.
Carissa clucked her tongue at him, and they returned the way they’d come.
By the time James retrieved the wallet, their section was empty.
James kept his hands in his pockets as they climbed the steps. In his right pocket, he was playing with a ring.
They were at the end of the line of people filing out of the dining area and about to push open the doors and leave when James stopped again. He took two steps back, away from the doors.
“Forget something else, Love?” Carissa smiled at him.
James hesitated. He had worked out the words, and now that it was time, he froze for a moment. It was so unlike him that he became slightly annoyed.
“Well, whilst you go find it, I am heading to the loo. Back in a jiffy,” and she headed back the way they had just come toward the nearest bathroom.
The butterflies in his stomach were in full swing, and James felt very alert. It was just like when he saw a dream coming true, but now, instead of feeling dread, he felt happy and excited.
He dug the ring out of his pocket and ran over the words two more times. He was about halfway through his third run, at the part where he would get down on one knee and extend the ring to her, when he dropped it.
It rolled under a table and he bent to retrieve it, getting down on his knees before sticking his head under the tablecloth and extending his arm to retrieve the ring.
He heard Carissa’s footsteps approaching. She was coming, and he was already on his knees. He decided to change it up, present the ring to her, and simply ask, “Will you marry me?”
He smiled. This was the happiest he’d ever been, and he knew in his heart she would say yes.
About the Author
George is the 3rd of 6 children and grew up in western Pennsylvania. He earned his BS in Biology from the University of Pittsburgh, his MS in Biology and his MBA in Marketing and Management from Duquesne University. He is also a Master 4th degree black belt in the art of Taekwondo with Young Brothers in Pittsburgh. He currently i
n a global marketing director in specialty chemicals. He is also has one son, Matthew.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
About the Author
