The first time he asked me we were in Krispy Kreme. I’d never seen the way the doughnuts were made and he wanted to show me. When I asked him why, he said, ‘Because I want to experience things with you.’
We watched the small dough rings on their journey from being newly gutted all the way to the liquid sugar glaze. Then we got our free samples. Some of the freshly oil-dunked doughnuts got stuck on one another and didn’t cook properly. I worried over someone getting the ‘duds’ out of there before they wasted sugar.
We bought half-a-dozen from the friendly lady behind the counter who reminded us that for only a dollar and change more we could get a full dozen. We politely declined, stuck with our 6 and grabbed a bottle of water and one of milk. She gave us our free coffee (with any order) and we sat down to talk for a bit.
We didn’t really feel like eating anymore doughnuts as our bodies were still in sugar-shock from the first ones. He opened his milk and I borrowed some of it for the coffee. We talked over the hard parts of the day and thought out new ways to help each other through this particular time in our relationship. Change is hard.
He said quietly that maybe he would ask me dozens of times instead of just once. I asked him how I’d know when the real one was. He didn’t know.
‘I still don’t have a ring yet.’, he whispered.
‘I guess I’ll know when the real one is because you’ll have one.’, I said.
He grabbed the red pull-off tab from his Alta Dena milk lid and double wrapped it around my finger. ‘Will you marry me?’ I felt his lips softly move near my ear.
I nodded my head yes.
He kissed my cheek. We grabbed the doughnut box and drove home.