The Proposal Has Been Happening in Your Head for Weeks

At some point in a serious relationship, a perfectly ordinary dinner can become almost impossible to enjoy normally.

Because once you begin to wonder whether a proposal may be somewhere in your future, even the smallest romantic gesture starts arriving with possibilities.

Let's say Sir has made a reservation somewhere lovely. Nothing unheard of, certainly, except that he chose the place himself and seems rather pleased about it. Hmm.

And then he says, “Wear something nice.”

Oh.

Now Madam has questions.

Naturally, you ask none of them. You simply get ready while behaving like a woman who has absolutely no reason to wonder whether this particular evening might end with jewelry. By the time you leave the house, however, the proposal has already happened twice in your imagination.

Meanwhile, Sir has no idea. He just wanted dinner.

Suddenly Everything Looks Like the Moment

Once you begin wondering whether a proposal might be coming, perfectly innocent romance becomes much harder to leave alone.

A weekend away? Interesting. A walk somewhere beautiful? Very interesting.

Then Sir suggests watching the sunset and suddenly you are wondering whether your left hand might look better resting casually on your lap or somewhere a little more photographically useful.

Waiting does funny things to a woman. Once the possibility is there, even the smallest movement from Sir can suddenly feel terribly important.

So when he reaches into his jacket pocket during dinner, Madam nearly requires medical attention.

For three magnificent seconds, the evening has everything: the pocket, the pause, and the delicious possibility that this may finally be happening.

And then—out come his reading glasses.

Lovely.

Another evening, Sir bends down on one knee without warning and Madam’s entire future flashes before her.

Sir is just tying his shoe.

Of course, you are trying very hard not to become the sort of woman who finds an engagement ring hiding behind every dessert menu. You are relaxed. You are enjoying yourself. You have certainly not noticed that the waiter keeps smiling.

Why is he smiling?

Never mind.

Your manicure has now been ready for the proposal longer than Sir has.

And the truly unfair part is that Sir may simply be behaving more romantically because the relationship is going well. He plans nicer dates, talks about the future, suggests little trips and perhaps even develops a sudden curiosity about what sort of jewelry you like.

Poor Sir thinks he is planning a lovely evening, and Madam has already mentally added the ring.

You Have Already Been Surprised Several Times

After enough of these evenings, you become oddly experienced at an event that has never happened.

You have imagined your expression and privately decided that covering your mouth too dramatically would be excessive. You know you will say yes, naturally, but preferably after Sir has been allowed to finish whatever lovely little speech he has prepared.

Very gracious of you.

The slight problem is that Sir has prepared nothing.

So another beautiful evening comes and goes, and eventually even a bunch of flowers can make you look at the man half a second longer than usual.

“These made me think of you.”

“That is so sweet.”

And somewhere inside Madam: And?

Nothing.

The flowers were flowers.

Goodness, romance used to be much easier before every lovely gesture arrived carrying the possibility of a second act.

Still, you cannot help wondering. Perhaps it will happen on the trip. Perhaps after dinner. Perhaps during that charming little walk Sir has suggested for no obvious reason whatsoever.

By then, the proposal has been everywhere except out of Sir’s mouth.

And Then Sir Finally Has Something to Say

Eventually, even Madam gets tired of being privately proposed to. Dinner starts looking like dinner again, a weekend away becomes something you can actually enjoy, and Sir is finally allowed to reach into his pocket without causing a small internal event. You have even stopped arranging your left hand every time dessert arrives, which feels like progress.

And naturally, once you have finally stopped expecting it everywhere, Sir actually proposes.

No false alarm this time. No reading glasses, no shoelace, no innocent little pocket movement.

This one comes with a ring.

You have already been proposed to seventeen times in your head.

It seems only polite to let Sir have one too.