Finding Harmony (17 page)

The park grew in silence as I wandered further into its depths. Only a few minutes later, at the start of an oak-wood bridge, I spotted what I supposed was the first of the balloons. I strolled over to where the large, pink, heart-shaped balloon lay bobbing around softly in the air, tied to the hand rail of the bride by a few thin strands of ribbons.

Ever so gently, I clutched on to the ribbons and pulled the balloon down to my eye level. Scrawled across the front of the balloon in thick, black marker were the words “Vuoi Sposarmi?” I whispered the phrase out loud a few times. I had no idea what language it was let alone what it meant, so I let go of the balloon and hesitantly continued walking along the bridge.

As I pulled my gaze up off the floor, I could see a whole row of balloons similar to the previous one all tied up to the edge of the bridge. What was this? I walked to the next balloon and, once again, pulled it down to read what was written on it. This one said “Veux-tu m’épouser?”

The phrase didn’t register with me, but I was definitely curious. I wanted to know what the balloons said, what it all meant. I picked up my pace and moved on to the next balloon, one after the other, reading the handwritten phrases in foreign languages.

“Vill du gifta dig med mig?”…

“Quieres casarte conmigo?”…

“Je met me trouwen?”…

I furrowed my eyebrows together in confusion as I moved on to the last balloon tied up on the end of the bridge. This was all a bunch of nonsense to me, was I supposed to know what the phrases meant?

As I approached the last balloon, I was at least able to distinguish what language the words were written in, even if I didn’t quite understand what they meant.

“Willst du mich heiraten?” I said slowly, repeating what was scribbled in bold on the balloon.

I stood there staring at the sky, as if it held the answers to all these riddles. In the back of my mind, the wheels were turning, something was clicking together and making sense, but I just couldn’t quite seem to grasp a hold of it.

“Willst du mich heiraten?” The words were repeated again, only this time, it wasn’t me speaking them.

I turned around and saw Trey standing only a few feet away from me, his magnificent cat eyes twinkling away in the moonlight, a look of hope and complete and utter sincerity adorning his beautiful face.

I cocked my head to the side, trying to say something, anything, however the words never quite formed in my throat. I was perfectly speechless.

Trey let out a quiet chuckle before flashing me the most amazing smile I’d ever seen. It was a smile so brilliant that it pooled my heart in heat and smothered my body in serenity.

I felt my entire body stiffen as Trey brought his hands out from behind his back, revealing yet another balloon. However, I knew instantly that this one held more significance than all the others. As if in slow motion, he turned the balloon around, bringing me face to face with the last phrase. There, written in perfect English, block capitals and all on the blown-up heart were the words “Will you marry me?”

My heart felt like it was beating at 100mph, I thought it was going to burst through my chest and go running off into the night at any minute. Trey kept his eyes glued to me as he slowly made is way over, closing the distance between us. He handed me the pink balloon as he got down on bended knee and took my hands in his. All I could do was stand there, trembling like an idiot as he spoke.

“Harmony, I can’t guarantee that we’ll live happily ever after, I can’t promise you that we will always be together, I can’t say for sure that I’ll always be able to make you happy…”

He seems to choke up a little as he pauses to take a deep breath before continuing. I just stand there, staring at him intensely, the tears already brimming in the corners of my eyes.

“After everything that’s happened, you deserve only the best… And God only knows what the future holds for us. I can’t reach out into space and pull each and every star down for you… but I’m willing to spend the rest of my life trying.”

I quickly move one hand out of his grasp and bring it to my face as I start to sob, drowning in my own overwhelming emotions.

“I can’t live without you and I don’t want to spend another day thinking that you might not be mine forever… so what do you say, will you marry me?”

All the emotions come pouring out of me at once. My hands shake uncontrollably within Trey’s, the tears come streaming down my face, my stomach twists up into knots and my heart beats away violently within my chest.

“Yes, yes of course I’ll marry you!” I manage to choke out in between sobs.

One single, lone tear falls down the side of his cheek, his eyes saying more in this moment than his voice ever could. He lets out a sigh of relief, rummaging around in his jacket pocket and pulling out a small, baby blue box. Carefully he opens it, revealing the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen. I can’t help but gasp at it as he removes it from the box and slides it onto my finger. The perfect fit.

I manage to let out a little laugh as I carry on crying tears of pure happiness. Trey stands up, pulling me up into him and holding me steadily against his lithe body. Our lips meet in a passionate kiss that burns euphorically to the core of my very soul. His lips taste rich like coffee yet as sweet as sugar, our tears mixing, our chests pressed together, his fingers laced in my hair, out hearts beating rapidly in sync.

“I… love… you.” Trey stuttered out in between breaths.

I simply smiled into his red hot kisses, bathing in the afterglow of his proposal.

Trey: my lover, my soul mate, my fiancé, my best friend. The man I was going to marry and grow old with, the man who I would argue with over what color to paint the bathroom, the man who would father my children.

Trey.

I was falling in love with him all over again.