Interlude Thirtyfour point Five, A Proposal
The fact that it was May 1st was an irony not lost on Alexander Crosby, as his thoughts
and feelings had "mayday" written all over them. He had just finished a quiet, candelit
dinner with Marie to celebrate his birthday. He was 43 years old today. However,
around Marie he felt 23. Since Maria had died several years ago, he had immersed
himself in his work to get by. But in the short six months he had known Marie, they
had become very close very quickly. Close enough that he had it in his mind tonight
to take a large, even foolhardy risk.
He looked up and smiled as Marie returned from the lavoratory. In the dim light of the
fire, she looked stunning. "Welcome back. Every last hair in place now?" Alex said
playfully.
"All the important ones," she replied. She settled down in the chair
with the grace of athlete she was.
"And so, drinks, coffee, desert? What's next?" She leaned forward,
"or just talk? It seems like there's something on your mind."
"You could say that, yes." Alex took a deep breath. "One thing you've
probably come to learn about me is that eloquence is not one of my
strong suits, so bear with me. I want to talk about us, actually. Marie,
the time I've spent with you, though brief, has been wonderful. I must
admit it's been odd to have my name in the papers for something other
than football. However, I feel you more than make up for that."
"If there's one thing that I've learned in my life, is that true happiness can
be very fleeting, especially in today's world. Therfore, when you find it,
try to keep hold of it if you can."
Alex slid off of the couch down to one knee and produced a small box.
Opening it, he revealed a delicate white gold ring set with a nearly flawless
diamond. It wasn't the largest ring in the world, but it was stunning in its cut
and design. "Marie, I truly have found happiness with you, and I'd like to have
you in my heart, my soul, and my life as long as I can. Will you marry me?"
"Oh, Alex," said Marie looking down at the ring, then back at his
face. "Oh, yes. Yes, of course." She leaned forward to kiss him.
He accepted the kiss, long and passionate. It was ten seconds
that seemed to last a lifetime, with the twenty second embrace
to follow an eternity. They broke the embrace and Alex then sat
back on the couch and looked at Marie.
"Thank you. I do love you, Marie. Enough to share something with
you that only a handful of people know." Alex paused before
continuing. "This is going to sound very movie-of-the-week,
Marie, but there is something that you need to know about me, something
that I hope will complete "us", as it were."
Marie looked at Alex quizzically as he took the ring from its box. He then
shrank, in full view of Marie, to about one foot in height, the ring now slung
over his shoulder like a backpack. He zipped over to her hand so fast
she had to blink to readjust her vision, and he slid the ring onto her finger.
He then looked up at her. "This is the reason for some of my disappearances, Marie.
I hold two jobs...one as owner of the Dutchmen, the other as a Protector of
Port Alexander. The public knows that side of me as Sting."
"Oh my G....," she managed before fainting dead away.
Alex regrew to full height and zipped towards the first aid kit he kept in the house. He returned with smelling salts and began the process of waking her up. "Please let her understand, please let her understand, please..." Alex thought over and over as he gently tried to awake her.
Marie groaned softly as she came around. She took in Alex and his look
of concernt, then shook her head ruefully. "I never thought of myself
as the fainting type." She sat up. "You're Sting. Superhero. That's
a bit of a shake-up. I had kind of thought through wife and step-mother,
but ... what do you call a superhero's wife, anyway?" She giggled.
"I see why you wanted to eat at home rather than at a restaurant.
I'm sorry, this isn't a time for comedy."
"No, no, a sense of humor is almost needed when you do what I do."
Alex said, taking her hand. "I know this is a lot...a LOT...but please
understand my outlook. I hid my life as a paranormal from my first
wife for two years, and it almost caused a divorce because she was
certain I was unfaithful. Even when she knew, it colored our marriage
until the day she died at the hands of someone who wanted to hurt me.
I don't want to go through that again, nor do I wish to put anyone
through that. I decided that if I loved you enough to want you as my
wife, I loved you enough for you to know the truth...the whole truth...from
day one. You're one of a handful of people to now know both sides of
me...Lorelei and my teammates are most of the others. Of course, I think
you know that it needs to stay that way...too many people, primarily yourself,
could be endangered if this were to ever slip. That's the extent of my love
for you, Marie...to trust you with all of me."
"Alex, Alex," she shook her head again. "This is a lot. I mean,
you're out there. Risking your life. And, and, it killed your
first wife?" She took his hand. "Alex, I love you, I do. But ...
I've got to think about this." She removed the ring from her finger and
put it on the box. I'll call you." She walked to the door then
stopped and turned. "I do love you, and no matter what, your secret is
safe with me." Then she was gone.
All Alex could do was look at the door, then the box, then the door again.
* * * *
Two days later, there was a knock at Alex's office door. When he
opened it, Marie was waiting.
"Hi." Alex said, smiling. "Come in, please." She entered the room and Alex closed the door behind him. "Can I get you anything?"
"Yes. I mean, no, I don't need anything. The answer is yes," she said.
"That is, if the offer is still open."
Alex's "business smile" melted into true warmth. "As they say in my business, the contract is still on the table, yes." He went to his desk, opened the top drawer, and pulled out the box from the other night. He took off the ring and slid it onto her finger.
Marie smiled and fell into his arms.
Last Updated 2 March 2004
