Notte Stellata

"Do you want us to get married?"

The question escaped like a gentle suggestion.

As if Sam were a kid inviting her to play 'house', get engaged and slip a plastic ring on one of her fingers; the glittery ones chanced upon when you buy multiple boxes of cereal. Then with a wave of a fairy godmother's wand, a magical wedding would ensue in front of a teddybear audience and a cabbage patch doll entourage.

"You may now kiss the bride." Colleen quipped as she stared into the moon-lit water. The boats glided under the bridge while the river glistened and apparently so did Sam's eyes upon her reply. He quickly flicks a tear.

"Freudian Slip I presume?" Sam chuckled as he stood next to Colleen, mirroring her stance. He knew it wasn't the response to his question but he knew she must have visualized something.

"The stars are beautiful... " Sam whispers in the whooshing breeze in hopes of breaking tension, if there be any, and get a reaction out of Colleen.

"And so are you." The woman adds with a smirk accompanied with its enunciation. One which just happens to be rather uncannily similar to how Sam did.

"It's very not quite like you to flirt so openly and that was supposed to be MY line and you know it." Sam inched closer seeking her warmth.

"But isn't it true? I remembered the first time you mentioned it," She scrunched her forehead and bit her lip as her head motions into a slow shake "god, that was embarrassing."

"It-it was?" Sam covers his eyes with his hand as he reminisced the time he waltzed with her at the Galaxy Gala.

"Well, of course Iverson eavesdropped and the rest of our batchmates joined the teasing bandwagon, nonetheless, I was flustered." She responds as she tries to pry Sam's hand away from his face.

"It was sweet and it still is."

It must have been how every luminary available specked the water with its reflection: everything familiar felt new...the bridge, the boats, the stars, the moon, the man.

Colleen was aware that marriage was no longer child's play. That this meant more than living in a house made of pillowforts for walls or blankets hung over two chairs for a roof. She pursed her chapped lips.

Sam noticed this gesture. He had been searching for even the tiniest sign from the woman's petite frame. The thought of spending their life together made his heart pound. He wanted to kiss her right then and there but with a deep breath and every ounce of courage to muster, he spoke.

"Colleen...my words weren't phrased correctly earlier so please let me restart." Sam clutches his left fist then loosens his grip to finally reveal a silver band encrusted with green rhinestones.

"Do you want us to grow old together?" He pauses then sets the ring on the bridge's flat, metal railing.

"Because I do." Sam then takes a few steps back and faces the car-crammed road.

It finally came to her. Why this was different from any other suitor who had asked her hand and failed.

This man, this patient man, had always given her the freedom to refuse.

"Do you want to sit and have lunch together?" NOT "Let's sit and eat together."

"Do you want to go to the Galaxy Gala and dance?" NOT "Dance with me."

"Do you want to grow old with me?" NOT "Grow old with me."

As Sam had his back turned away, he stood there quietly in deep thought. Seconds felt like an eternity as his eyes were fixated at the constellations, connecting dots to pass time.

He finally proposed and couldn't believe their relationship had come to this point.

His emotions were that of fireworks lit simultaneously -building up to burst into color then immediately dispurse only to be lit again and take to the sky.

He was finally brought back to earth as Colleen hugs him from behind. He hoped for her to utter 'yes' but she remained quiet. Sam turns to her and hugs back, his heart aching reciprocation. Colleen loosens her grip then raises her hand and like Orion's Belt, the ring graced her finger.

Overjoyed, Sam starts swaying Colleen in a semi-crushing embrace. They managed to cancel out the vehicle's honking and the stares of people who rushed past them.

"Hmmhmm..che notte..." Sam hummed.

"stellata..." The couple sang in unison.

It was just them, the moon, the stars and their love. Sam kisses Colleen's forehead and as she clung tighter to his warm embrace, they cried.