Subject 001

The Day That Wasn't

One month earlier...

Em put on her earrings and was checking out her final look, she chose a sexier style, wearing Diego's favorite red dress and heels with a bold red lip. It was date night, insisted on by Diego, he was going to take her to the same restaurant from their first date, it was quite normal for him to want to take Em out, he was proud of calling her his and being called hers since the beginning of their relationship. What Em thought strange was how fidgety he'd been all day, stuttering a lot and getting easily spooked, he was so nervous and it made no sense, she'd been his girlfriend for four years at that point...

"A-are you ready?" Diego asked, poking his head into their bedroom.

"Yep, all ready," Em smiled, twirling for him.

"P-p- perfect," Diego stuttered, entering the room and pulling her into a kiss.

"You're lucky my lipstick is smudge-proof," Em chuckled when they pulled away. "Are you ok?" she asked worriedly, watching his nervous expression.

"Y-y- yeah, why?" Diego asked with an awkward laugh.

"You just seem nervous, that's all," Em said softly.

Diego took a deep breath, "No, the stutter's just really bad today,"

His words seemed to have been forced out of him, but Em shrugged it off, not wanting to force the subject.

"Shall we go then?" she asked, offering Diego her arm.

"We s-s- shall," he answered, locking his arm with hers.

The couple drove to the restaurant, sat at the table and talked all through dinner, Diego got increasingly nervous as the night went on, he could barely get a word out by the time dessert came around. The melody for The Phantom of The Opera started playing through the restaurant, Em smiled since it was her favorite song, a waiter brought them champagne she didn't remember asking for and she turned her confused gaze to the waiter as he walked away.

Diego took advantage of the distraction to take out the small black velvet box he had in his pocket and kneel on the floor before Em.

"What was that-" her voice died down when she saw Diego kneeling in front of her, her heart racing in her chest. "What are you...?"

They had the entire restaurant's attention, Diego opened the box, revealing a simple silver ring with a princess cut diamond.

"Em, princess, will you m-m-m-" Diego sighed, his inability to get the word out frustrated him deeply. Em smiled at him and held his wrist gently, her eyes watering. He took a deep breath, "Will you marry me?"

"Yes, definitely," Em said, nodding with a weak chuckle.

The crowd clapped as Diego put the ring on Em's trembling hand, she was sniffling silently, wiping her tears with her free hand.

"I love you so much," Em said, pulling him into a kiss.

"I love you too," Diego said shakily, his own face covered in tears.

"Waiter, the check please," Em called happily.

"We haven't eaten dessert yet," Diego said with a raised brow.

"We'll take it to go, I have other plans for right now," Em said with a chuckle.

Diego paid the check, since Em paid more than half of the house bills it was stipulated that he would pay for their dates. The couple went home with their desserts in little containers.