Dimples’ Voice in Red
Chino’s Voice in Blue
It was a Tuesday, January 15, 2013, it was another busy day at the office. I have scheduled several meetings today with partners and clients. I was tired and was glad when SEDPIps asked if we could go out for videoke after office hours. Videoke is like Red Bull for me. It gives me energy even after a day’s work. Little did I know that this day would change my life forever.
It was a Tuesday. I’m supposed to be busy in the office. I woke up and changed to my usual office dress-up clothes to go the office. I told Dimples that this will be a very busy day and that I had to be in our Mall of Asia Site Launch. At the back of my mind, I know this will be a very special day and that I had no business going to the site launch, I went to our Libis Site.
I have been asking Chino to propose to me for over a month now. (Yeah, I know, I’m a bully.) I was asking him to propose to me last December because I wanted to have at least a whole year of preparation for the wedding. And having excellent research skills, I knew that he already bought a ring during the early part of December. (Yeah, I know.) But being the stubborn guy that he is, Chino did not propose during the whole month of December.
Dimples has been showing signs that she wanted me to propose. Well, to those who know her, those signs simply translated to words. She’s been bugging me to do the proposal in December and gave me a deadline. Of course I was scared. I wanted to please her. But I wanted the proposal to be on my own terms. First I had to ask her parents’ permission that I will be proposing to their daughter, and thankfully they said yes.
Then came January, I made sure that I have nicely manicured nails, anticipating the proposal from Chino. The first two weeks passed by and I got no proposal. I had to get a new manicure because my nail paints are already chipping off. I told Chino that I will be very busy on the third week of January and the only free day that I have is on January 16, a Wednesday. I was giving hints, well, more like imposing, that he propose on that day. (Yeah, I know.)
Planning the proposal has to be at the right timing. She’s already expecting it to happen, the challenge is to still surprise her, catch her off guard so the feel would still be there. Planning started in December before I went home to Davao and mobilization started in January. I had my best friend, colleagues, and her officemates as accomplices from the planning stage to execution.
Dimples has been anticipating this event that she even shows me her change of manicures every week just to let me know that she’s ready. I had to tire her off and give up the idea with the help of her officemates.
So then came January 15. After two meetings in San Juan and Makati, I got a call from Chino asking where I was and my plans for the day. This is very typical of Chino, he is very clingy. So I told him that we had plans in the afternoon and asked him to join us. I also made sure that I reminded him that the only free time I have for that week is the next day. I also told him that we needed to meet and choose our wedding coordinator by the end of the month to have ample time for wedding preparations. After the phone call, I was quite sure that he would do the proposal the next day.
The challenging part is how to set the cookie trail to lead her off from the original plan. I had to make an excuse the Saturday before “the day” to attend one of our dance group’s rehearsals to set-up the location. I even contacted Coffee Bean’s marketing department to have the area exclusive for us. I had to check her schedule when in that week she will be very busy and won’t expect a thing. I had her office mates know of the plan and choreograph the timing. Even her boss is so game with the plan that was with her the whole day from one meeting to another. Then her officemates proposed that they will go out that day and have Videoke in Eastwood and Coffee Bean will be their meeting place and also her boss will be meeting up with someone there.
The SEDPIps were excited to go to Eastwood for videoke. Since our boss was also coming with us, we were able to leave the office earlier. When we reached Eastwood, a few of the SEDPIps asked if we can grab something to eat first. I was tired and grumpy and told everyone that we should just proceed to the videoke place. They said that we had to pass by Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (CBTL) because there was one SEDPIp, Florence (my maid of honor), who met with her friends at CBTL. Our boss also told us that he had to check out one of his friends who was at the coffee shop. So, dragging my feet, I followed them to CBTL in the new Eastwood Mall.
When we reached CBTL, I saw Florence, and Roald, a friend of Chino, sitting at two different tables. I re-introduced them with each other and went out to call Chino and ask for his location. He said that he’s already on the way.
Chino arrived with his officemate, Marvin. I did not suspect anything because they also had an office in Eastwood and thought that Marvin was just saying “hi” before he goes home. I saw another officemate and friend of Chino, Wheng, and I thought that it’s weird that a lot of his friends are there. But I did not mind. I was sure that Chino was going to propose the following day.
That special Tuesday, I had all the details planned out. I had people stay in the coffee shop first, had several people come in on designated time. Then she came with her office mates. She called me to come over and I came with my officemate which I said came with me from the site launch and just wanted to say hi.
And so, I was with Chino when he went to the counter to order. When the SEDPIps called me and asked to look at a picture of my boss’ friend. I went back to our table and had a small talk with our friends. When I turned around, there he was, wearing the dress pants I was teasing him about that was a little too tight for him, holding a bouquet of tulips, that I was asking from him for several months now. Our friends were already shouting and I could not hear the music that one of the SEDPIp started to play from her ipad.
I was so nervous. I couldn’t help but tremble and worry about the details. So I went to the barista to get our usual orders. But when I returned, I was carrying a bouquet of Tulips, music was changed with the playlist that I had, and people started to gather round. To top it, I had the ring sit on top of a blueberry muffin and a cup of coffee with “Marry Me” printed.
I knelt down, asked her to marry me, and she said Yes.
I was so shocked that I started shouting at Chino and hitting his arms. I took the bouquet from him and by then I knew what was next. A CBTL staff approached us, carrying a tray with a coffee cup with the words “Marry me?” on the side and a blueberry muffin with a ring on top. Chino got the tray and nearly spilt the contents (he must be very nervous). He knelt down, placed the tray on the table, got the ring, and asked the question I have been waiting to hear for so long. By then I did not know what to say. All I could say was “yup”. He stood up and kissed me.
I was so happy. This day has changed my life forever.
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