The tree lined street shone brilliantly with hues of gold and orange one mid-October afternoon as Micky drove the car that Adriana and he were able to buy a couple of months ago. It wasn't much. Just a 1987 Buick LaSabre which they affectionately called "The Old Man".
The black van had been moved from it's hiding place in Lena, and permanently stationed in Link's garage long after things calmed down. They all promised they wouldn't use it anymore to avoid any future conflicts.
Micky had gotten a job with Link repairing computers. Yes, computers. He didn't know too much about them when he started out, but he caught on very quickly. It came as second nature to him and he enjoyed his work.
With the money Adriana had saved from her job at the bank, plus what Micky had saved, they were able to purchase the Buick from a neighbor. It was hardly used and ran like new. Micky loved driving it and had no problem getting licensed in the year 2001.
"Calm down, Dolenz," he said to himself as he pulled the green car into a parking stall in front of the bank. "Just take it one step at a time."
He turned off the car, got out, and walked into the bank.
"Hey Micky," Amanda, a personal banker, called out to him as he walked in. "Adriana's in back putting a few thing away. She should be out in a few minutes."
"Great," Micky said, smiling at Amanda and taking a seat in the lobby.
He looked down at his hands. They felt cold and clammy.
More than once some of Adriana's co-workers looked at Micky and wondered why he wasn't his usual talkative, charming self.
"Oh, man," he said to himself, "Maybe I don't have to do this tonight. Maybe I could wait a little bit longer. Yea, that's it, a little bit longer…"
"Micky," said a feminine voice in front of him.
He broke out of his revere and looked up at the woman in front of him. She hadn't changed much in the past months. She was still as pretty as he had always thought. Her medium length blond hair was done just the way he liked it. The sides were pulled back just a bit and the rest of her hair was framing her face. She wore a tailored black business jacket and a black skirt that came to mid-thigh, accenting her long legs. Suddenly all doubt about what he was going to do faded into the distance as she bent down and gave him a quick hug.
"Let's go," Adriana said, pulling him up and after waving to her co-workers, walked out the door hand in hand with Micky.
"Where are we going," Adriana asked curiously as Micky drove further than the turn off to their home.
"You'll see," Micky answered mysteriously as he continued driving.
Soon, they came to a park that Adriana remembered visiting when she was little. She once told Micky that her mother and her used to go there and to spend time together.
Adriana smiled to herself as she remembered going to the store down the street where her mom would let her get a candy necklaces before they went to the park. Looking around she saw that all the equipment was still there. The merry-go-round was a bit rusted, but she could still remember spinning on it until she felt sick to her stomach. The big oak tree that her mother and her would sit under and picnic was a bit smaller than she remembered, but that was probably because she was so little at the time.
"I wonder what he's got up his sleeve," Adriana asked herself.
"Just my arm," Micky answered, looking over at her and smiling that goofy smile.
Adriana blushed, realizing that she had spoken out loud.
Micky pulled the car into the deserted parking lot and got out of the car. Adriana followed him to the trunk where he pulled out a picnic basket, a bag, a blanket, and his guitar.
"A picnic," Adriana asked, looking around. "That's sweet Micky, but I'm not exactly dressed for a picnic and this certainly isn't picnic weather," she said, folding her arms against the cool October air.
"Don't worry," he said, shutting the trunk and handing her the bag, "I thought of everything. I put a pair of your jeans, a sweater, and your tennis shoes in there. You can probably go over to that bathroom and change. Then meet me back here."
"Okay," Adriana said, bewildered. She turned and walked over to the restroom while Micky, already dressed for the weather in a black v-neck sweater and jeans, walked over to the tree and laid out the picnic.
Moments later Adriana immerged from the restroom in jeans, tennies, and her dark green sweater.
"Wow," she said, as she reached where Micky had spread out a blanket and the contents of the basket, "what's this all about?"
"I love that sweater," he said, taking her hand and leading her to the blanket. Sitting them both down he commented, "The green really brings out your eyes."
"Thanks," she said, blushing at the attention.
"I can't believe you remembered what I told you about this place," she exclaimed as she took the sandwich Micky held out to her and glanced all around the park.
She loved this time of October in Illinois. All of the trees were turned and the leaves were a million different colors. It was cool, but not freezing cold. Squirrels skittered about gathering acorns for the coming winter.
Micky and Adriana ate most of their meal in silence, enjoying the sounds of life around them and the beauty of the park.
When he saw that she had finished eating, Micky took a shaky breath and said to himself, "Well, it's now or never man."
"You know," he began as his natural charm took over, "it's been a little over a year since we first met."
"I know," Adriana said, looking at him and smiling, "I didn't even really like you then."
"Ouch," Micky exclaimed, putting his hand to his heart.
"Oh," Adriana laughed, "of course I liked you, I just didn't like you, like you yet. Does that make any sense?"
"Yeah," he said, smiling. "You know when I first realized how much I liked you?"
"When," she asked, folding her legs up against her and listening attentively.
"When you hugged me before you left for the first time and said 'Micky, you always made me laugh'," he said, impersonating her.
"Well, you did," she said, laughing.
Micky reached beside him and grabbed his guitar.
"I always wondered when I would meet a girl who actually appreciated my sense of humor," he said, strumming it.
"Well," Adriana said, "it is one of my favorite things about you. When things get too heavy for me, I can always count on you to make things lighter."
"Adriana," Micky said, intensively looking at her, "I really love you."
Adriana shivered. Micky had never looked at her like that before. He was so serious, yet loving. She'd hardly ever been told she was beautiful. It would take her a very long time before she would ever think she was herself, but Micky almost made her believe she was. Adriana wondered what he saw in her.
"You look kinda cold," Micky said, breaking the gaze to reach into another bag. "Here, I brought you your jacket."
"How sweet," she said, putting it on and stuffing her cold hands into the pockets. In her right pocket she felt a hard, square container with a velvety covering. Her heart leapt into her throat as she pulled it out.
Glancing up she saw Micky looking at her excitedly.
"Calm down," she told herself, "It could just be a pair of earrings. Wait! I don't have my ears pierced. Maybe a necklace??"
Adriana slowly opened the dark blue jewelry box to reveal a simple gold band with a small, but beautiful diamond set in the middle.
Before she knew it, Micky was right in front of her, bending on one knee, and taking her hand.
"Adriana Lynn Wilson," he began quietly, his voice sounding unusually deep, "will you marry me?"
"This is it," Adriana thought, as she looked from Micky's face to the beautiful ring in her left hand. This was what she had waited for her whole life. She never dreamed it would happen like this, or who it would happen with. Sometimes she felt as though it would never happen at all. Her heart beat wildly as she starred at Micky and the ring, a billion thoughts swirling in her mind.
"Um, Adrian," Micky said, steadying himself on his knee, "say something. Please?"
"Yes," she said quietly, looking up at him.
"What," he asked, astonished.
"I said 'yes'," Adriana said with a laugh.
"You did," Micky asked, standing up and nervously running his fingers through his hair. "Wow. You did? You did. Gosharoony! Say it again."
"Yes," said Adriana, chuckling at his cute nervousness.
Micky grabbed her hand and pulled her up to him.
He laughed and shouted, twirling her around and hugging her. After pulling her away at arms length he said, "Just one more time. For good measure. I'm not deaf, I just want to hear that wonderful word once more."
"Yes," Adriana shouted at the top of her lungs. She then turned a bright shade of red after a man who was just pulling his car into the park gave her a weird look.
"WhooHoo," Micky yelled, grabbing Adriana again and spinning her around in a dizzying hug.
"The ring," Micky suddenly remembered. He took the box from her and after taking it out, placed it on her waiting finger. He starred at her ringed finger for a few moments, running his thumb over the top of it.
"What is it," Adriana asked, watching him stare at her hand.
"Well," Micky began, "It's just that I can hardly believe this is happening. Nobody ever thought I was the marrying kind. I began to think I wasn't either. But, you made me feel like I can do anything as long as I'm with you. And I know that I want to be with you forever."
"Oh Micky," Adriana said, lifting her hand and smoothing back his hair from his forehead. "You can do anything. You always could."
"Will you do it again," Micky asked with a sly grin.
"Do what," she asked.
"Say 'yes' again," Micky said.
"Micky," warned Adriana.
"Come on, it gives me a thrill," he said, wiggling his eyebrows.
"Fine," Adriana agreed, rolling her eyes a bit. "Yes."
"Oh, yeah," Micky shouted, hugging her again, laughing.
The man who just arrived at the park lead his little daughter over to the swings and once again gave another weird look to the young couple.
"Micky," Adriana whispered, "I think we'd better go. This guy probably thinks were crackers."
"No," he said boldly, placing his hands on his hips in superhero fashion, "I love you and we're getting married and I don't care who knows!"
Then, to Adriana's utter surprise, he picked her up in his arms and kissed her. Thus, generating more stares from the man in the park.
"Hey," Micky said to the man as he walked past him, carrying Adriana to the car, "this is my new fiancée. We're getting married you know."
Adriana blushed redder, if that was even possible.
"Micky," Adriana reminded him, "what about the stuff."
"What stuff, my dear," Micky said, setting her in the passenger seat.
"The picnic stuff," she said.
"Oh, yes, picnic stuff," he said absentmindedly. Micky then went and retrieved the picnic things and returned to the car.
Adriana couldn't help but stare dreamily out the window as Micky started the car. She was unbelievably happy.
She felt absolutely blissful. Her mind began to swirl with thoughts of a beautiful wedding. Little flutters of excitement danced in her stomach at the thought of spending the rest of her life with such a great person. She was truly blessed.
As for Micky, he was thrilled to the core. He was so excited at the prospect of actually finding a woman who not only put up with his craziness, but actually enjoyed it. She was more than that to him, though. Adriana was becoming his best friend. Well, the guys would always be his best friends, but she was his friend in a different way. He would tell her things he'd never told anyone. He'd share things with her he'd never share with anyone. Micky knew he could trust her. That was the most important to him. Soon they would be married and he could finally have the family he always wanted.
"Who would have ever thought," Micky said to himself, amused.
"Wait until the guys hear about this," he said, as they finally pulled into Adriana's driveway.
And The Beat Goes On: Part Two
Tippy's Library
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