Playing Pretend for Real

He proposed to her twice in all.

Once, on a TV show.

In front of a movie theater in winter, he held her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder,

then softly said, "I want to marry you."

Then he slipped a ring onto her finger.

The second time was much later.

Holding hands on the street in the early hours of the morning, he lowered his head to kiss her, his love impossible to put into words. Then, his eyes curving like crescents, he asked, "Will you marry me? I mean it."

After hearing her answer, he kissed her tenderly and sincerely, starting with her eyes and brows.

Then he slipped a ring onto her finger.

He proposed to her twice and bought two rings. She was the one he proposed to both times, and she was the owner of both rings.