In the past two years of dating one another, Jed and Abbey have been able to
grow closer to each other than anyone had ever expected them to. No one,
except Leo, gave their relationship more than 6 months. Yet here they were,
a little more than two years later, still together and more in love than ever.

"Jed, stop. I need to study. Med. school is a lot hardier than under grad."
Abbey said as she broke away from a kiss, and playfully shoved her boyfriend
away.

"And you're getting straight A's." Jed pointed out.

"No thanks to you." Abbey said as Jed moved back in and stole another kiss.

"You deserve to have some fun."

"And you're the one that's gonna give it to me?" Abbey smiled.

"Yes." Jed said in a low tone as he pushed Abbey's books off the couch and
began to lay her down.

"Jed!"

"Shh, no more talking."

"My roommate will be back soon. We can't."

"She's not here now." Just as Jed finished talking and began kissing again,
keys started to jingle in the doorknob.

"You were saying?" Abbey smiled as she sat up at her roommate's entrance.

"Don't mind me." Came her roommate.

"You should go now, Jed. It's getting late, and I still have to study."

Giving in to his better judgement, Jed stood up and reached his hands out to
help Abbey get up. "Okay, I'll go." He pulled her close to him and kissed
her again. Once the kiss was over, they began to walk towards the door. Jed
opened it and stood right outside as Abbey stayed in the doorway, holding his
hand.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Call me when you get home."

"Count on it." Jed said as he gave Abbey a quick kiss on the lips. "Bye."
Abbey shut the door, but Jed didn't move.

Standing at the closed door, Jed pulled something out of his pocket. Holding
up a diamond ring so that he could see it better, he began to think of Abbey
as he saw the beauty of the ring. "She's so gorgeous, I don't even deserve
her. The way she smiles, even after everything has gone so wrong. The way
she laughs at the silliest things. And her eyes, every time I look into them
I get so lost. I hope she says yes, I'd be no good without her."

*********************

"You didn't ask her, did you?" Leo said as he let his friend in his
apartment.

"No, I didn't." Jed crashed down on the couch.

"She can't say yes unless you ask her, Jed."

"Yeah, I know."

"So when are you going to ask?"

"I don't know. It has to be perfect. Maybe I'll take her back to that
restaurant where we had our first date."

"It's not like it's going to matter where. As soon as you pull out that
ring, you know she's gonna say yes."

"You think?"

Leo smacked his friend upside the head, "Yes! I've seen the way you two look
at each other. She's just as much in love with you, as you are with her."

"I hope you're right."

"Aren't I always?"

*********************

"You still haven't done it, have you?" Leo asked as he entered Jed's
apartment the next night.

"No, but I'm working on it." Jed replied.

"Working on it? What's that mean?"

"Well, I made reservations for us tomorrow night. I've managed to get that
guy that plays the piano in the restaurant, I've managed to get him to play
our song when I ask her."

"Sounds like you're all set."

"Yeah, I just hope she says yes."

"Jed! For the last time, she is going to say yes. I promise you."

"I hope you're right."

"Have I ever been wrong?"

*********************

"Hello you." Jed said walking up behind Abbey, wrapping his arms around her
waist the next afternoon. "I missed you."

"Hey, I missed you too." Abbey said as she turned around and gave her
boyfriend a hello kiss. "Say, you wouldn't be too hurt if I canceled our
date tonight, would you?"

"What?!" Jed began to panic. "Why?"

"There is a special study session tomorrow morning, and I was thinking I
should go to it."

"I'll help you study, then you won't have to cancel on me."

"Yeah, a lot of studying we'll get done."

"What if I promise to have you home early tonight? Then would you still
come?"

"I suppose. I've never been good saying no to you."

"That's good to hear." Jed smiled.

*********************

Friday evening, Jed began to get ready at least an hour earlier then when he
really had to. Which was a good thing, cause he was so nervous, he couldn't
even tie his own shoes. Once he finally had finished getting dressed, he
began to pace all over his apartment, so much that the people who lived under
him wanted to kill him. He pulled the box out from his pocket, and opened
it. Then he began to practice what he was going to say.

"Abbey, I love you. I've been in love with you as long as I can remember. I
don't think I can live without you. Will you marry me? No, that's no good.
Abigail, will you do me the honor of becoming my bride?" Jed then decided he
wanted to get in the full swing of things, so he knelt down on one knee and
held the ring up, "Abigail, I love you. I can't live without you. Will you
marry me?"

Looking at his watch he realized if he didn't leave now, he'd end up being
late. He pulled his coat on and ran out the door. When he arrived at
Abbey's apartment, he knocked on the door a good two or three times before
her roommate answered it.

"Is Abbey here?" Jed asked.

"Yeah, but she's sick."

"What? I just saw her this afternoon. I spoke with her a few hours ago, she
didn't say anything about being sick."

"It just came on about two hours ago."

"Is she sleeping?"

"No, she's awake."

"Okay. Thanks." Jed said walking into the apartment, and towards Abbey's
bedroom. When he entered the room, he stayed back at the door, gazing at
her. "Even sick, she's still so beautiful," Jed thought.

"Hey. I'm sorry about tonight."

"It's okay, nothing you can do about it." Jed walked over to her bed. "So
how are you feeling?"

"I'm sick, Jed. I've got the flu." Abbey began to cough.

Jed feeling helpless, motioned for her to sit up. Then, he sat up on the
bed, leaning against the wall, and held Abbey in his arms. When she fell
asleep, Jed said, "I love you Abbey. I may not have been able to ask you
tonight, like I planned, but you're gonna be my wife some day."

*********************

"What'd she say?" Leo walked into Jed's open apartment door.

"I didn't ask."

"What? Why not?"

"She got sick, and wasn't able to go out."

"Talk about bad timing."

"Yeah, but what can you do."

"You could have still asked her. Just because she's sick, doesn't mean she
can't say yes."

"But I want it to be perfect, so I'm just gonna wait until she gets better."

"Okay, just don't put it off too long."

*********************

The next week Abbey pretty much never got up from her bed; she was just so
sick. Jed stopped by everyday to cook her soup, and just be there, nursing
her back to health. By the end of the week, she finally began to feel
better, and was able to move around, and even go out. So it was time for Jed
to start making plans, again.

This time, on a Saturday night, Jed was all ready to go pick Abbey up. He
had pretty much the same plans. Go to the same restaurant, have the pianist
play their song, get down on one knee, and pop the question.

Once at the restaurant, as they were walking to the door, Jed realized that
his pocket was empty. "Abbey, I think I left something in the car, I'll be
right back." Jed rushed to his car and frantically began his search for the
missing ring. "Where did I put it? Where could it be?" After searching for
a good minute or two, he finally sat down in the car and banged his head
against the back of the seat. "How could I be so stupid, loose the ring the
night you're gonna give it to her." He opened his eyes, "Wait a second!
That's right, I put it up there, so she wouldn't find it." Jed grabbed the
ring and ran back to Abbey, who since had moved inside.

Once inside, Jed and Abbey made their way to the mater dee, so they could get
their table. The only thing is that the reservations had been lost. After
having fought with the manager of the restaurant for some time, Abbey finally
suggested they just go somewhere else. "It's not worth it," she advised.

Going along with Abbey, Jed agreed to leave the restaurant. They ended up
going to another restaurant, one that was much less fancy. But it still had
it's charm. While they were waiting for their food, Jed spotted a jukebox.
Over he walked to it, looking at the different song selections. If he
couldn't have the pianist play their song special for her, maybe he could
find it on the jukebox. "Of course I would have no luck in finding it." He
thought as he looked over at Abbey and weakly smiled, " Oh well, the food is
here anyway."

After they had left the restaurant, Jed had yet to ask her. He just kept
putting it off, because he wanted it to be perfect. Now they were taking a
moonlit stroll through the park. Eventually, they settled down on a park
bench.

"Jed!" Abbey said loudly.

"What?"

"Where'd you go there? I've been calling your name for a while now."

Before he said anything, he reached his hand into his right pocket, to pull
the ring out. "UH OH!" He thought. "It's not in there." Jed began to
panic as he searched all of his pockets, "Phew!" He thought to himself as he
found it in his left pocket. Jed then moved down to the ground, on one knee.
"Abigail, I love you. There is no way I can live without you. I need you
as much as I need the air that I breathe. Would you do me the honor, and
marry me?" Jed pulled the box out and opened it up.

A single tear began to flow from her right eye. Seeing it, Jed moved his
hand up and wiped it away. "Yes, Josiah. I will marry you." She said as she
threw her arms around her fiancé. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Jed backed up from her, as he took the ring out of the box. He then looked
up into her eyes as he carefully slid the ring on her finger. "I love you."
He slipped back into her arms, as they passionately kissed.

*********************

"Did you ask yet?" Leo asked his best friend who just entered his apartment.

"Yeah, I asked." Jed tried to stifle his excitement.

"Well?"

"She said yes." Jed cracked the biggest smile of his life.

"I told you so."

"Yeah, you did. So, what do you say?"

"Say to what?"

"Will you be my best man?"

"Do you have to ask?"

"That's a yes?"

"Yes, it's a yes you big goof." Leo said as he patted his friend on the back.

THE END