"Happy birthday." I say as a walk up and wrap my arms around her.
She turns around and said, "About time, I'd figured you had forgotten."
"I could never forget anything about you." I responded and planted a kiss on her cheek. "I have something for you." I continued and starting digging around in my pocket for it.
"Oh do you now?" she asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.
"Of course my dear. Today is a very special day after all." I found it and handed it to her. "
Oh Nick," she exhaled. "It's beautiful."
She examined the small elephant I had carved.
"Not as beautiful as you." She smiled and threw her arms around me. "Where ever did you get the teak for it?"
"Ah," I responded, "Now that, Mya is a secret."
"Silly boy." She said as she kisses me.
One of my favorite things in the world.
Mya's lips one mine. Even now after two years of being together I still got butterflies in my stomach.
"Want to take a walk?" I asked. An impish grin on my face.
"That sounds lovely.' She said as she wrapped her fingers around mine. "The usual spot?" she asked.
I smiled as my answer.
"Good." She responded and we walked in a contented silence. I was starting to get a little nervous at the thought of what I was going to do.
Tonight was the night I thought to myself. The night I was going to ask Mya to marry me. I was fairly certain she would say yes. We had grown so unattainably close the past few months; I couldn't imagine my life without her any more. She was the sun to my earth and I loved her more than any thing. We soon reached our spot. It was quiet as usual. We sat down and stared at the moon.
"So," I began "how was your day?'
"It was ok, would have been better if I got to see you more though." She said poking me
"My deepest apologies sweet Mya." I said giving her a kiss. "I'm going to make up for it though." I said smiling.
"How?" she asked. I pull her up and wrap my hands around her waist, and begin swaying back and forth with her.
"Nick, what are you doing?" She asked giggling,
"You'll see." I said and spun her around.
We danced like this for a while before I began what I had been working on for days, "So, Mya you know I love you more than anything in this world. Right?"
"Yes." She responded with a smile, "You know I love you more than anything in this world. Right?" she countered.
"Yes." I said smiling. "You know I would do absolutely anything for you. Right?" I asked.
"Yes Nick. Where are you going with this?" She asked.
"Mya," I said stopping our dancing, I let go of her and put my hands in my pockets. I secured my hand around the ring. My mother's engagement ring I smiled and she looked me strangely. "Nick, what are you doing?" she asked and smiled.
"Mya," I started again, "I love you, and I couldn't imagine my life without you. You are the sun to my world. The air to my lungs and the mahout to my koongyi." I said smiling at the last analogy. "And I was wondering," I said as I pulled my hand out of my pocket and got down to one knee, holding the ring up to her. "If you would do me the unbelievable honor of marrying me?" I asked. She stared at me and didn't say anything for a full 30 seconds. I was starting to worry when she smiled and said,
"Of course Nick."
"Really?" I asked astonished.
"Yes Nick." She said, a breath-taking smile crossing her face. "Yes!" I stood up and threw my arms around her, picked her up and started spinning her around. We were both laughing. I stopped the spinning and put her down and kissed her over and over and over again. I stopped and put the ring on her left finger

"You are so beautiful." I said she smiled and said, "I love you Nick."
"I love you too Mya." I said, "Come, let's go show everyone."
She smiled and kissed me again. I took her hand and began the walk back to the ranch.
She was still smiling, and looking at the ring her hand. "Do you like it?" I ask.
"I love it!" she responds.
"Good." I say and kiss her on the cheek. Soon we see the light of the house comes into view. We walk up the porch steps and into the house and I make a beeline to my fathers study. I knock on the door.
"Come in." he says. We both walk in and he glances up, "Nick, Mya. Hi." He says with a smile when he sees us holding hands. He sees the ring on Myas finger.
"Looks like you've finally done it son." He says getting up to hug us both "Congratulations. Mya, you will make a fine daughter in law. Welcome to the family sweetheart." He said kissing her on the cheek. "I hope you are both very happy." he tells use. He looks like he's about to cry. "I think a special dinner is in order. We need to tell every one else the wonderful news." "
Ok." I said smiling. "Can I call mom?" I ask a huge smile plastered on my face.
"Of course you can son." He says smiling. I'll give you two some privacy." he says leaving the room. But not before hugging the both of us yet again. I walk over to his desk sit down in his chair and pull Mya into my lap.
"Did I make up for not seeing you today." I ask as I dial my mother's number on the telephone.
"Most defiantly." she says with a smile as she wraps her arms around me. My mother picks up on the first ring.
"Hello?" she answers.
"Hi mom." I say, wondering if she could hear the smile in my voice.
"Oh, Nick hi!" She said, surprised to be hearing from me. "How have you been sweetie?" she asked.
"Good," I responded "well excellent actually after tonight." I said, poking Mya.
"Why? What happened?" she asked
"Well," I said "It was nice today, not to windy, we saw a heard of wild camels, I proposed to Mya, she said yes. I had a really good breakfast." I said rambling waiting for her to stop me.
There was silence on the other side of the phone. Then my mother was screaming
"BERNARD! BERNARD COME QUICK!"
I starting laughing quietly.
"Yes sweetie?" my stepfather asks. "It's Nick, and Mya. They're getting married!" She said excitedly.
No worries about my mother liking the idea I thought happily.
"Oh Nick sweetheart that's great! I'm so happy for you!" I heard Bernard saying something on the other side that I couldn't make out.
"Hold on just a second," she said "Nick, Bernard would like to talk to you, here he is." the was a second of silence before I heard Bernard's booming voice on the receiver.
"Congratulations son!" He said excitedly. "I hope you two are very happy." he says.
"No worries," I say "I don't think I could be happy with any one else." I look down at Mya and she's smiling.
"Your mother and I have to go to work now, but we will call you as soon as we get home. Alright?" he asks.
"Ok." I say. "Tell mom I said I love her."
"Can do." he says "bye, love you."
"Love you too." I say and the receiver goes dead. I look down at Mya again and kiss her. "Come now dear." I saw as I stand up. "You will make the most beautiful bride in all of Australia."
"You think so?" she asks.
"I know so." I say smiling and kissing her lightly on the nose. There was a knock on the door, strange considering it was my father's study. But it was only a housekeeper telling us that dinner would be ready in an hour.
"So," I said looking down at her angelic face, "looks like we have a little spare time on our hands. What would you like to do?" "Hmmm," she says, thinking. "How about a walk?" She suggests smiling.
"Sounds perfect." I say, returning her smile. We get up and slip out the back door without notice we walk, holding hands, in silence for a while. I don't think I've ever felt this happy. "So," I begin,. "May I ask you what took you so long to answer me?"
"I was in shock," she says. "I just couldn't believe that someone as perfect as you would want someone like me. I just couldn't say anything. I didn't ever think you would want me that way. You just caught me off guard." she finishes. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, she thought I wouldn't want her that way? Impossible. I was in love with her, every thing I did, I did for her.
"Mya," I said stopping. "you thought I wouldn't want you?"
"Well, not in that way…" she says trailing off. Really? I thought. Of course I wanted her that way. I just believed we should be married first,
"Mya, of course I do. I just wanted to do things the proper way before hand." I say smiling and planting a kiss on her cheek. She was silent. We walked that way for a while it until it was her who stopped us this time. "I want to get married soon. Very soon. I don't want to have to wait for you. For us." I considered this for a bit. It sounded like a very good idea. I didn't really see the point in waiting.
"Ok,' I said, "You pick the date and I'll be there." she thought for a moment.
"How fast can we get Indaw here?" she asked, "Well first we would have to send him a letter telling him, and make sure he can show, then we would have to get him here. I would say about a month." she thought about this.
"Ok, I want to get married the day he gets here."
"That will work." I say with a smile. "We'll write the letter tonight. Until then, I think we have a wedding to plan." The idea of that sent shivers through me.
Mya.
Mine forever. "I think dinner is almost ready. We might ought to head back." I say.
"Ok. Let's go." she says and we turn around and head back. I stop all the sudden. Wrap my arms around her and pull her down to the ground, look her dead in the eye and say,
"The day Indaw gets here could never come soon enough. The day when I get to commit my eternal love for you could never come sooner and the day where you become mine could never come soon enough. Forget Indaw, let's get married tonight."
She smiles at me and says, "I love that idea, but I have a feeling that Indaw would be highly offended if he doesn't get a chance to walk me down the isle. And besides your mother and Bernard would be mad if they missed it."
"Your right, as usual. I'm just ready to start my life with you."
She smiles at me and says "Come on. Dinner is calling."
Dinner passed without incident. Lots of congratulations. After dinner when I was telling Mya goodnight she stopped me and said "Are you sure you want to do this?" I was shocked. Why would she thing I wouldn't want to? I mean I was the one who asked her after all.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"I don't know. I just want to make sure."
"Mya, of course I want to. Did you now hear the speech I made tonight? I will always want to be with you. No matter what. We've been through war together. What else could stop me?" she thinks about it for a moment.
"You're right. I just can't get over the fact that you want to."
"Mya," I say taking her hand in mine. "I love you." I lifted her hand to my lips and kissed each one of her fingers and the ring.
"I love you too Nick." she says.
"Goodnight Mya." I say lifting her head to mine to kiss her.
She stops the kiss much to my displeasure and then walks into her room with a phantom of a smile on her lips. I walk upstairs to my room, I undress mechanically and get into bed. Replaying today's events in my mind. She said yes! I thought to my self. She wants me just as much as I want her.
I go to sleep thinking of her face.