‘I’m leaving for Mauritius next week,’ she said solemnly.
He sat up and faced her. ‘For how long?’
‘About a month. A sportswear brand is launching soon, but they want to do everything all at once while everyone is in Mauritius. A photoshoot, their TV advert and a few other promos,’ she replied.
She pushed the covers off and stood, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her back onto the bed.
She giggled, but then sighed.
‘You don’t seem happy about going,’ he said, pulling her closer to him.
She got comfortable next to him again, then ruffled his hair.
‘I’m just worried that this won’t be here when I get back,’ she said, looking around.
‘The house? It’ll take me longer than a month to sell. It’ll be here when you get back,’ he teased.
She playfully punched his shoulder.
He leaned back and, pulling her to his chest, he said, ‘I’m not going anywhere, Kaavi.’
‘I can’t expect you to wait for me. We’ve been together for a few months now and this is the first time that I’ll be gone for a month. I can’t expect you to wa—’
‘You think you mean so little to me? That as soon as you leave, I’ll have someone else lined up to replace you?’ he interrupted.
She didn’t answer, but that was exactly what she was thinking.
They lay in each other’s arms, saying nothing.
‘What if we got married? Would that make you see I’m not going anywhere?’
Kaavi sat up, grabbed his chin and looked deep into his eyes.
‘You’re crazy,’ she said.
‘About you. Kaavi, I’m crazy about you. I’m already in love with you, so unless you don’t feel the same about me there’s nothing stopping us from getting married.’
Kaavi pushed off the covers, got up and stood beside the bed, facing him.
‘Did you just ask me to marry you?’
He got out of bed too.
‘I did,’ he said, coming around to stand in front of her.
Kaavi shook her head.
‘I’m in my panties and one of your T-shirts. You’re in boxers. My hair is a wild mess. My mascara is smudged from last night. This can’t be a proposal,’ she said, half excited, half terrified.
‘If you want the whole elaborate romantic proposal, I’ll make it happen. But I don’t care where it is or what you’re wearing, I just want the answer to be yes,’ he said.
He reached out, his thumb brushing her cheek; she leaned into it, but he pulled away and knelt in front of her.
‘Kaavi, will you marry me?’
He didn’t have to ask twice because she jumped into his arms and they tumbled onto the wooden floor. His arms locked around her.
‘So yes then?’
