‘Hah, yeah. Old habits die hard.’
She takes the kitchen knife and starts to draw it across her wrist.
‘Wait,’ I say, walking over and staying her hand.I take it in mine and drop to one knee.
‘Sadie Bouffant. I’ve loved you for forty years.’
She looks at me, expressionless. ‘Elliott, don’t ...’
‘Let me finish. Please,’ I beg. ‘I’ve got a small speech that I’ve prepared.’
Her eyelids flutter, but she nods, and I steel myself. Where was I? Oh yes.
‘I’ve loved you for forty years. To steal Jerry Maguire’s line, “You complete me.”’ I do the hand sign as well since she’s made me watch the movie with her at least a hundred times. Sadie’s mouth twitches. I stumble on.
‘I know it’s corny, but it’s exactly how I feel. I want to spend eternity with you. Will you do me the very great honour of becoming my wife?’
My voice wobbles, but I manage to get it all out without stammering. Thank God vampires can’t cry, or I’d be a blubbering mess right now. With my free hand, I take a black velvet box out of my pocket and present it to her. It contains a Georgian rose-gold engagement ring set with a small emerald.
‘I found it in an antique store a few years ago and I’ve been waiting for the right moment. I know how much you love emeralds ...’
I trail off as Sadie stares first at me, and then at the ring.She doesn’t speak for a long moment, and I realise too late that I shouldn’t have done this in the kitchen. It’s exactly like Tim’s proposal.
She’s going to reject me. I’ve fucked it up!
Then Sadie gives a small smile, which keeps getting bigger until it lights up her beautiful face. She cups my cheeks in her hands and gives me a long, slow kiss.
‘Is that a “yes”?’ I ask, worried that it’s a ‘no’ and this is her way of letting me down gently.
‘Of course it’s a “yes”,’ she says softly. ‘I’ve loved you for decades. Why do you think I kept you as my thrall all these years?’
‘Because you needed an on-site snack?’
She laughs and shakes her head as I slide the emerald ring onto her finger. It fits perfectly!
Sadie’s eyes turn serious as she inspects her emerald ring from all angles. ‘This is truly beautiful, Elliott. I love it, thank you so much. But your timing is atrocious.’
‘Oh, why?’
‘Because as you said quite recently, “we have to go to London and stake a vampire.”And I don’t particularly want to get engaged if there’s a chance you might not make it back for the wedding.’
‘Ah, true.’ That’s a sobering thought that she thinks I won’t. So much forgreater strength in numbers.
Sadie grins. ‘I’m joking.’
I drag a hand through my hair. ‘That’s a fucking relief.’
‘Though I do have one condition for marrying you.’
‘Which is?’
‘That I can walk down the aisle to“Hungry Like the Wolf”.’
I rise and sweep her up into my arms with a laugh.
‘Sweetheart’, I growl, nuzzling her neck and never wanting to let her go, ‘you can walk down the aisle to any goddamn Duran Duran song you like!’
Sadie squeals with delight and almost butchers my eardrums, causing the rest of the flat to come rushing into the kitchen.
