Four years ago Alix had to work late. As I recall it was for parent-teacher conferences, and she would be home around 6:30-7pm. Almost everything was set. The video was complete, I had time to walk Miah and Ivan, and I was leaving work early to give myself enough time to put finishing touches on a few remaining items. 

6th grade “Scott” had given the perfect date 19 years prior. As you may know, about 5 years ago I was handed a diary with around 3 entries. One of them gave the exact date I had asked Alix out in 6th grade. It was October 20. Had she said yes, who knows how this story would’ve gone, but she hadn’t. So, around 19 years to the date I had another question to ask. This one, a little bigger than a Halloween dance. 

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I left work an hour early and rushed home. Nervous, no. Anxious, most definitely. Let me tell you something about Alix, you can’t surprise her. She always figures things out. So, I had to make dinner reservations for the next night (October 24) in DC and really build them up. It was going to be an amazing dinner, at a restaurant we had been eager to try, as a way to replace a memory of rejection with something positive. If she had been expecting a proposal, the hope was that I could beat her to the punch on when it occurred. 

As I approached our apartment door, a package was waiting on the floor. Perfect! It was the cherrywood box to replace the typical black/navy blue one that came with the ring. I had been slightly nervous this final piece wouldn’t come together, since it was around 3 days late arriving. I was convinced it would appear at our door when we were both home or on one of the many days that Alix beat me there. If I had stumbled in telling her what was contained in the package, she would immediately guess.

Next step, walk the dogs. Ivan was at the door waiting and Miah was making herself known on the couch. After their individual walks they returned to the couch and curled next to each other. From there, I wrote a note for each side of the door and set a DVD for her to play. I texted her for an ETA and I left. I made it about 100 yards from our apartment and realized the box in my pocket was a little too noticeable. So, I turned around. I ran into the apartment, grabbed a coat, checked the ring, and back on my walk I went. Oddly enough, I still hadn’t heard from Alix. At this point, I knew I needed to get to the Alexandria waterfront by 7pm. The DVD was about 20 minutes long, but there was a note on the back of the door with instructions to meet me at the waterfront. If Alix somehow missed the note about the one, she might be ahead of schedule. Still, I hadn’t heard from her about an ETA. 

I was on King St. and blocks from the water. Then I received a text. “Just wrapping up, I’ll be home shortly.” That meant, she was probably still an hour away. The anxiety I was feeling was now multiplied know I would need to wait. I did the only thing I knew to do…I went to King Street Blues (KSB) for a drink. I figured I could get warm and relax for a minute, then walk down the hill. KSB was our Cheers bar. We knew everyone there, and they knew us. After a gin and tonic…OK, two gin and tonics, I headed to the water. 

20 minutes. That’s how long I assumed I would wait. So, I sat down, then I stood up, then I looked over at National Harbor, then I looked toward DC, then I leaned on a pole, then I sat down again. Finally I stood up, returned to leaning on the pole, and noticed Alix walking in the distance. The final comment on the DVD was that I had a question to ask her, and now I was going to be given the chance. 

4 years ago I made the easy decision of asking Alix to marry me. Thankfully she agreed. 

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Credit: JOFFOTO

I should warn you that Alix is going to learn I wrote this the same time as all of you. Which means, her editing abilities are not at work. 

Happy Anniversary, Alix!