We’re up early the following day to begin our brief road trip to Ciudad Enamorada, only an hour or two away. We leave San Sequoia and pass through Del Sol Valley and a small part of Oasis Springs with Tambara sleeping the entire time. When we arrive in the city, our first task is the pick up Dray from the airport. Then, we pull up to our home away from home for the next few days.
We’re all impressed when we step inside.
Maia: It’s so big and spacious.
Drake: This is like a mini-mansion.
I wouldn’t call it a mansion, but it makes our house feel a bit cramped. Tami will have plenty of space to run around here. Speaking of Tami, I officially re-introduce her to Dray when she steps beside us.
Wade: Tami, this is your Uncle Drake. He’s here to keep an eye on you. Can you say, Uncle Drake?
Tambara: Hi, Unco Da.
Wade: Not Da. I’m your Da. That’s your Uncle Drake.
Tambara: Unco Da give hug.
Dray kneels to give Tami the hug she asked for. We’re gonna have to work on this Unco Da thing.
Maia and I go upstairs to check out all the bedrooms until we locate the master bedroom next to the room Tami will be using. It’s everything that I was looking for. It’s big and romantic – just what we need to rekindle our relationship.
Wade: These few days are about you and me. We’ve been so busy lately that we’ve forgotten about us.
Maia: You’re right. I’m glad we’re doing this.
Wade: I made reservations for us at the nicest restaurant Ciudad Enamorada has to offer. It supposedly has some of the best views in the city.
Maia: That’s sweet. I’m looking forward to it.
Wade: Me too
I hope it’s sweet enough for the proposal to go well. And maybe afterward, I’ll get lucky in other ways.
But our reservation isn’t for a few hours, so we have some time to kill. I enter the sunken living room and play some Density Effect on the giant TV. Maia occupies herself by serving a quick meal for brunch, and Dray makes a beeline for the pool outside while Tami is upstairs playing in the nursery.
It doesn’t take long before the problems of home follow us here. I receive a notification that Haru and Tia are violating one of my tenant rules by throwing a big party. I’d bet anything that most of it is taking place in our backyard, and I can only hope they aren’t trashing the place. The only thing I could do from here is fine them or call the cops to break it up. But why bother? They’ll be moving out soon enough. Hopefully, the party is a ‘moving out’ party. If that’s the case, maybe I should throw one, too.
Exploring the rest of the rental, especially the gym and the side yard, is a much better use of my time. Both of which are pretty nice. I’ll probably come down and use the gym in the morning, and maybe Maia and I can have a mini date out in the yard before we leave.
Our six o’clock dinner reservation is less than an hour from now, so we should start getting dressed and ready. Dray has graciously offered to take Tami to the nearby park, so we’re alone. I enter the bedroom with a long hot shower in mind, but Maia has beaten me to it. This beautiful woman will soon be my fiancé if all goes well tonight. The thought makes my stomach suddenly feel heavy with nerves.
After all the time we’ve been together, tonight is finally the night when I propose. This evening will determine our future as a couple, and it involves a simple yes or…Watcher forbid, a no answer.
Maia’s response wasn’t so favorable the last time we discussed marriage. There’s a real possibility that she might say no. What if she says no?
The thought sends me into a mini panic, and I pull out my phone to call my boy Luca – the only one who can set me straight when I get like this. I could kick myself, wondering why I didn’t think to invite him and his family on this trip, too. The rental is big enough, and I could have used the support.
Luca answers after a couple of rings.
Wade: *on the phone* This is it, Luc. I’m proposing tonight, and I’m scared as hell!
Luca: *on the phone* Whaaaaat! I’m excited for you guys. So proud of you, man. Don’t overthink it or try to make it like the movies. Just be yourself and tell her what’s in your heart. She’ll say yes. I know she will!
Wade: But what if she doesn’t? I don’t know if I’d be able to recover from that.
Luca: You can’t think like that, Dub. Of course, she’ll say yes! You love her, right? And she loves you. There’s no reason she would say no. Just be real with her. It might be uncomfortable for you, but trust me when I say she wants to hear it. She needs to hear it. Okay?
Luc is always the voice of positivity and reason.
Wade: *deep breath* Yeah, you’re right. I’ve got this. I can do this. Thanks, Luc.
Luca: Yep, anytime. Just make sure I get an invite to the wedding.
Wade: For sure! Yours will be the first one to go out.
Now geared with my Luca-inspired confidence, I go into the bathroom to get dressed for our date.
Less than an hour later, I leave the bathroom, dressed and ready to go. I look at Maia, realizing there’s no room for doubts. We belong together, and nothing is going to tear that apart. She’s going to say yes. There’s no other answer.
Wade: It’s a little early for our reservation, but maybe we can explore the city for a while before we eat.
Maia: Yeah, I’d like that.
Wade: You look amazing, by the way! I can’t wait to show you off.
Maia: Thank you. You look good, too.
We leave our rental in Mariposa Plaza and ride to the nearby neighborhood known as Nuevo Corazon. We ‘ooh and ahh’ at all the tall buildings—much taller and more numerous than anything we’ve ever seen in North Simerica. It’s as if someone took San Myshuno, San Sequoia, and Del Sol Valley and squished them together to make one much more crowded city.
We walk the streets for a bit, and I admire my beautiful lady and how her curvy figure is filling out her green jumpsuit. I study the closures so I can take it off as quickly as possible once we have time alone tonight.
There’s a flower stand nearby. I walk over to purchase some for Maia, but she stops me.
Maia: You don’t have to buy me any flowers.
Wade: Of course I do. Someone as beautiful as you deserve that and more.
Maia: They’re overpriced, and I’d rather you buy seeds for our garden.
Maia will forever be much more practical than I am, but I get her point.
Wade: Okay, but I insist on getting something. Stay right there! I want it to be a surprise.
I enter the small space and pick out a gift that Maia and I can share later. Then, I conceal my purchase and join her back on the street. Although Maia can’t see the gift, she still rewards me with a kiss.
(Generation 4 Chapter Summaries)
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Note: Luca’s dialogue was written by his creator – storiesbyjes2g. You can read his story on Jes’ website here: aDOLTing
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