The Pain of Letting Go

Rachael and David arrived at Rodriquez at the appointed time. Their table was situated in a corner of the room overlooking the river with its barges. The evening was warm and they both were dressed in casual wear.

“Thank you for inviting me to dinner tonight, David. This is truly a nice place.”

The waiter came and took their orders. While they waited on their meal they glanced across the table at each other and smiled nervously each time their eyes met.

After the meal was served they quietly savoured the delicious food. “This is good, isn’t it Rachael?” David asked, looking tenderly at her.

“Very good,” Rachael answered, smiling bashfully at him.

David felt the urge to kiss her. “Rachael, you are one of the most beautiful women I have met.”

 Rachael felt a bit embarrassed, “thank you for the compliment, but let’s finish our dinner before it gets cold.”

‘‘You’re right,” David said smiling. “Let’s finish our dinner and then we’ll talk. I have so much to say to you tonight, Rachael.”

Rachael’s heart thumped so loudly she wondered if David could hear it. She was suddenly filled with doubt. What if I built my hopes up for nothing?  What if David is not in love with me?”

 Her mind went into a psychological spin. She was lost in an emotional maze of thoughts when she heard David’s voice. “Are you OK, Rachael? You seem to have drifted away. What it is?”

Seeing the concern on his face snapped her back into the present. “I am fine, David,” she assured him with a smile. “I was just thinking about something.”

It was David’s turn for doubts. Gosh, he thought, what if she hates being here with me? What if she thinks I’m boring? He didn’t know what he’d do if she refused his proposal of marriage. He looked at Rachael and smiled.

“After we finish our meal let’s have coffee on the patio,” he suggested with a quiver in his voice.

David inherited his parents’ jewelery which included his mother’s antique engagement and wedding rings. These treasured gifts he would soon give to the woman of his dreams. Inwardly he prayed that God would bless him with Rachel as his wife; that He would allow him the privilege of placing his mother’s precious rings on her finger. David had decided to propose to Rachael after dinner. He looked across the table at her, stealing affectionate glances; he couldn’t help but think how beautiful and gorgeous she looked. She was everything to him. Without her love he would be nothing but a broken person.

They finished their three course meal and were now facing a time of apprehension. Outside on the patio the couple sat at the table opposite each other. From a distance, they looked like two nervous teenagers on their first date. Reaching across the table David gently took Rachael’s hand and smiled at her.

“Rachael, except for my parents, you are the nicest person I have ever met. After their tragic death everything in me died with them. I felt I had no reasons for living; there were nothing to get out of bed for. When I struggled and got out of bed the house was so empty I could not stay indoors. I walked the streets looking for nothing. I became emotionless; I was living the life of a recluse. My world was so empty until you came into it.”

With tears in her eyes Rachael got up from where she was sitting, went over to him, hugged and kissed him. “Shush,” she whispered, putting her finger on his lips. “I love you David Weaver; I promise you that I will always be here for you. You’ll never be alone again.’’

David looked up at her, held her hands and asked, “Rachael Hayward, will you marry me?”

Rachael kissed his cheeks. “Yes David I will marry you.”

He took from his pocket his mother’s engag