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Connor Cashman
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Ellen and I had been dating for a few years. We met through our parents oddly enough. My father owned a boat that was docked right next to the boat owned by her family. After many Sunday chats, our fathers began to share details about their respective families with one another. It came up that John (Ellen’s Father) had a 23-year-old daughter who had just broken up with her long-time college boyfriend. My father shared that his son, Connor (Me), Had just graduated school and was single. The two schemed to have us meet. The next Sunday I accepted an invite from my Dad to spend a day on the boat. Ellen did the same when her father extended a similar invite. That morning I made my way down the dock toward my Dad’s boat. We greeted with a hug, and he directed my attention to the boat moored adjacent to his. “John, this is my son Connor,” my dad said putting his arm across my shoulders. I smiled politely. I noticed someone coming up from below the deck as John addressed me, “Pleasure to meet you Connor. I’ve heard all about how proud your dad is of his college man.” I blushed and shrugged my shoulders, John continued, “I’d like you to meet my daughter, Ellen. She just graduated from school as well.” It was then that I realized that the figure coming from below the deck was that of a girl about my age. Her short-cropped red hair curled around her shoulders, perfectly framing the gorgeous features of her face. Ellen smiled and said, “hi, it’s nice to meet you.” I raised my hand in a polite wave and reciprocated, “hi, nice to meet you too.” We spent the rest of the day just chatting, swimming, and getting to know each other. By the end of the night I was so enamored with Ellen that I asked her if she would join me for dinner later that week. She agreed and that was the beginning of it all. We started dating after a few hangouts and over the next few years we fell really truly deeply in love. Well last Wednesday I decided to act on an idea that I had had for a while now. I called, John whom I had grown very close with during Ellen’s and my time together. John could sense my nervousness on the phone. He tried to gauge the situation, “hey Connor, is everything alright? You sound really nervous.” I tried to calm myself and replied, “yeah John, everything is great.” I readied myself for what I was about to do. “John, your daughter Ellen and I have been dating for a while now.” I spoke. “Ellen and I love each other very much and I would be honored if you gave me your blessing to ask Ellen to marry me.” There was a pause on the line and I swallowed hard on the lump that had formed in my throat. It seemed like an eternity until John spoke. He said, “Connor, you are a good man. I know Ellen loves you a great deal, and I have come to love you like a son. Nothing would make me happier than to have you as a part of the family.” After hearing John’s response I felt like the weight of the world had just been lifted from my shoulders. A smile cracked across my face and I said, “well John, if I’m going to make this happen then I’m going to need your help.” And I proceeded to tell the father of my brie to be of my proposal plan. On Sunday John asked Ellen to Join him for a day on the boat just father and daughter. She agreed, not knowing that they weren’t going to be alone on the boat. It was a gorgeous sunny spring day. I waited below deck with the ring I had purchased a few months prior. At around noon I heard footsteps on the deck of the boat as Ellen arrived. I heard John Greet Ellen. They chatted for a second and John said, “ok let’s get going. Would you mind grabbing two life vests from down below?” Ellen said “Sure” and I heard her footsteps getting closer. As she slid open the hatch door that led to below the deck light flooded the below deck area and Ellen saw me knelt down by the life vests. At first she was shocked to see me down there. I took the small box out of my back pocket and opened it. Ellen’s expression turned from shock to teary-eyed joy. I didn’t even have to say a word. Ellen removed her hands from in front of her mouth and whispered, “YES.” We embraced and kissed all while John stood above deck beaming. We are starting to talk about possible dates for the wedding. I couldn’t be happier. I will never forget that day on the boat.
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Great title. So romantic.
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Tricia Jaussaud
Wednesday, May 06
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