A leap year proposal.

It was 29th February 2004. Frazzled Pa (who wasn’t quite frazzled then) and I were walking along a canal path on the outskirts of Derby, when I proposed. My heart was in my mouth and my legs had turned to jelly.
“Frazzled Pa” I stammered. “We’ve been through so much in the past eight years,” (as you can tell, it’s not like I was rushing into anything…) “I love you so much and will you marry me? ”
I couldn’t look at him as I waited for his answer. I certainly couldn’t look at him as he gently said “It’s too soon.”

He had his reasons,  they all made sense, but the tears cascaded down my face as I decided I had made a fool of myself and that our relationship possibly wasn’t what I thought it was.  I felt hurt and humiliated and unsure how to react.
He headed off to work that evening. His work was keeping him away from Sunday to Friday. As he left me, still crying, he told me he loved me.  “Yeah sure.” I replied. I couldn’t comprehend how he could love me, yet still turn me down.

It wasn’t a good week.

In 2009, we both decided we were ready to get married.  It wasn’t a romantic moment, more a realisation that we wanted to be together forever.  We were older, wiser (slightly) and much more settled than we had been 5 years earlier.  We said our “I do” in front of friends and family in 2010, and it was a poignant and wonderful moment.

Leap year day 2004 at the time, was a horrible day for me, and one that only a few people know about. How do I feel about it now?  Annoyed that he said no, happy that he has proved over and over again that he loves me and that our relationship grows stronger every day and satisfied that I have my Happy Ever After.

As for February 29th? It’s not all that it is cracked up to be. Every day is special.  Grasp it with both hands and create Happy Ever Afters day after day.