Umi Osho

Today was the day.

Everything had to be exactly right.

This was the right time; late twilight on a mostly clear evening when the clouds dotting the sky were dyed vibrantly pink and orange against the still blue sky. The air was cooling but still warm.

The right place was the stretch of paradise by the shores he had called his own, a beach of white sand so fine that holding it felt like holding the water.

She hadn't seen this place before, in fact he hadn't shown this to anyone before. But this was exactly the right moment, and she was exactly the right woman.

The couple held hands and walked barefoot along the length of the beach, leaving the only footprints as far as eyes could see and listening to the calming, harmonious sound of ocean waves beating against the brilliantly white sand.

Richard was wearing a loose-fitting light-gray tunic, khaki trousers rolled up to his knees and a blissful smile as he beheld the woman he adored in his arms.

Becky was wearing a red tank-top under his jacket which she wore like a cloak without fitting the arms in the sleeves. She had white shorts that reached down to her knees. She looked at Richard with blissful longing and sighed contentedly.

"I wish this moment would never end." She said as she clutched his arm to her chest. He held his hand on her head and stroked her hair.

"I know..." Richard said as Becky looked up to him with gleaming eyes, "I feel the same way. I have felt it now for a long time, that I want to be with you... always. Not just on dreamlike nights like these. On every good day. On every bad day too. There is not a day I want to be without you."

At that moment Becky shirked away reflexively and covered her mouth, " Oh, god!" She said followed by a squeal, "Richard... what are you..?" Her voice became shriller with every word, as her eyes began to water. Richard stood on one knee as he faced not only the setting sun, but the woman who was the light of his days.

"Becky... will you do me the honours...?" Richard smiled looking up to her. This was it, the perfect moment he had been waiting for so long; that he had been working for all this time. His hand reached into the pocket of his trousers, and from it he produced...