After the NFL scouting combines, the next important event for the careers of Harry and Bruce was the NFL draft. In that particular year because of television contracts, the draft was conducted on the last weekend of April, at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The draft was to be conducted on Saturday and Sunday. Because they had excellent results at the combines, both Harry and Bruce were a lock for first round picks. They had the same agent who was working feverishly to achieve the most lucrative contracts possible for them.
The school year was also coming to an end at that time. Brenda had maintained an advance pace in her studies that she was able to successfully complete her first year requirements by the time of the draft weekend. Connie on the other hand had to sit for two final term exams during the week after the draft. However because of her diligence in her school work these exams were mere formalities as she was bound to end up with a GPA in excess of 3.7.
As for Harry he had also completed his scheduled academic work by the draft weekend. His formidable football commitments throughout his four years at MSU were such that he was still 18 credits shy of graduation. He planned to take six credits each during the next ensuing three winter/spring semesters at MSU. That way he would graduate simultaneously with Brenda.
Harry was a cautious man; not one to count his chickens before they had hatched. That is why he had not entered into a formal commitment of marriage to Brenda like Bruce had done with Connie. He knew he loved Brenda and that is what prompted him during the time spent at the Combines, to draft his will in her favor in addition to give instructions to the agent to purchase life insurance with her as his sole beneficiary. He thought he wanted to have had at least a year of NFL experience under his belt together with a successful stint of extra studies confirming that he was going to graduate. Once such trend of future successful potential was established, then he would be comfortable in thinking of proposing marriage. He took marriage vows seriously and only wanted to undertake them when he was assured he would be able to fulfill what he felt was his husbandly duties.
However because of the spectacular results he had achieved at the Combines he knew he had no real financial worry for his future and thus there was no reason for him not to make a formal commitment to marry. The agent had advised that he was likely to be picked first overall which meant he would play for the Cleveland Browns. It meant that he would be very close to Brenda and she could continue her schooling. Accordingly he purchased an engagement ring to surprise Brenda and he intended to propose right after he was officially drafted.
In January, Harry had advised Brenda that he would not formally consider an engagement until a year from now for reasons he initially harbored. He was absolutely surprised that Brenda acquiesced without any protest. He would have thought that considering their intense relationship during the past months and the electrifying chemistry between them any female in Brenda's position would protest at his caution. He was prepared to expect at the very least a demand for a declared unequivocal commitment to substitute for a formal engagement.
Although undeniably Harry loved Brenda and knew her character fairly well, he still was not cognizant of the dept of Brenda's despair and low self esteem. Despite the evidence of his love and his regard for her, Brenda still did not trust it in her own mind. She fully expected him to tire of her eventually even if he never did develop a revulsion to her physical appearance. So the fact that he was stalling in declaring an engagement, was of little concern to her since she never expected him to propose to her in the first place. She actually expected that once Harry left MSU she would never see him again. Her main focus then was to enjoy all her time with him and to store her memory of the happy occasions for the purpose of recalling them to offset any future unhappiness.
With such mind set Brenda was shocked when Harry requested that after the draft, she accompany him to Buffalo to meet his parents and spend a week there. He of course made this invitation as a natural consequence of the proposal he intended to make as soon as the result of the draft was made certain. As he wanted to leave for Buffalo right after the draft, or at least by the next day, logistics required that he had to ascertain Brenda's agreement to accompany him well before the draft.
Because of this unexpected invitation Brenda extracted an agreement that he meet her parents for an equal amount of time when he returned her. Besides it was her birthday the next Saturday (her 19th) so her parents were planning a party for her that night. She was of a mind that if he truly wanted her to meet his parents than he ought to reciprocate as a simple courtesy. She did not dare for her own sanity to read anything more than this when he readily acceded to her request. Of course in his own mind his acceptance was predicated on the premise he ought to become acquainted with his future in-laws.
Now Bruce unlike Harry was much closer to graduation. He needed to write an exam during the week after the draft which would leave him only three credits short of a degree. The way his credits were lined up he only needed to do a first year elective. He thus enrolled in the first year general history class a course that because of its popular demand was offered between mid May to mid July. That way he would be able to fulfill his BA requirements in time to report to the preseason training camp and which happily would not interfere with his upcoming NFL career. As Connie had acquired a server's position at a nearby steak house, she was going to move in to his apartment in which he had extended his stay to the end of August. As she had taken that course she would be able to tutor Bruce to ensure his success.
Since Harry and Bruce were expected to be drafted very high, their agent had invited them to come to New York (at his initial expense but of course charged against eventual contracts) for the draft. Their agent had identified that the Cleveland team was interested in and expected to draft Harry whereas the Chicago team would be interested in Bruce. That being ascertained the agent had negotiated contracts beforehand with those teams to be executed upon the expected draft pick coming to fruition. Thus if Harry & Bruce were in New York they could sign on the dotted line and the teams were prepared to cut checks on the spot.
Since MSU had an excellent season that year culminating with the Rose Bowl victory and ending with a high ranking in the national polls, there were at least six other seniors on the team with realistic prospects of being drafted. Because of that, the team with the cooperation of the University arranged for the availability of the Breslin Center, the basketball arena of the school, for the draft. Refreshments were to be provided. Two giant TV monitors were set up, to allow the players along with their guests, friends & family, to view the proceedings of the draft.
Because of the efforts by the team and the school and in consideration of the obligation of team solidarity the boys opted to stay in East Lansing rather then venturing to the Big Apple. Probably though, the fact that the boys intended to celebrate the draft with a foursome with the girls (reprising their Rose Bowl victory) who could not really go to New York, was the determinative factor for the boys' to decline their agent's offer. Besides Harry had another ulterior motive to want to be with Brenda for the draft which was unknown to all.
The agent, who was most anxious to receive his commission as swiftly as possible, was not one to be foiled by such a minor paltry obstacle. He had the boys in conjunction with the team secure a fax machine and number at the Breslin Center. That way the boys could sign the faxed contracts and return same to New York. Once the signed contracts were received back in New York, the professional football teams would cut the agent's checks to him and wire the balance of the signing bonus monies directly to Harry's and Bruce's designated bank accounts.
On that April Saturday draft day, everything then transpired as anticipated. The Cleveland Browns did indeed draft Harry first overall and the Chicago Bears did indeed draft Bruce third overall. ESPN had sent cameras and a reporter to interview each of them after the selection. Harry had donned a Cleveland Brown team jersey for the interview which the team had provided for the expected occasion. Likewise Bruce was wearing a Chicago Bear jersey for his interview.
The prepared contracts were faxed within moments after the confirmed announcement of the draft selection to East Lansing. The boys immediately executed the same officially witnessed by their college coaches and they returned the documents by fax. By six o'clock that afternoon both Harry and Bruce had received confirmation that their bank accounts had received sizeable deposits and they were now multi millionaires.
Harry & Bruce still wearing their new respective team jerseys along with Brenda & Connie, trooped down to the Harrison Roadhouse to celebrate. As soon as they arrived and settled at a table, both Harry and Bruce each bought a round for everyone there. No one was surprised as news of Harry's and Bruce's selections in the draft was already common knowledge. Everyone was completely happy for our boys.
Periodically someone or a group of people would approach their table to express good wishes and congratulations and would spring for a round when leaving their table. Thus our two couples were into some serious drinking that night. Since everyone at the tavern was intent to ply our heroes with drinks, the boys decided to switch to beers after those initial two rounds. This kept the cost down for the well-wishers, but more importantly it helped prevent anyone of the party from getting prematurely blitzed.
Shortly after the initial two rounds, Harry had a pleasant and totally unexpected surprise for Brenda. He got off his seat and went down on one knee in front of Brenda. He flourished an open ring box containing a two carats diamond ring and said:
"Brenda you are the only woman I want for a wife. I love you unconditionally. I can not imagine a more intense love than the one I have for you. Will you accept me as your husband? Will you accept this ring as a token of our future marriage?"
And what was Brenda's response considering that he had previously intimated that he was not prepared to enter into a formal engagement until a year hence? Well she replied:
