HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATES
I have a new neighbor on Pleasant Street. His name is Hank Silvers. Actually, Hank's not new to Pleasant Street, he grew up on Pleasant Street, but he moved away a long time ago and became very successful in a computer-related business.
Five years ago, Hank came back for his high school class reunion and met one of his old classmates, a girl named Rosalie Burger - she was Rosalie Timmons before she married Ed Burger. If I remember she lived a couple of streets over when she was in high school. Anyhow, what wound up happening is kind of ironic, in a nice way.
Back when they were in high school, Hank, who was kind of a nerd in those days, asked Rosalie to go to the prom with him, but she turned him down for Ed Burger. When they bumped into each other at the reunion five years back, I think Rosalie realized she made a mistake in her choice of prom dates...and husbands.
Well, a couple years ago, Rosalie got divorced. Then Hank, who had also gotten divorced, moved back to town and he and Rosalie started dating.
I saw Hank the other day and he told me he'd bought the Jackson house, a big old home down on the corner at the other end of the street, but Rosalie didn't know it. He wanted to have it all fixed up and ready to live in before he told her about it, he said. I guess, from what Hank told me, that the Jackson place was always Rosalie's dream house, so Hank, who has more money than he knows what to do with, bought it for her. I wonder what Rosalie's reaction will be when she finds out what Hank did.
Hey, I just saw Hank's car go down the street a few minutes ago. And I'm pretty sure Rosalie was with him. Maybe he's going to tell her about the house today...
I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SHOW YOU
-1-
Hank Silvers was nervous about taking Rosalie to see the house. She'd told him many times that the Jackson house was her dream house when she was growing up, and that she'd always wanted to live there. When a real-estate agent Hank knew told him the house was about to come up for sale, Hank snapped it up before it got on the market.
After he bought the house, he hired a contractors to restore most of it to the condition Rosalie described, with certain concessions to modernization. It killed him not to tell Rosalie what he was up to, but he managed to hold off. He didn't want her to see the house until the work was done and it was furnished and ready to live in.
Rosalie knew something was going on, but wasn't sure what it was. For weeks, she believed there was something Hank wasn't telling her and that concerned her. Part of her was a bit insecure about their relationship, even though they'd been seeing each other for over three years. Then, just before he left her apartment last night, he told her there was something he had to show her, and that he'd pick her up first thing this morning.
Hank arrived early the next morning, still acting oddly. "You ready to go?" he asked when Rosalie greeted him at the door of her apartment.
"I guess so," she replied. "All though I'd be surer if I knew where we were going."
Hank flashed her a nervous grin. "You'll see in about a half an hour," he told her.
They walked to his car and he held the door so she could get in. Then he went around, got behind the wheel, started the engine, and drove off.
"Hank, what's going on?" Rosalie asked as they drove down the street. "You've really been acting strangely for the last month or so. Is...is there something wrong?"
Hank glanced over at his slim, blonde, beautiful former classmate and shook his head. "No, honey, there's nothing wrong, not at all," he told her.
"Then...they why have you been acting so secretive for the past month?" she responded.
"I guess it's because I was trying to keep a secret," Hank replied. He turned onto Pleasant Street and started down the block. "Remember Pleasant Street?" he asked.
"I always wanted to live here," Rosalie said. "You know that. I've told you how I used to dream about living in the Jackson house down on the corner."
"Hank...what...what are you doing?" Rosalie asked, looking at Hank, when he pulled into the driveway of the Jackson house. "Why are you stopping here?"
"Well..." Hank took a deep breath. "I...I thought you might want to see our new home."
Rosalie, not sure she'd heard Hank correctly, stared at him. "Our...our new...new...new home?" she stammered. "Hank, what on earth are you talking about?"
"Mr. and Mrs. Jackson moved to a retirement community in Arizona," Hank said. "I bought their house for us. I had a little work done to it to make it a little more presentable."
Rosalie was stunned. She had no idea. She felt tears welling up in her eyes. Hank was always so good to her, but he'd never, ever done anything like this! "Hank...I...I..." she stammered.
"You want to see if you like it?" Hank asked.
"I...I guess...so," Rosalie stammered.
Hank got out, walked around, and opened the car door for Rosalie, who got out, then stood there, tears rolling down her cheeks, gazing at the house.
"I...I don't...I don't believe this," she whispered.
Hank took her arm and led her into the house. He could feel her trembling as they walked up the walk to the front door.
Inside the house, Rosalie and Hank stood in the living room, looking around. Hank let go of her arm, moved behind her, and put his hands on her shoulders.
Rosalie leaned against him, still trembling. "Hank, it looks just like I remember it!" she said softly. "In fact, it's even nicer than I remember it! Oh, God, darling, it's perfect!"
"I'm glad you like it," Hank replied. "It's important that you like it, because I want it to be our home."
Rosalie turned and looked at him, her eyes moist and red. "Hank...is...is that...is that a...a proposal?" she stammered.
Hank nodded. It might not have been the most traditional proposal ever made, but Rosalie didn't seem to mind.
Rosalie turned in Hank's arms so she was facing him and kissed and hugged him fiercely. She loved the way it felt to have his arms around her and was thrilled that he had gone to such lengths to get this house for their home.