Chapter 1
Everything was ready ... the car, the ring, Victor was busy for the night but knew what he was up to. Ben had showered, shaved, his hair was good and his breath fruity without the fermenting food smell. He checked and re-checked what he would say in his head and as he tied his shoes his mother had no idea what he was up to. Ben was ready to ask Aubrey Rose to be Aubrey Maitland ... tonight.
They had been dating now for more than fourteen months and Ben was never happier than when he was with Aubrey. In that time they had grown very close and shared so many trips away fishing and walking around the hills holding hands and planning for the future together. The only thing left in Ben’s mind was to ask for her hand in marriage. Ben had already broached the subject with her father and he said ...
“As long as you look after her it’s fine with me Ben.”
So the way was relatively clear for Ben to ask but where and when and what sort of ring would be suitable for Aubrey?
Ben was feeling a bit unsure about a few things in regard to this so he asked Victor. That was asking too much as of Victor as he had a girlfriend but he was not really ready to commit to the relationship ... and he wasn’t the most romantic person Ben knew anyway.
So Ben asked Buzzsaw’s wife and she let Ben in on some tried and true recipes for romance that worked for her and Buzzsaw and Ben could never look at Buzzsaw the same way after she described a few things that made his mouth fall open.
Apparently Buzzsaw is a bit of a ‘smoothy’ when it comes to romance and Ben just chuckled now when he saw Buzzsaw chewing some guy out on a building site knowing what he now knew about his romantic side. It didn’t really sit with his persona at all but Ben had some ideas now and was ready to try them and see what happened.
As far as Aubrey knew they were going to the movies, then to get something to eat, then a walk along the beach before Ben drove her home. That was where Ben decided to change the plans after dinner. He looked at his car and noticed that it was raining outside ... this was not going to put him off or dampen his spirits TODAY WAS THE DAY!
Ben opened his door and for a split second he wished his dad was there to help comfort his nerves and offer some advice that would help Ben get through this exciting and traumatic time in his life. He closed his door and heard ...
“Benno are you home tonight or are you out with Aub on the town?” asked Ben’s mother who was in the sitting room watching TV and knitting yet another scarf for one of her cousins.
Ben knew they gave the scarves to the neighbours and their friends and that upset Ben but it kept his mom happy doing something. She had not completely recovered from her turn almost a year ago to the day and knitting was good therapy for her hand and eye skills and she was very good at it.
Ben’s mother even made a scarf that Shameless the local priest wore to the church on cold days and that was great because she got to gloat in the front row during the sermon because others wanted to do the same thing. Shameless said he liked Ben’s mothers scarf and didn’t need another and that was all Ben’s mother needed to hear.
“I am out on the town with Aubrey mum so I won’t be home late.”
Ben really wanted to share what was about to happen but he didn’t.
He didn’t want his mother to come racing up to him and look him in the eyes because then he would have to tell her what he was about to do ... and that may throw her back into another heart attack.
Not a good idea.
Best he just get himself out to the car and start it up and drive to Aubrey’s via the local milk bar.
Why the milk bar I hear you ask?
Ben always took a bag of toffees to throw at Schnookems the dog to distract him from tearing Ben limb from limb.
The toffee worked like glue and kept the dogs jaws shut long enough for Ben to get to the front door and even on some days, pat the dog, before escaping inside with Aubrey as Schnookems jaws flew open in a gurgled bark and vicious licking of his lips. It was then Schnookems would lurch forward into attack mode and stand at the front door barking until Aubrey quietened him down on the way out to Ben’s car. Ben thought even after a year of dating Aubrey Schnookems would be used to him but something roughed up his fur every single time he came calling so Ben always resorted to the toffees or ‘Sweet Glue’ as he called it.
Ben was a few streets away from Aubrey’s house and he drove his hand into the pocket of his coat and felt the velvet covered box that housed the ring that he hoped that Aubrey would accept and wear and his nerves began to rise. He checked his hair in the rear vision mirror and it was okay. He smiled and started to talk to himself ...Okay Ben this is it mate!
Big night!
Not nervous! ... Hope Schnookems is hungry I have a huge bag of toffees with his name on it.
Ben indicated and turned into Aubrey’s street and bought his car to a stop out the front of the house next door. Slowly Schnookems looked up over the mail box and then lowered his face and went into guard mode. Ben checked the ring again and then got out of the car grabbing a handful of toffees and taking the papers off them and pushing them together till eight toffees looked like a brown cricket ball.
“This is just for you Schnookems, so consider it an early Christmas present and hopefully you will be chewing it when we get home,” said Ben in a quiet voice to himself and laughing as he moulded the warm toffee in his hands. Schnookems was in spring mode and ready to snarl and bark at Ben when this brown lump landed at his paws ... so he sniffed it.
Chocolate Éclair!
It was bigger than normal and it smelt deeeeeelicious. Schnookems started to drool while Ben leaned on his car waiting for the growling and groaning to start and that signalled to Ben Schnookems was jaw deep into the toffee and unable to cause any damage to him.
Ben waited and waited and still no sound came from behind the mail box. Schnookems wasn’t sure about the size of the toffee. He wanted it badly but it was just a bit big. So Schnookems didn’t eat it, he was saving it for later and waited for Ben to open the gate. Ben went back to his car and got a smaller toffee, unwrapped it, and threw it toward the mail box. Schnookems took it and swallowed it whole. No chewing ... he just inhaled it.
Ben listened intently...... nothing.
Another four toffees were thrown before Schnookems decided to chew one of them and Ben heard the sounds of his wrestling the sweet in his mouth. Ben opened the gate a dashed to the front door frantically knocking as he turned around to see the front teeth of Schnookems bared and drooling. Ben knocked harder and he froze when he heard Schnookems bark and growl with open jaws. The front door opened and Ben flew inside and closed the door behind him and heard Schnookems scrape his nail down the door and howl at missing his chance at sinking his fangs into the flesh on Bens leg. Ben lent up against the door and said ...
“That dog needs a personality transplant Aubrey, can you see to it. HE HATES ME!”
“He has gotten fatter since I have known you and I wonder why that is?” said Aubrey leaning in to kiss Ben on the lips and take away his concerns. Ben relaxed instantly and as soon as they went in to say goodbye to Aubrey’s parents Bens nerves started again because this meant they had to walk past Schnookems again. Aubrey looked at Ben then opened the door. Nothing. Ben looked outside before stepping on to the landing. Nothing. No Schnookems. Suddenly there was something hitting him in the leg and sticking to his pants. Schnookems had decided to give the brown cricket ball size toffee a go and it was lodged in his front jaws covered in dog drool and there was no way he could bite, bark or do any kind of damage to Ben whatsoever.
“So that’s what you do to him,” said Aubrey.
“No wonder he is the size of a baby elephant!”
ARK ARK was all the sound that came from Schnookem's mouth as he drove the sticky mess into Ben’s pant leg.
“Your dog has a sweet tooth,” said Ben as he walked down the path to the front gate with Schnookems stuck to his right leg just above the ankle growling and drooling on his nice shiny shoes and making it hard to walk in a straight line.
“SCHNOOKEMS SIT BOY!” and he dropped like a hot rock.
Aubrey bent down and pried the toffee out of his jaws and patted his head. Schnookems tail just wagged and he seemed happy enough. Aubrey through the toffee lump in the bin and went to the car with Ben. He opened her door and said ...
“Allow me my dear.”
“Oh such a gentleman,” came the response from Aubrey. Schnookems looked up over the top of the mail box and then growled as he lowered his head back down ... and waited.
“Don’t wait up Schnookem's” and with that being said Ben closed his car door and he and Aubrey drove to the cinemas. It was an interesting film and Ben held Aubrey’s hand and felt her ring finger and wondered how she was going to react to his proposal.
Ben was seated at the restaurant after the film eating his main meal and saying hardly anything at all. It was still raining outside and the streets reflected the traffic signs colour on them like a broken abstract painting and Ben’s nerves jolted into overdrive when Aubrey said...
“Are you okay Honey? You haven’t said much tonight is something wrong?”
“I am fine Aubrey, I just have a few things on my mind ... shall we pay the bill and go?” asked Ben as he pushed his plate forward into the centre of the table.
“Sure let’s go,” and Aubrey stood and they both left the restaurant and walked into the chilly air. Ben put his arm around Aubrey and pulled her into him as they walked.
“Shame it’s raining so hard. There is a full moon tonight and I would love to see the beach,” said Aubrey from the shared warmth of his coat and arm.
The traffic light turned red. Ben turned into Aubrey and faced her. She looked up at him and smiled. Ben reached into his coat pocket. Aubrey spoke.....
“Are you okay Ben?”
Ben leaned down and kissed her and when he leaned back from the kiss he slid down onto one knee and produced the ring in its box in his left hand. Ben felt the water seep into his trousered knee in the rain soaked sidewalk.
“Aubrey Rose, I am the happiest man in the world right now and I am asking you to be my wife, to share my life with me and spend the rest of our days and nights together.......will you marry me?”
The traffic light was still red. Aubrey was stunned and broke into a smile that lit up the world and said....
“Yes Benjiman Maitland. I will.”
The traffic light turned green and Ben picked Aubrey up and danced around with her in his arms, across the pedestrian crossing with her feet in the air, laughing. When they reached the other side he kissed her and he knew that a new chapter in his life was beginning in earnest......
