White Knight

He put himself through home school in his last year of high school. I saw him struggle to get through the classes. He was determined to get his diploma so that he could go on to college for a higher degree. And I was SO proud of him.

He finally completed his classes and waited patiently for his diploma to arrive in the mail. When it arrived he called his family and invited them to come celebrate with him. They decided on a date for which they would travel to be with him.

The day that they came, I was there. I watched his family arrive and I felt his elation as he greeted them. We sat in the livingroom of his father's house and he stood up to speak. This was his moment. He had worked so hard for it.

He looked so nervous and excited. He thanked everyone for coming, then brought out his diploma in its shiny new frame for all to see. He waited for everyone to take their picture, a smile on his face and his prize in his hand. They beamed with pride.

Then he put it down. He asked me to stand up, which I did even though my confusion was easy to see. He said he had a surprise for me and asked me to close my eyes. I didn't understand what was happening. This was his night.

When I opened my eyes, I saw him kneeling in front of me. My white knight. He was holding a ring box. My hand went over my mouth and he was the only thing I could see. No one else was in the room. It was just us. I was so dumbfounded that I could not later recall what he actually said. But I do remember hearing him say, "will you marry me?" My heart wept and my eyes followed suit.

Today, 7 years later, I weep. As a child I dreamt of a prince charming. I hoped that he was real, but in my heart it was inconceivable that a man so beautiful and charming, so kind and gallant could possibly exist.

He does. He is my Joe. The white knight of my heart.