He Asked Three Times

"So how did he ask you to marry him?" She asked over martini's.
I laughed and said that it wasn't a grand romantic gesture to most but it was to me because he stopped eating.
She laughed because she knows that is a big deal with Rick.
She impatiently said, "Well damn it share!"
"All three times? Or just the last one where I accepted?
All three times.

I had moved to Ohio while he was in PA. We were not even dating, just friends. (1987)
I was staying in a hotel until my apartment was ready.
My things were all in storage.
I was to be in temporary housing for only 4 weeks. I had clothes for 4 weeks.
It was now 8 weeks and the season was changing.  I needed a coat, all in storage. 
You can seriously get sick of wearing the same clothes and since I hate shopping I didn't like the idea of having to go shop for more. 
I was whining to a client about getting into my home when she offered me her big ass mega home while she and her family went to Europe.  I excitedly accepted. 
I was now in a beautiful home overlooking Lake Erie. 
I could buy food and eat a nice warm meal at a real home.
Not mine but better than my hotel or sitting alone at a restaurant. 

One evening while on the phone talking to Rick I told him about this great home. 

I asked if he had plans for the weekend maybe he could come up to visit.
Just 90 minutes away.
He was dating one of his bimbo du jours at the time. 

I was not dating anyone.
He said he'd come to visit and we made plans to go to these islands and tour etc. 
Play tourist in my new town type of thing.
We started at the island winery and did a tour and tastings.
We then went to a restaurant bar for a late lunch on the island.
The place was packed and a band was playing in the middle of th³e afternoon.
It was like it was 10p at night. People dancing and the bar was hopping.
We couldn't get a table so we bellied up to the bar.
Ordered a couple of burgers and a couple of drinks. 

It was quite a festive place.
The couple next to us asked us how long we had been married.
Married? We aren't even dating! 
Rick immediately said as he grabbed my hand, "Oh this is our honeymoon" 
He gave me a wink.  I went with it. 
They bought us a round of drinks. Now I felt bad. Italian catholic guilt rearing it's head. Oh but he was having fun.
The couple told the bartender we were here on our honeymoon. More free drinks.
This went on for some time.  I was a bit panicked.
I was not feeling comfortable with this but ole Mr. Liar Pants is having a field day.
He even told the band who played a song we both liked.
For heaven's sake now we have to dance? We don't even date people! 

Out on the dance floor, I am mortified and say to Rick that we can't possibly continue to mess with people like this, it's mean. He laughs and says there is no harm in it just go with it.
We did end up having a very fun day touring. We rented mopeds and a couple who had been at the bar told the man at the rental moped place that we were on our honeymoon. Yes, we got a discount. I felt awful but Mr. Liar Liar Pants on Fire is finding this a hoot. My Grandmothers voice is in my head saying, "Going to hell in a handbasket Peggy"

We ended our day getting back on the ferry heading back to the mainland.
We drove back to my house sitting home and made ourselves dinner.
As we sat down overlooking the beautiful sunset over the lake Rick said, "We should get married someday" 
I laughed, "We better tell the people we date then don't you think?"
He said, "I'm serious."
"We've never dated Richard and I wouldn't date you so marriage is out of the question. Besides you are so not marrying material!"
Nonchalantly he says, "Well I gave it a good try." as we both laugh.

A few years later one evening he called me after work as he was prone to do daily.

He asked if I was doing anything with Jon that weekend.
Jon was a firefighter I dated at the time.
I said, no Jon has to work and besides I was thinking of going home to visit my family.
Rick asked if I wanted to go home with him instead. Hey, anything sounded more fun to me than a visit to my family's. 
He really didn't want to go and he said the road trip would be much more fun if I came with him. 
I said, "Alright I have nothing else to do as long as your girlfriend won't get all pissy again.  I don't need the grief" 
" No, I broke up with her she was getting too serious."
"Okay then a road trip it is"
We had a ball.
I saw where he grew up and seriously it was in the middle of nowhere and I found it all so interesting. His mom was sick at the time and yet she managed to make us spaghetti and meatballs. (homemade of course) strawberry shortcake and homemade whipped cream etc.

After dinner and dishes, Rick and I sat with his mom for a while.
When she went to lay down we told her we were going down to the Country Tavern to see some old buddies of Ricks.  We had a good time there. The beers were less than $1 and the people were friendly and kept calling him Ricky or little Ricky.  ( o.k. he is ricky to me but at this time i had never heard  him called this)  The woman in the kitchen came out to hug him. Apparently, she was his church choir leader. She kept calling him Little Ricky. She came up to his nipples. Yep, little Ricky at 6'2" built like a big ole football player. That was funny to me.
It was fun to see this side of him.

On the way home at 2am we were starving.
But in a town of fewer than 2,000 people, there are no Mickey D's or diners opened late. 
When we got into his house we grabbed forks and stood in front of the open fridge eating cold meatballs and spaghetti. As he held the big bowl of food and we stood there eating in front of the light of the fridge I said, "I really have to do something nice when I get home for your mom"
He had a big ole smirk on his face and said, "Like marry her son?" Without missing a beat I said, 
"Oh no, I had more in mind of a thank you card and some flowers"
We both burst into laughter!
He said, "You know someday you are going to say yes to me."
I gave a hearty laugh. 

Fast forward to 1993 we are now living together.
We were at dinner and I was bitching about taxes.
I had just done the payroll that day and I was complaining about how unfair it is that married people have so fewer taxes taken out of their pay compared to us who just live together.
I bitched about this every time I did payroll.
This was not a new thing for Rick to listen to I'm sorry to say.
Rick never even looked up from his food and said, "Well then just marry me."
"Yep, that's a reason to get married Bucko, to save on our taxes. No thank you."

He put down his fork and grabbed my hand and he looked so serious it made me panic.
He said as his eyes welled up with tears, "I am serious, will you marry me, Margaret?"
I knew he was serious, he put his fork down and stopped eating for heaven's sake!
This time I said Yes!
The third time was a charm.