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I see my reflection in the window as I come up behind Emery.
She notices my reflection too and grins. Then she whirls around. "Rory baby, finally. Your wife needs feeding."
I halt in front of her with my fist closed around a small, square object. "Something to do first."
"What's that?"
I lunge backward two steps. Then I grasp the hem of my untucked T-shirt and strip it off, pitching it onto the stone sidewalk. Wearing only my jeans and shoes, I spread my arms wide and break into song, belting out "You Make Me Feel So Young."
Emery bursts into giggles and slaps a hand over her mouth. Her laughter grows louder and more enthusiastic, until her eyes begin to water.
Done with the first verse and chorus, I reach for the metal button on my jeans and start to unhook it.
My wife rushes forward to stay my hand with her own. Between lingering giggles, she says, "What on earth are you doing?"
"Told ye I'd make a bloody fool of myself for you anytime, anywhere."
"I thought that was a thing you say, not a thing you actually do." She pries my fingers away from the button. "Besides, your nakedness is exclusively for my viewing pleasure."
A wee crowd has gathered across the street. Men and women point, smile, and shake their heads in amused disbelief. One person calls out, "Never thought I'd see the day Rory MacTaggart goes barmy for a woman."
Heedless of the crowd, I drop to one knee and raise the wee velvet box I'd concealed in my hand. Flipping it open, I reveal the diamond ring. "Will you be my wife, Emery?"
"Uh, I am your wife. Married you twice. How many weddings do you need?"
"Not a wedding." I thrust the box up at her. "You never got a ring or a proper proposal."
She tries not to laugh, which results in a snort. "This is proper? You half-naked on the street?"
"For you, this is the most proper sort of proposal." I pluck the ring out of its velvet bed and lift it to her left hand. "Will you be my wife, my Emery baby?"
"Yes." She grins. "Forever."
I slip the ring onto her finger, in front of the gold wedding band, and kiss her knuckles. Then I surge to my feet and shout, "I love my wife!"
"I love my husband!" Emery shouts.
Sweeping her into my arms, I spin us round and round.
And the crowd cheers.
