The Proposal

    Silence.  That was the first thing that struck Florence about this place.  She took a deep breath, trying to keep her nerves in check.  “Nathan, are you sure about this?”

    The fuzzy shape in front of her turned around and a beam of light struck her in the face.  Even though she could not see it, she could hear a smile in his voice.  “You act as if I had never been here before.”

    Florence drew closer squinting, “You don’t have to point that at me.”  She hesitated.  “It’s just so dark.  And eerie,” she added as an afterthought. 

    “Of course it’s dark,” Nathan wrapped a warm arm around her shoulder.  “That is how caves usually are.” 

    “Oh, really,” she glared at him, her voice tinged with sarcasm. 

    “Just follow me,” he grabbed her hand and pulled her along behind him.  Every step took them deeper into the darkness.  Florence gulped.  She hated dark places and this cave certainly fit the bill.  “Don’t worry, we’re almost there.”  Nathan gently squeezed her hand. 

    She tripped on a rock and yelped when she ran into a rock wall.  It was slimy and she shoved herself away from it in disgust and continued to follow Nathan.  “Please tell me we are there, I can’t take much more of this.”

    “Better duck,” he shined his light on a rocky overhang.  A few steps later, she heard the words she had been longing to hear.  “Alrighty, Ms. Impatient, we are there.”

    As he moved his light around, Florence gasped.  “It’s like a forest of stalagmites!”  She turned towards Nathan.  “It’s beautiful!”

    “Yes, it is,” Nathan’s voice was strangely emotionally. 

    “Nathan, are you okay?” she peered at him through the darkness.

    “Hold this,” he handed the flashlight to her, then reached into his pocket and sank to one knee.  “Will you, um-”  He sighed and tenderly opened a small box.  Florence pointed the light at the contents.  Her hand trembled.  A diamond ring glittered brightly.