How They Asked
I had the privilege of getting engaged to the love of my life on November 4th. My fiancé, Adam, had invited me to go hiking with him and his friend on a Sunday. I really didn’t want to go because it was on my only day off after working three days in a row, then having to work three more (PICU RN), AND they are both soldiers that are in waaaaay better shape than me. I tried to get out of going but he INSISTED that I go. Adam said he had hiked this trail before (several miles out and back hike to water pools/waterfalls) but turns out it was the wrong one. After our 1-mile “warm-up” hike we finally got to the correct trailhead. Still trying to get out of it, I told the guys they could go ahead cause I’d be slowing them down.
Halfway up the mountain, I’m sweating, sticky, hot, thirsty, annoyed, and my smartwatch is alerting me that my heart rate is above 200. I yell to my fiancé that I’m staying put and I’ll meet them when they are on their way back. Adam tells me to basically suck it up and keep going. That hit a very raw, exhausted, hot nerve and I let him have it. I called him every name in the book and then some cause he is always understanding and would never push me to do something I really didn’t want to do. We finally reach the water pools after a very silent and semi-awkward hike down. I told them that I’m glad I finished but I’m ready to go back, but my fiancé said he wanted to go further down the rocks. I told him absolutely not, but he and his friend had already taken off. I am furious at this point, trying to scramble up huge rocks to catch up to them. Once I get close my foot slips and I fall calf-deep into the water.
After counting to 10. I climb up, take off my shoes and socks, and stare at them. No one says a word. I say how ridiculous this has been and can’t wait to go home. My fiancé stands up asks to take a picture and I said no because I literally couldn’t stand. Once we took the picture he turned to me and proposed. Obviously, I said yes, but also “sorry” and “I’m such a terrible person” etc. after I got myself together we started the hike back. I was so giddy that I wasn’t watching where I was going and tripped on a rock and fell down, banging my shin up and spraining my ankle. After limping the last “leg” ;) back I just couldn’t believe the story I was going to tell everyone!!!
