“Why haven’t we done this before?” I asked, tracing circles on his arm.
John chuckled. “There’s no better time than our anniversary. Plus, I wanted it to be a surprise.”
I smiled, thinking about my own surprise. My hand drifted to my stomach, where our little secret was growing. I had just found out I was pregnant before the trip and was waiting for the perfect moment to tell him.
Before I could speak, John suggested a walk on the beach. As we strolled hand in hand along the shore, I reached into my pocket for the small gift box I had brought. But just as I was about to share the news, a woman in a white swimsuit ran toward us, dropped to her knees, and called out to John.
“John! You’re the love of my life. It’s time to stop pretending and tell her everything. Will you marry me?”
I froze, my heart pounding as I stared at her. John, taken aback, burst into laughter. My mind raced—was this some kind of cruel joke?
To my shock, John helped the woman to her feet and hugged her. I felt a wave of confusion. “John, who is she?”
John quickly explained, “Rosa, this is Julia. We went to college together. It’s a prank—she promised to get back at me for a joke I played on her years ago.”
Julia grinned sheepishly. “I couldn’t resist.”
As the tension lifted, I let out a nervous laugh. “I almost had a heart attack, you two.”
John pulled me close. “I’m so sorry, Rosa. I had no idea she was here.”
Relief washed over me, and I remembered the gift box in my pocket. “Actually, I have a surprise for you, too.”
I handed him the small box, watching as he opened it to reveal a delicate silver necklace with a tiny locket shaped like baby feet.
John’s eyes lit up. “You’re… we’re… Oh my God, Rosa!”
“I’m pregnant!” I beamed.
John lifted me off the ground, spinning me around as we laughed in sheer joy. Julia offered to capture the moment, taking a picture of us as the sun set behind us, forever marking the memory.
Hand in hand, we walked back to the resort, hearts full. This trip wasn’t just a celebration of our anniversary—it marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter. With John by my side, I couldn’t wait to see what life had in store for us next.