The ring was safely nestled deep inside the velvet lined right-hand pocket

of Caleb DuFrey's houndstooth trousers. As Caleb escorted his beautiful

girlfriend, Delilah Jackson, through the dimly lit bar his hands began to

sweat profusely. While they stood in the corner for what would seem an hour,

Caleb's fingers damp with sweat secretly began to trace the perfect diamond

placed upon the perfect setting. The antique platinum ring had belonged to

his grandmother, a true European lady of prestigious upbringing, who had

once been considered one of the most desirable women in all of Spain. The

ring had been a gift from a well-known member of the royal family who had

long ago been a suitor to the lovely Lucinda Hampton, before she had wed the

world renowned Anthony DuFrey. After marrying Caleb's grandfather, the ring

was placed in a safe, where it slept for many years. Today the ring would

have a new place in life.

Caleb and Delilah had been friends since college. The two met their senior

year at the University of Alabama, where they each pursued an undergraduate

degree in Business Administration. Truly, it had been love at first site for

the two. Caleb and Delilah were inseparable throughout their college days;

there was never one without the other. Upon graduation, they decided to

share a rather luxurious apartment in downtown Birmingham, where they had

taken up residence for the past two years. She was perfect. He was perfect.

Together, they were perfect. Life was good.

Caleb had always dreamed of the day he would slide the famous ring down the

long slender finger of the stunning Delilah Jackson. So many times he had

caught himself dreaming of a future they would one-day share together. His

passion for the young lady had matured to a point where he could no longer

even think of another woman. His eyes used to wander away from a

conversation whenever a member of the opposite sex would cross the room.

This happened no longer. Caleb only had eyes for Delilah. The moment had

arrived, the moment where he would declare his truest love for her. It was

at this moment that his mind began to race faster than ever. He began to

think about the home they had always dreamed of buying, the many vacations

throughout the world they would share together, and the perfect family that

they had always dreamed of raising. Caleb's mind continued upon its rampage.

He then began to think about a mortgage, travel agency bills, private school

tuition, and the girl in Jamaica with the dolphin tattoo. Caleb, who had

never doubted himself for a second in his life, was having second thoughts.

Oh God, what am I going to do? Is this really the person to whom I want to

dedicate the rest of my life? What happens if I meet the girl of my dreams

tomorrow? What about the girl in Jamaica with the dolphin tattoo? What about

the German femme fatal with the deep blue eyes and that exotic accent? What

about all of the other women I have not yet met but have encountered in my

dreams? But then, those are dreams, and Delilah is real. But is my love for

Delilah real? Is she the girl of my dreams, or is this just some fantasy I

have built up inside my head? What do you do when you are so sure about

something and then realize that everything you know is wrong? What does one

do? What do I do?

What happens if she says no? Oh God, she can't say no. She wouldn't say no.

She loves me just as much as I love her, but then again, do I love her? Of

course I love her. I think I love her. Do I love her? I love her. I know I

love her. I do.

I do. Those are the words she would say at our wedding. Those are the words

I would say at our wedding. I do. I do. I do not believe this is happening

to me. What do I do?