The Betrothed
Fort Point : July 27, 2019
‘The Betrothed’ is a novel I recently finished, by the Italian author Alessandro Manzoni. It’s center couple ended up together against all odds - an enduring love, a love to sacrifice and sacrifice for. I am titling this blog post in it’s vein, as I have found myself betrothed since this past weekend, to a woman whose love has endured over the past ten years.
Even with me planning it, I did not anticipate how magical the night became. Friday and Saturday morning was the surfing getaway, and we stayed the night near Bolinas to catch waves and enjoy the misty ocean and cliff sides. While this was my anniversary gift to Jamie, I knew that the grand finale would be after dinner Saturday night. We had reservations at Lazy Bear, which was an incredible dining experience that took us through appetizers, cocktails, and a 13-some course meal. Meanwhile, our friends Teddy and Scott went to Fort Point to set up a romantic area for us to end the night. While our dinner lasted one hour passed expected, it turned out to be perfect - by 9pm the fog lifted to show the bridge, and the patrol officers shut the gate access to Fort Point. With special permission, we were granted access to have the space all to ourselves.
When we finally did arrive to Fort Point after dinner, we had to hop the fence and walk to where I meant to propose. That walk was one of the many things I will remember, with the bridge peaking out behind the last remnants of a dense fog. The neon heart shown in the distance, and it was an empty walkway to it. No tourists, no one but us. Soon we got to the area, where we walked through the candle lit ground to a bucket of champagne. Our song played, and the wind playfully whipped in our hair. We were both so nervous, and Jamie was the first to spot Teddy, Scott, and Boo as they sneaked photos from the bushes and behind poles. Well, Boo didn’t try to hide. She just came up to us, grumpy that we were late.
What I said and what Jamie said is all a blur. No matter how much you practice what you will say, you black out anyways. “Will you marry me” was in there, and then there was “I will”. What came after was the excited relief of it all. We got to dance to music, drink champagne, with only the bridge to join in on our fun. The wind and the water made up background noise, and the city rose behind us in glittering white and gold lights. We felt like we held the entire city of San Francisco in our hands, and our hearts were open. Our minds felt stunned, as if we looked over a cliff and did not know if we were terrified or mesmerized. Boo completed the moment by being there, and as a family we celebrated together.
