I am planning to propose to my girlfriend of five years, Meredith. A few days ago, I asked her best friend, Lisa, to help me pick out an engagement ring. We spent the afternoon at the jewelry store, carefully selecting the perfect ring. I was excited and nervous about the proposal, imagining the look on Meredith’s face when I asked her to marry me.
But while Lisa and I were at the jewelry store, my phone rang. It was Meredith.
“Hey! I will be late for dinner today as I’m going shopping with Lisa, and it might take a few hours,” she said cheerfully.
I was confused. “Oh, okay,” I replied, glancing at Lisa, who was standing right next to me.
“Love you. Bye!” Meredith said, ending the call.
I turned to Lisa, who looked as baffled as I was. “She’s supposed to be with you,” I said.
“Clearly, she’s not,” Lisa replied, her brow furrowed in concern.
We finished picking out the ring, but the joyful anticipation I had felt was now tinged with doubt and unease. When Meredith came home that evening, she acted completely normal, as if nothing had happened. We had dinner together, and she chatted about her day, but my mind was racing.
Unable to hold back any longer, I asked her, “I know you weren’t with Lisa yesterday. What’s going on?”
Meredith’s face went pale, and her eyes widened with fear. “I… I can explain,” she stammered.
“Explain what?” I asked, my heart pounding.
She took a deep breath and finally said, “I wasn’t with Lisa because I was meeting with a private investigator.”
My confusion grew. “A private investigator? Why?”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued, “I’ve been trying to find my biological father. My mom told me about him a few months ago, and I didn’t want to get your hopes up until I had some answers. Lisa knows about this, but she swore to keep it a secret. Yesterday, I finally got some leads, and I needed to meet the investigator alone.”
I was stunned. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”
“I didn’t want to worry you,” she said, her voice trembling. “And I was scared of what I might find.”
Relief washed over me as I realized her secret wasn’t about our relationship but something deeply personal. I reached out and held her hand. “You don’t have to go through this alone,” I said softly. “I’m here for you, no matter what.”
Meredith looked up at me, her eyes filled with gratitude and love. “Thank you,” she whispered.
The next day, I proposed to her with the ring Lisa and I had chosen. Meredith said yes, tears of joy streaming down her face. As we celebrated our engagement, I knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, we would face them together. The truth had brought us closer, and our love was stronger than ever.
