The Rose Garden

"To be honest, no, I'm not okay. But hopefully I will be," Sam undid the bottle of rum and poured it into the plastic glass. "I'm on my way to Vienna to propose to the love of my life."

The stewardess smiled. "That's lovely, sir. How long have you been together?"

"Technically? Fifteen years at this point. Actually? We had a few gaps, sometimes we were with other people...technically still are, I guess," he mumbled the last bit, "but I've loved her for over half my life."

"Lucky woman," Sarah said.

"Lucky man," Sam said. "If she says no, at least I knew her and she loved me, for a time." Calmness washed over him. "Maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe she will say yes."

"Good luck for you, sir," Sarah said, smiling before heading back down the aisle to her seat.

"Thank you...maybe she will. She's a stewardess, you know," Sam said, but she'd already left. He shrugged and turned to the front, drinking the rum and coke in one gulp before resting his head and getting off to a drowsy, incomplete sleep.

***

He had been walking around and around for what seemed like hours. He'd left the plane and Vienna airport in a daze, his whole being devoted to one specific question and nothing else at this point.

He looked down at his watch. She was late. Nearly half an hour late. He looked around. Couples and families everywhere, beautiful red roses, the sounds from the Vienna opera house practices faded in and out, echoing over them. He loved Vienna. He looked ruefully down at the flowers. Maybe she wasn't coming?

"Sam."

He turned - there she was. In a long dark overcoat, covering her completely, there stood Peta. Sombre, no smile, eyes seemed dull. This wasn't good.

He went to kiss her, and she put her hand up to stop him. "We need to talk."

He stared at her. "This seems...serious?"

"It is serious," Peta said. He couldn't see it from her expression, but this was killing her. "Sam, I..."

"Before you say anything..." Sam got down on one knee.

"Sam, don't..."

He opened the box. She recognized the ring. It was still beautiful as ever, and she wanted to accept it, to accept him.

"Peta, will you..."

"No."

He stopped and froze there, looking into her eyes, his own wettening.

"Sam, we can't be together. I'm sorry I can't be that person for you. I know you'll find someone else," Peta said, trying to hold onto her nerve. She had to end this, here and now.

"Peta..."

"My mind is made up, I'm sorry. Goodbye, Sam." She turned and walked away.

Sam closed the ring box and stared after her. "Is that it? No explanation?"

She didn't respond, hailing a cab. Sam ran to the road, but the cab was already moving. He stared after the car, watching her leave his life. Tears dropped down from his face, but he held his lips stiff and his eyes wide, just staring after her until the taxi was out of sight.

In the cab, Peta opened her purse and pulled out the scan. Looking down at her baby, she started to cry.