Bus Stop Portrait #3

Deep down in his stomach, it felt like a thousand butterflies were trying to escape. Just fluttering about. To everyone else at the bus stop, he must have looked a little absurd - pacing back and forth, sweat forming along his brow, mumbling to himself. His nerves were kicking in.

There really was no reason to let this all get to him. Yes, it was a big moment, but in retrospect, it didn't matter so much. As long as they were happy, it didn't matter what anyone else thought. Only one thought occupied his brain, would they approve? It had been years. Things had fallen apart, through no fault of his own, but through their stubbornness and standards. He couldn't remember the last time he had heard from them or the last holiday he had received a card. All of this weighed on his soul. Was he making the right decision?

From the moment he saw her round the corner, everything that was occupying his mind disappeared. She controlled him. He just couldn't help the smile that was forming. Even from two blocks away he thought she looked absolutely stunning.

She wasn't one of those women who felt the need to dress up often. Her beauty was natural. She didn't need any chemicals, powders, shaders, or blush. If anything, the more she put on, the more it hid her features. But today was different. A special day. One in which she wanted to look the best she could for him. She had taken the time to sit down in front of the mirror and apply her makeup, if ever so slightly, just to accentuate what she already had. It had taken her some time, but she even straightened her hair, letting it fall just below her shoulders.

He almost didn't recognize her without the curls. For as long as he had known her, he could probably count on one hand the number of times she had worn her hair down. She looked absolutely breathtaking - like something out of a magzine. Her skin was vibrant in the morning sunlight, the dress she was wearing hugged her frame in all the right places, and the aqua blue of the material contrasted her hazel eyes brilliantly. Walking towards him down the sidewalk, he couldn't believe it. Nothing else seemed to matter. The buildings faded away. Graffiti lost its color. The usual smells of the city drifted away. He was completely focused on her. The closer she got, the harder it was for him not to go to her. Embrace her, kiss her, so her he cared.

He could feel the eyes of everyone else glancing over to her as well. The man next to him held a slight smile, nodding his head, acknowledging her beauty, while the woman at the end of the bench looked as if she couldn't believe what was walking her way.

When he looked at her, all his worries melted away. He couldn't wait to introduce his parents to his fiance.

                                                                                                                           40