The Un-Proposal

A couple gets into an argument during a romantic getaway that disrupts their plans.

Act 1

A small wooden cabin was sitting vacant in a wooded mountain area. Beautiful colorful leaves fell off the trees as a constant sound of crunching filled the air. A man wearing a tan trench coat and a brown scarf was helping a woman walk up the road covering her eyes with his hand.

He was behind her with his other hand on her hip. She was giggling afraid of falling in her heels.
“Don’t worry. I got you” he said in a soft deep monotone voice.
“Don’t let go” she shouted with a smile.
He continued to direct her to the front of the cabin. It was slightly rickety due to weather conditions but it was still cute and quaint.

“Okay, ssstttoooppp right here” he elongated the word stop.
“Waylon..Can I open my eyes now” she begged?
He laughs.
“Yeah, in 3..2..1” he counted down removing his hand from her eyes.

She opened her eyes and her curious facial expression fell into a blissful smile.
“Aww. Waylon”.
She looked at him with admiration in her eyes.
“Look, I know I’ve been caught up at work a lot and lately things have been a little…tense between us. But I love you Joy and I felt like we needed a break from the outside world.”
She stood there looking at him then looking back at the cabin taking in this romantic gesture.

“I remember you said your favorite memory with your parents was when you would go to your vacation cabin up the mountains, so…”
She shook her head in disbelief.
“I can’t believe you did this for me” she admitted.
She walked over to him falling into his arms.


Act 2

The next morning Waylon was in the kitchen cooking breakfast while Joy slept in. She walked in the room stretching seeming like she was refreshed and free of stress. He smiled at her holding a spatula.
“Good morning” she said hugging him from behind.
“This is a change of scenery. You cooking me breakfast” she added.
He flipped the pancakes and put the spatula down. He turned and hugged her back. As a joke he sang a lyric from an Usher song…
“That’s cause we’re trading places”.
She laughed and gave him a kiss. She let him go and walked over to sit at the table.

“So, what are we having”?
Waylon plated the food and walked over with hers.
“Pancakes, bacon, and eggs with coffee” he said as he poured her a cup.
He sat down across from her and began to eat. She broke the silence to question him about their plans for the day.
“I figured we could drive into town. Maybe stop at a few antique stores.”
“Ooo. I like that”.
He nodded.
“Then maybe stop at the market to buy something to make for dinner. Whatever you like” he added.
“Lobster” she was quick to answer.
“Maybe…And we can come back here spend sometime together. Light the fire place, watch a movie” he continued the conversation.
“Sounds romantic” she reached over and gave him another kiss “what did I do to deserve this” she asked rhetorically?

Once Joy was distracted eating Waylon dug into his pocket and pulled out a ring box. He took a nervous breath before shoving it back in his pocket trying to mask his nerves with a smile while they continued to finish breakfast.

Act 3


While in town Joy was enjoying herself but every 30 minutes Waylon’s phone would go off. He would decline the call but it would ring again. It started bothering Joy. She had thought they came to the cabin to get away from work but it just followed them to the mountains.
“Oh, babe. Let’s take a picture by the wishing fountain.”
She ran over to the fountain pulling him along.
“Do you have a quarter? I want to make a wish” Joy expressed.
As he was checking for a quarter his phone rang once more. Even though he declined the call Joy was officially angry and was over it. He went to hand her the coin but she pushed his hand away.
“Let’s just go” she uttered with an attitude.

Waylon knew he was being a buzzkill and he wanted to try to make it up to her but before he did he closed his eyes making his own wish. He flipped the coin into the fountain while Joy watched from the car. When he walked over to the car he tried to open her door for her but she didn’t let him. She was now giving him the cold shoulder. Joy was quiet the whole time in the super market barely speaking. Including the drive all the way back to the cabin.

He didn’t want to push but after being ignored the whole way back he had enough with the silent treatment. While walking back into the cabin Waylon slammed the grocery bags on the counter top.
“I had enough of this. You’re being a brat. I know. I know. Work keeps calling but I’m not answering am I? I’m trying to be here with you but it’s kind of hard when you already checked out”.

His last few words triggered her.
“I already checked out. We been here barely a day before your phone goes ringing off the hook, or your texting or answering an e-mail. You checked out before me. But I’m use to coming in second. And to be honest…”
Another call comes through on his cell phone interrupting her rant.
“Oh. I am so sorry but I actually have to answer this one” he said putting his finger up telling her to wait a minute.
In the middle of the argument Waylon answers his phone call and walks all the way outside to have his conversation while Joy observes him from the window.

Act 4

The phone call didn’t look to be work related. Waylon was clearly frustrated and overly emotional. So, she quietly walked outside to eavesdrop. Joy doesn’t hear much but whispering she gets right behind him and he angrily hangs up.
“Who is she” she asked?
Waylon turns around confused.
“What”?
“All them long nights at work. Phone calls 24/7. WHO IS SHE”?
Offended by the accusation he dismisses her growing more fed up.
“Man, get out my face with all that” he said brushing past her.
She grabs his arm.
“Then why you acting like this” she pressed him?
“How would you react if you got accused of doing something you know you weren’t doing?”
“Oh, bullshit. Who are you sleeping with Waylon”? She became relentless.
Joy got in Waylon’s face and shouted “WHO”?
“Jesus Christ. Fuck. You wanna know.”
She nods her head “yeah I wanna know”.

“You wanna know why I been at the office late every night. You wanna know why I’m always working. Always on my phone” he screams at the top of his lungs.
Waylon pulls out the ring box out of his pocket and shows it to her.
“Because of this stupid ring. How fucking stupid am I to bust my ass to afford a ring to propose to a woman who doesn’t trust me” he said.
Waylon tossed the box out of anger and it landed at her feet. He walked away and she felt instantly felt guilty while she picked up the ring.

Act 5

They slept apart from one another and they barely spoke after their argument. Waylon was contemplating whether he was still going to propose marriage at this point. Joy was contemplating herself unsure if she was even ready for marriage. She was laying in bed fiddling with the box feeling like she wasn’t entitled to see what the ring looks like inside.

She opened her bedroom door and walked out to the living room. Waylon slept on the couch last night and when he seen her in front of him he sat up pulling the blanket off the couch so she could sit. She set the box down on the coffee table.
“I don’t think I can accept this” she said pushing the ring box towards him.
Waylon awkwardly cleared his throat.
“I mean. Technically, I didn’t actually give it to you yet”.
The tension filled the room.
“Are you still thinking about proposing” she nervously asked?
He grabbed the box off the table.
“Honestly, I’m not sure”.
Joy exhaled in relief.
“Well, damn. Don’t seem too relieved” he said offended.
She brushed his hand to comfort him.
“No. Don’t take it that way. I just…after yesterday, I don’t think either of us is ready for that step yet.”
He nodded in agreement.
“I mean who knows maybe in a couple of years from now” she said jokingly.
He laughed placing his hand over hers.

“I’m sorry. That I accused you of cheating on me. But I gotta be honest it did seem suspicious though”.
“It did. And I’m sorry that I flipped out. I don’t ever really loose my patience like that. I guess you just bring that passion out in me” he said flirtatious.
They stared at each other with sensual eyes and they began to kiss making up.

Act 6

After having sex they were cuddling on the floor wrapped up in a blanket in front of the fire place.
“Maybe we should argue more often” she admitted.
“Oh, yeah. Well, in that case. That dress you wore two weeks ago to that party…I lied. It was hideous”.
She began to feel offended but realized he was kidding when he started laughing. She playfully hit him. There was a moment of silence.

“Waylon. What did you wish for”?
“What” he sounded confused?
“Yesterday. In town at the water fountain. What did you wish for” she asked?
“A Lamborghini”.
She scoffed “No, really”.
“Uh, for us to work out”.
She looked at him.
“Really” she asked?
He nodded his head and she nestled her head on his chest. She took a breath and exhaled her nerves she had unsure about their future relationship.
“So, what now” she asked?
He takes a moment to think.
“Ah, well, it would be a shame to waste all this food we bought. How about we get dressed then cook dinner together? The rest we’ll worry about when we get back home”.
Joy agreed giving him a kiss on the cheek. She got up to get a shower and after she left the room Waylon’s phone rang again. He was so wrap up in the moment he answered the phone without looking to see who it was first.

A loud woman's voice came through the phone.
“Babe, where the hell are you? I been calling you all damn weekend. WHERE ARE YOU?”
Waylon’s eyes widen in fear of being caught up.

END