TNT ... Chicago 4:
1 The plan was to propose. 2 The plan that night was *always* to propose.
3 Angel admitted to himself that it was partly so that he would never forget the day of their engagement. 4 That bit of strategy aside, he also knew that Sharlene was a dedicated fan of New Year's Eve, and that asking her with the big city in the background egging them on to commit to marital bliss would be the perfect setting and the perfect timing for the popping of the question.
5 Plus, seeing as how the ring belonged to his abuela and was modest at best, proposing in the ambient light of the city skyline would hide some of its lost luster.
6 It was bad enough that, in order to bring in much-needed revenue to the relationship, he had chosen to work that night transporting people about their celebrations business -- on a holiday that was always orchestrated as something special for just the two of them. 7 The pressure was on to make something spectacular.
8 He had figured that everyone would be where they were headed once midnight rolled around, so he'd buzz over to the parking lot off of Lake Shore Drive, and he'd get down on one knee, and he'd get her to say yes.
9 Getting her to ride along as a part of his shift would be easy enough. 10 Oh sure, he'd pretend to fight it a little bit so as to keep her from suspecting that he had ulterior motives -- and that way he'd keep her happy by making her think that it was her idea all along.
11 But all along, the plan was to propose.
12 He had no way of knowing that the last fare he'd pick up before midnight would be the pregnant girl who never should have been out and about in the first place. 13 Or that her direction would be to take them to a party to claim her drunken younger sibling. 14 Or that the stress of the moment would result in her giving birth ... right there ... right in the back seat ... right during the time where he had planned to propose to his longtime girlfriend.
15 Yes indeed -- the plan was to propose. 16 Instead, he found himself swaddling a baby in his own jacket, and leaning over to his passenger to say, "for unto you this morning a child is born ... and she's a girl".
17 As he sped away from the scene of the birth as instructed to by his girlfriend, he couldn't help but wonder ... would he have to wait a whole 'nother year before he'd follow through with his original plan?
18 Was the birth of the baby a sign that there were other priorities? 19 Was the interruption of *his* plan purposeful so that a different plan could be executed? 20 Was he overthinking it such that he should just propose in the hospital parking lot in a bit instead?
21 Such were his thoughts as he raced toward the emergency room, more than once running a red light. 22 Because when he came to little baby Gabriella, her needs took priority over everyone else's.
