But before he can finish, she holds up the sign. It says, I'M PREGNANT!
The announcers love this, and you can see that she is now up on the jumbo screen in the stadium.
The crowd is clapping and screaming.
The TV cameras flash back to Danny in the huddle, and we watch as one of the big linemen pats Danny on the back and points up to the screen. Danny looks up at it.
Unfortunately, we can't see the look on his face, but I just know he is smiling at that!
The ref blows the whistle and play resumes. Danny claps his hands once, and everyone takes their formation. Danny immediately throws a beautiful, deep, 52-yard pass straight into the end zone.
Touchdown, Chiefs!
The crowd goes wild. So do Phillip and I, and pretty much everyone in Hooters. All of a sudden, many Husker fans are now Chiefs fans.
Everyone loves a winner.
The Chiefs' defense is pumped and is feeding off the noisy crowd, who feel hopeful about the 17-7 score. They cause a fumble, and Danny is back on the field. He leads the team 60 yards straight down the field, where the running back takes it in from the 6-yard line.
Broncos 17. Chiefs 14.
The game is very exciting and ends with the Chiefs winning, 17-28.
Danny played brilliantly.
After the game, the media is all over him. They tell him what a great game he had and want him to speculate on whether he should be the starting quarterback.
Danny takes it all in stride and says very appropriately, “Mark Conway is the Chiefs' starting quarterback. He's our team leader, and I just went out there today and tried my best to fill his shoes. I really have to give all the credit to the offensive line. They took care of me and made my job very easy. I had all day to throw the ball.”
“So how do you like KC so far?” a reporter asks.
“Well, I came here from the University of Nebraska, home of the greatest fans in college football. So I feel right at home here in KC, home of the greatest fans in the NFL.”
What a suck up, I think. Of course, I know he's serious.
Another reporter says, “And this is quite a day for you personally, as well. Congratulations. So what did you think when you saw your wife on the big screen?”
“Well, it certainly took my mind off how nervous I was,” Danny replies simply.
Now there's an understatement if I ever heard one.
Phillip has been staying at my house all week. We've been getting along very well and managed to keep things under the radar, except for Danny, Lori, and Phillip's parents. I mean, I've always been comfortable around him, but Danny's right. This way has many benefits, and I am really liking the benefits. Phillip has been good and hasn't told me he loves me, and I haven't been letting my mind screw things up.
So far, so good.
We're sitting on the floor in front of the TV on Wednesday night when Phillip says, “Princess, let's go on a real date this Saturday. You free?”
“I don't know,” I say, but then he grabs me and tickles, so I scream, “Yes! Yes! I'm free!”
When he finally lets me up from tickling and kissing me, I say, “So where are you taking me?”
“Somewhere nice,” he says, not really answering. “Well, a little nicer than Hooters anyways.”
“Phillip,” I whine.
But he just sits there with his arms crossed in front of him.
“Fine. No more kisses for you until you tell me.”
“Oh, okay. I thought The View Room. So do I get a kiss now?”
The View Room is our city's nicest and most romantic restaurant. It sits at the top of a local hotel and overlooks Omaha and the Missouri River, which from that far up actually looks pretty instead of yucky and muddy.
“Yes, that sounds perfect,” I say and kiss him, “and romantic.”
“That's kind of the idea.”
When I wake up Saturday morning, Phillip's not in bed, but there's a little note laying on my nightstand.
I can't wait either!
I should also mention that I'm very proud of the fact that I don't freak out and try to analyze or interpret all the possible meanings of the heart.
Because it just doesn't matter.
I lie in bed staring at Phillip's note. It makes my heart feel warm. I close my eyes and relive our week together. I've had such a wonderful time with him. I really could picture myself marrying him. And evidently the chicken shit in me has flown the coup because it's not even that scary of a thought any more. I probably should get up. I think I'll pamper myself and spend most of the day getting ready. I really want to look great tonight. So I get up, have a bowl of Frosted Flakes and decide to start by giving myself a pedicure.
I'm digging through my bathroom closet for pedicure supplies, when my doorbell rings.
I run to the door and look out the window. I see a huge bouquet of roses with two legs. I open the door and the deliveryman, who does have more to his body than just two legs, hands me a massive bouquet.
Wow!
There are three, yes three, dozen beautiful, long-stemmed red roses in a huge vase.
I just stand there for a minute and breathe in. They smell wonderful!
Gosh, I wonder who they're from?
Actually, I'm just teasing, I have a pretty good idea who they're from.
Phillip.
Wow! He's really getting into this whole first date thing.
I mean, no one ever sends flowers like this before a first date.
But I guess this isn't your typical first date. I mean, we have had an amazing week together.
And rarely do you get them after the first date because the guy would be all afraid to look like he was crazy about you, even if he is.
Guys would think that's not cool.
But Phillip knows I love flowers, and knowing him, he probably knows exactly how many times and from whom, I have gotten flowers in the past. My record is two dozen pink roses from Jason O'Connor. Jason was from a very wealthy family, so Phillip irritatingly called him Richie Rich. Jason was adorable, but he could be a bit arrogant and tended to drink a lot. Bad combination. He got wasted at my winter formal, got mouthy, and started a fight. I'd had enough, so I left him at the dance. The next day, he sent me the flowers as an apology. I accepted the roses, but not his apology. One of the few times I have actually followed Phillip's advice on boys.
So Phillip knows that three dozen roses is by far the biggest arrangement I have ever received, or practically seen for that matter.
I'm just ready to close my door and go into the house when Phillip's sister, Ashley, comes walking up the sidewalk. I can just see her through some of the stems.
“Hey, JJ. Wow, those flowers are gorgeous! Are they from anyone I might know?”
“Well, I don't know, I have so many men in my life these days.”
Actually, that's how it used to be. I always had lots of boys around, and I liked it because it meant I didn't have to get serious with any of them. And in retrospect, I probably didn't get serious with anyone because I've always had Phillip.
I'm happy to say that for one whole week, there has been only one man in my life.
And has he been in my life. I can't seem to get rid of him.
He wants to be with me every second.
And guess what?
That's not even bugging me yet! So things are going really well!
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to pick you up.”
“Oh, I'm sorry Ash, but I'm already sort of spoken for.”
“Very funny.” She rolls her eyes at me.
I walk back inside and put the big, beautiful bouquet on my kitchen table. It dwarfs it. This flower arrangement is so big it looks like it should be in the lobby of a Vegas casino. Oh, I don't mean that they are tacky or gaudy in any way. It's just so very large!