“2004年的情人节到了，我仍然满怀希望地在等待，但还是什么都没有。几天后，有朋友告诉我今年是闰年，求婚的好日子，我这种期待更加强烈。年轻时，我一直梦想有一天我的男友能够给我一个惊喜，单膝跪在我面前向我求婚。但几乎是不可能的了。我告诉朋友我想向斯图亚特求婚，有些支持我说‘去做吧’，有些承认自己没有那样的勇气。我也试图告诉我的家人，甚至孩子们——他们会不会认为我求婚很怪异？但是我考虑得越多，这个想法也就越强烈。结婚是一个很重要的决定，意味着一方已经做好充分的准备并承担责任。我知道自己没有做过什么承诺，但我还是决定向他求婚。尽管有点担心斯图亚特会拒绝我，最大的焦虑是他可能会认为我抢了他的‘风头’!”

    "I bought him a white gold engagement band and booked a table at a lovely restaurant near where we live in Stevenage. I chatted nervously throughout dinner and, just before dessert came, I mustered up the courage to ask him. But I was so embarrassed about other people watching that I passed him the ring under the table. As he opened the box, I could barely get the words out. 'I love you so much and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Let's get married,' I said. For a small moment, he looked completely taken aback, but then he put the ring on and said he'd be honored. It didn't sound like something he'd usually say, and I was panicking inside. Was he disappointed that I'd beaten him to it? Or maybe he wasn't sure he wanted to get married at all. But then he smiled and said, 'Come on, let's buy some champagne and go tell our parents.' I was so relieved- he looked delighted." ......