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“You look beautiful,” Agustín said for the millionth time that night. A giggle met his ears in response. “I mean it, eres tan hermosa . I have the prettiest lady on my arm and everyone better know it. But they’d better not stare. I don’t share well.”
Julieta shook her head, “You’re so silly, Tíno.” Her right hand was in his left and held to his chest over his heart. Her left hand on his shoulder with his right on her waist, where it started and where it would stay; always a very respectful young man. She could feel his heart beating, almost in time to the sweet melody they were swaying to.
Very rarely was the young couple able to go on a date out in town, what with her busy schedule and all. Tonight was one of those rare occasions and Agustín planned to take full advantage of their time together.
“Do you know what is one of my favorite things about dancing with you?” he asked, looking into her deep brown eyes. Dios, those eyes, if he looked long enough, he would surely fall into a trance he wasn’t sure he’d ever want to get out of. Lost among the stars is how he saw it.
The faintest smile upon her lips as she tilted her head slightly, “What?”
“This.” Agustín took her hand as he reluctantly pulled away and spun her where she stood before pulling her flush back against him.
Julieta giggled, “Getting a 360-degree look at me?” Her hands found the places they’d been moments before, but the hand on his shoulder teased the hair on the back of his neck.
Agustín chuckled, “Well, yes, that, but also the gleam in your eye once I pull you back, and the way your hair fans out like you’re floating.” He leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her cheek, staying close to whisper, “Have I told you that I love when you wear your hair down? It's enchanting.” He stood up straight and looked down at her again, “Like God placed each curl in just the right place to frame your beautiful face.” Many would say it was overkill with how much he complimented her, but he’d heard how she spoke of herself from time to time and wanted to be sure she knew just how stunning she was.
A blush crept over her cheeks, darkening her caramel complexion, “Tíno,” her smile grew and she cast her eyes down.
“I’m serious, Juli. Ay, and that smile. It could light up the whole world if you wanted it to,” he matched it with his own, the faint mustache he was growing enhancing it. Julieta could feel her heart fluttering faster and faster as he tilted her chin up to look at him again.
The song came to an end and Agustín guided Julieta back to their table, pulling out her chair, just in time as their food arrived. They ate and spoke about the days they’d each had and how their mothers faired. Though Alma had always been skeptical of Agustín, she couldn’t deny that he came from a good family of hard workers who seemed to wear their hearts out on their sleeves just as he did.
An hour passed before they left, walking arm-in-arm out of the small restaurant and down the main street of town. “Then Alfredo flicked Alejandra in the ear and she turned on him so quickly, I could have sworn she turned into a cat,” Agustín laughed, telling Julieta about his two younger siblings.
“Hm, sounds just like Pépa and Bruno,” Julieta chuckled, recalling a similar incident between her two younger siblings - they may only be fifteen and thirty minutes younger than she was, but she was still the oldest.
They continued their walk and Julieta knew exactly where Agustín was leading her. She looked up at him, about to say something when he pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his forehead and the back of his neck. Excitement quickly turned to concern as the young healer paused, “Are you feeling alright?”
Agustín halted abruptly, “Wha- Oh,” he chuckled, “Sí, it’s er, just a little warm tonight,” he tugged at the collar of his shirt.
Julieta raised a brow, he was usually cold and it was honestly a little on the cooler side for the night than it usually was in this part of Colombia. She sighed and reached up, loosening his tie just a tad, unbuttoning the top button of his collar.
“Mi amor, the village will talk. Rumors to be spread,” Agustín smirked, only half kidding. This was Encanto’s Princessa Señorita Perfecta at his side.
Julieta smiled and shrugged, “Let them talk, it’s a button and a loose tie.” She booped his nose before taking his hand and continuing to walk. They approached the lakeside - their favorite spot to just forget time together and spend moments together when time allowed. She swung their arms between them her hand fitting perfectly within his. His big, strong… sweaty hand. She looked down at their entwined fingers, “Tíno, are you certain you’re alright?”
“Sí, mi amor, I’ve never been better,” Agustín reached into his pocket to pull out his handkerchief again but immediately shoved his hand back into his pocket.
Julieta blinked, “Wh-?”
“Nothing!” He cleared his throat and smiled, “ Nada , Juli, prometo ,” Agustín tried for his best reassuring smile but it turned out to be more of a grimace with another nervous chuckle. He riffled through his pocket until he finally pulled out the handkerchief and wiped off his hands and face once more. “See? Good as new,” he said proudly taking her hand again.
Julieta hummed and nodded in agreement. Far be it from her to question him. Agustín didn’t always make the most sense, but at the end of the day his heart was good and she loved him with all hers would allow.
“Here we are,” Agustín said after they’d walked down the shore of the little lake.
Julieta chuckled, “Where’s here?” she asked.
“This spot, mi amor, is where we shared our first kiss,” Agustín said confidently. Julieta opened her mouth to say something but he stopped her by pressing his lips to hers. Her words died as a hum against his lips as her eyes fluttered shut. He pulled back, “And before you argue, I know it was right here because there is a rock straight out from here in the water that you can only see during the day. But I can also tell because the moonlight is reflecting in your eyes just as it had that night on a full moon.” The moon was in fact full above them, smiling down on them in her warm glow.
“Oh Tíno,” Julieta breathed, looking up into his hazel eyes, lost in them not noticing that he once again reached into his pocket. It was only apparent when he started lowering and ended up landing on his side, his eyes following something as he yelled.
“ Mericoles , no! Estupido!” he cursed himself, he crawled forward on his hands and knees, Julieta dropping right next to him to make sure he was alright, “I’m fine Juli, physically - Ay Dios mio .”
Julieta pulled his arm, forcing him to look at her, “Agustín, what is it?”
The frustration on his face softened looking at her. His gaze fell, disappointed as he ran his hands over his face, screwing up his glasses. He had one job. That was it, and he ruined it. He sighed, “It's your ring,” he said crestfallen and frustrated with himself.
A hand over her heart as she searched Agustín’s face, “M-my ring?”
Agustín nodded, “I was about to ask, but I messed it up as usual.” He gave a comical snort, “As if you’d actually say yes. I can’t do anything right. I wouldn’t marry me, but then again, why would I marry me anyway? I am me.” Agustín rambled as he began to search for the ring again. Maybe he could find it and run before he made things worse than they already were… Maybe he could get his money back for the ring if he says it isn’t what she wanted, then use that money to run away. Lost in these thoughts, he didn’t know what was happening until Julieta’s lips were pressed to his, her hands on either side of his face.
She was blown away. Truly. She knew she’d been wanting this for as long as she could remember. She, Pépa, and Bruno had stayed up for hours talking about Agustín (and Pépa about Félix) and wondering when and if he would finally ask for her to marry him. Julieta’s eyes sparkled in the moonlight as she pulled back, tears filled them and slowly left streaks down her cheeks. She still held his face in her hands as he looked at her with confusion. “Of course, I’ll marry you, cariño. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you to ask?” she huffed a laugh in disbelief. “I was almost about to as you myself.”
“Wh-wha-what? R-really?” Agustín sputtered, his face still squished between Julieta’s hands.
She nodded with the biggest smile on her face, “Sí, amor. Really.”
An overwhelming amount of joy filled Agustín’s chest as he wiped away Julieta’s tears, only for his own to slip down his cheeks. He wrapped his arms around her waist, still kneeling there in the sand and she laughed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, resting her cheek on the top of his head.
He pulled back with the biggest, goofiest grin on his face, “Really really, Juli? Vas en serio ?” His eyes shone with hope, “Please tell me this isn’t a dream,” he reached a hand up and caressed her cheek, genuinely in disbelief.
“Only my dream come true,” Julieta answered softly. She sighed when he pressed his lips to hers. They lingered there a moment before pulling away. “I wish we could just do it now,” she said.
“Your mother and mine would kill us. I nearly thought your mother was going to have Pépa strike me with her lightning when I asked her permission until I actually pulled out the ring. The ring!” he spun and began digging through the sand again. “Mericoles, that ring is perfect, I can’t lose it! Not that now you’ve said yes,” he turned back and kissed her again, “You said yes! You said yes to me, and I’ve lost your ring!”
Julieta put a hand on his chest, “Tíno, breathe, we’ll find it.” She grazed her eyes over the sand, “Which direction did it go?”
“I think over-”
“Here it is!” Julieta said, reaching out only a couple of feet away from her side, “Ay, Agustín,” she covered her mouth with a hand as tears started to fill her eyes again. “This is too much,” she shook her head. It was a simple diamond with two smaller ones on either side of it on the band.
“Nothing is too good for you, mi amor,” Agustín said taking the ring from her and slipping it onto her right ring finger as Colombian tradition follows. It fit perfectly. “Pépa was right, you are a size eight,” he chuckled.
“ Pépa knew? ” Julieta asked. She was going to let her hermana have an earful of it later.
Agustín nodded, “Only because I told Félix and you know how they are,” he chuckled nervously.
“I would have done the same, honestly,” Julieta said. She held out her right hand, looking at the ring on her finger. It was perfect. It was just the right size that wouldn’t get in the way of her daily tasks, but enough to grab someone’s attention so they could inquire. With pride, she would be able to say, ‘ I’m engaged to Agustín Rojas ’ Eventually to turn to, ‘ I’m married to Agustín Rojas. ’ Or would he want to take the Madrigal name? It wasn’t traditional… She enjoyed the sound of ‘Julieta Rojas’… She’d said it millions of times and it was perfect.
He began to overthink it as he watched her stare at the sparkling piece of jewelry. “I-is it alright? I can bring it back and you can come with me and we can get you something you like better,” Agustín looked at her nervously.
Julieta shook her head with tears in her eyes once more, “Tíno,” she whispered before cupping his cheeks and kissing him once more. She leaned her forehead against his, “It’s perfect… You are perfect.”
Agustín smiled, wrapping his arms around Julieta once again, just as he planned to hold her for the rest of their lives. “A high compliment from Senorita Perfecta herself,” he chuckled.
Julieta pulled back and looked him in the eye, raising a finger, “That’s Señora Perfecta to you.” The difference between the title of an unmarried and a married woman.
“Not yet, mi todo. But soon,” Agustín said almost dreamily.
Julieta nodded, “Sí, soon… But not soon enough.”