By: Brandon 

So, here’s how it all went down. Back in early 2024, I bought tickets for a family cruise in July. At first, it was just supposed to be a fun getaway, but then the idea hit me: *Why not propose on the ship?* It was perfect—romantic, memorable, and, most importantly, unexpected.  

Now, here’s the thing about Shevon: she doesn’t miss a beat. All year, she kept asking me, “When are you going to propose?” Like, every chance she got. She was trying to crack the code and figure out my timing so she’d be “ready.” Little did she know, I had already started planning the ultimate surprise.  

The first step? Getting the ring onto the cruise without her finding out. I knew I needed help, so a few nights before we left for Miami, I went to her Mom and asked for her Blessing to marry Shevon. Ms.Flanders accepted it and gave me her blessing. Shevon's mom suggested asking her dad, Mr. Reid, to carry the ring. When I went to Mr. Reid's house, I didn’t go alone, though—I brought my mom and grandma for moral support. Right there in his driveway, under the warm summer sky, I asked for his blessing to marry Shevon. He said yes without hesitation, and we all had this heartfelt moment with hugs and laughter. It was simple but special. With the ring safely in his hands, I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders.  

Fast forward to the cruise. Mr. Reid and I shared a cabin, which made things a lot easier. We had a solid plan to hand off the ring when Shevon wasn’t around. After dinner one night, as we were wandering around the ship after a comedy show, he casually slipped me the ring box like a pro. I put it in my pocket and tried to act as normal as possible, even though my heart was pumping.  

Then came the big moment. Mr. Reid suggested taking photos at the front of the ship.  It was quiet and had this perfect backdrop of the night sky and the deck lights...  Of course, Shevon thought it was just one of his usual photo ops, so she went along with it.  Waiting for the right moment, and as Shevon turned away for a second, I dropped down on one knee and pulled out the ring.  

When she turned back around, the look on her face was unforgettable. She was completely shocked. For a moment, she just stared, like she couldn’t believe what was happening. I was sitting there on one knee, reciting her full name and asking if she'd marry me.  Finally, after what felt like forever, she said, “Yes!”  

It was the best moment of my life. Everyone was happy and there were hugs all around, and I felt like the luckiest guy on the planet. The rest of the night was a blur of joy, and honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect proposal.