Khaled planned what I thought was a dinner date in Charlottesville, VA—about two hours from our home in Rocky Mount. If you know me, you know I’m always complaining about the bland, unseasoned food in our area, so the promise of something more flavorful had me excited.

The timing felt a little strange as Khaled rushed me to Charlottesville much earlier than I thought was necessary for dinner. When we arrived, he surprised me by pulling into the parking lot of a nail salon where he had scheduled an appointment for us to get manicures and pedicures.

Afterward, we went shopping, then had dinner at Ten, a sushi restaurant in downtown Charlottesville. We walked around the city, grabbed ice cream, and enjoyed the atmosphere. On the way back, Khaled tried to take the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, but it was closed due to flooding from Hurricane Helene a few weeks earlier.

The evening wasn’t over yet. We made a quick stop for a second dinner at Five Guys and then headed to the Roanoke Star to enjoy our food and soak in the beautiful view overlooking the city. We reflected on how far we had come since moving to Virginia and how much we had built together.


As we sat there, I told Khaled how grateful I was for such a romantic day. He smiled and said that I deserved every day to be just as special and that he would spend the rest of his life making sure it was. Then, he asked me to marry him.


The entire day was unforgettable—thoughtful, romantic, and full of moments that reminded me of why I fell in love with him. Saying yes was the easiest decision I’ve ever made.