This picture and these smiles on our faces is the culmination of nine months of careful planning and subtle deception. Let’s rewind to April 2022. Three months after Likho and I first got the chance to see each other and date each other in person. When I got home, I knew that I wanted to marry her, I had no doubts.

‘So how do I turn this strong desire into reality?’ I thought to myself. Well, after I arrived back home from South Africa, it took me a little while to recover from the unplanned expenses but come April I was ready. Likho, thankfully is very clueless because up to that point I was able to get her ring size and the ring design she liked best and she didn’t even know it. So, over the next few months I would go back and forth to the jeweler, tweaking the design and making sure it was exactly what Likho wanted, and each time I went, she and I were on the phone, and yet somehow she never suspected what exactly I was doing. By June ring was made and by October I had it. So from October until December of 2022, I was on edge, waiting for the moment to come.

I won’t lie, I had no idea how I was going to propose until probably November. I had an idea, but nothing set in stone. Not until Rocky Cotard, with his artistic expertise offered to help if I needed him to paint something for me. See, Likho and I planned to do a paint and sip, and turn it into a YouTube video. So when Rocky said that, I knew what I was going to do. I was going to hijack the video! It was originally going to be a Q&A for Likho’s followers to get to know us, but now it would also be a proposal video, and she had no idea. I had rocky paint the proposal painting and when I had it, I was ready to go. I made sure to keep it in good condition on the flight to South Africa, and when I was there, I had only a day to figure out how to make this work.

Months prior, I had asked Likho’s mom to help me to plan this proposal. She invited all of their close friends and family to come, and helped me order flowers for her. Now when this day came, here’s what how I wanted things to go: I would distract Likho for the day while her mom would gather everyone (about 8 people), and when we arrived back at Likho’s house, we would have the paint and sip. During the paint and sip, I was going to plant the ring and the painting in inconspicuous spots, and at the time Likho and I showed each other our paintings, I had a code phrase to indicate that it was time to distract Likho so I could put the ring and the proposal painting in place. The phrase would be: “Now it’s time to show each other our paintings. When I said this, Likho’s mom wa supposed to call her outside, or just away from the area so I could do my thing.

Here’s how it actually went….

The day of the proposal, I did my part. Likho and I had gone to get supplies for the paint and sip, and I made sure we spent as much of the day shopping so that her mom could finish getting everything ready. While we were out, her mom had a few setbacks. So she would text me. I had to inconspicuously hide from Likho that her mom was panicking and asking me for help. We worked it out, but only barely.

So now it was time to go back to the house. All of Likho’s family and friends were safely close by, but far enough that she wouldn’t know they were there. Discreetly, I told Likho’s mom what the signal was, and Likho and I went to work setting up for the paint and sip. Thinking myself smart, I put my painting and the ring underneath some cushions on the couch. Little did I know, Likho wanted to use the cushions I had hid them under for ‘aesthetics.’ She actually took the cushion I hid the ring under and it was now exposed. I was terrified! But somehow, she didn’t see it. And now, she was on the way to get the other cushion so just before she went to get the other one I stopped her and said I’d do it myself. So when she turned her back, I took my painting and flung it behind the couch!. Then I pushed the ring further into the couch cushions. Crisis averted (for now).

So, we proceeded with the paint and sip. Everything was going fine but we realized that there would be load shedding! For those that don’t know what that is, it’s when the power gets shut off in a certain area for a period of time so as to preserve the power supply. We had an hour until this would happen, so we needed to hurry up. Finally, we got to the end, we did 7 questions, and the paintings were almost done. I was finished with mine, I had painted Michael Jordan doing his famous free throw line dunk, in my own artistic fashion. Likho had painted something abstract and could not figure out how to finish it. So naturally, I rushed her, and to this day she complains that it didn’t com out good because I rushed her. She she finished, and I let out the code phrase, the signal that would signify that we need to distract Likho.

The time had come. What was I met with? Silence. I waited a beat, looked toward the door, and then found a way to say it again. Again, nothing. I could not believe it. I was so nervous and so panicked, I didn’t know what to do. I did the only think I could think of. I told Likho to show me her painting first. And she did! I tried to ask her what motivated the painting and just say things to buy time. But, now it was really my turn. So I said that I needed to get something from upstairs. I had no options. I figured I could go upstairs, and maybe regroup and find a way to make things work. On the way, I passed the door and thankfully, I saw Likho’s cousin. I pretended to go up the stairs and when I was out of Likho’s sight, I quietly, desperately, tried to signal to her cousin to call Likho to the door. She had no idea what I was saying! It took a few tries, but finally, after what felt like forever, she understood, and called Likho. My heart was racing, I was so nervous. When Likho went to the door, I ran to the couch to get the ring and the painting, that was now underneath it. It was awkward, and I’m pretty sure she saw me getting the painting, but being the oblivious human that she is, she suspected nothing. I’m certain God put a veil over her eyes so that she wouldn’t see. But in any case, somehow, I got the ring in my pocket, out of sight, and the painting safely tucked behind what I was painting during the paint and sip.

So she sat down. I gave her cousin the look that it was about to happen. And then it was my turn to show my painting. What I showed her was the painting that’s in the picture above. She was speechless. She had no idea what was going on. I think it was safe to say that she was surprised. So after she saw it and read it, I got on one knee, I took out the ring, and I said those four words: “Will you marry me?” By then, the rest of her family and friends had already trickled in, and been filming and that’s when she noticed them. And I think that’s when she finally realized what was happening. During this time, I have no idea exactly what I said. It was all a blur. But next thing I know, she was crying, and she was babbling, and finally, she said yes.

T&L