Gustave bought a ring the next day. The ring was simple, a gold band with a small diamond. He couldn't believe it. He was going to ask Celeste to marry him that night. First, though, there was one thing that had to be done.
Gustave entered the opera house and sought out Lucas. When he finally spotted him, he called out, "Lucas! Lucas, I have something to ask you!"

"Hello Gustave. You're out of breath. Is something wrong?" Lucas asked.

"I have something important I want to ask you," Gustave repeated.

"What is it?" Lucas questioned, leading his friend to a nearby bench.

"I want to ask your permission to ask Celeste to be my wife."

"You want to what?"

"I want to marry your sister."

"Gustave," Lucas hesitated, "I'm inclined to say no."

"Oh," was all Gustave could say.

"But, you're my friend and I know how much you care for my sister, so yes. You may ask her to marry you,"
Lucas finished.

"Thank you, Lucas!" Gustave exclaimed with a sigh of relief. Gustave went back home to finish preparing for that night. He sat at the table, writing frantically.

"What are you doing?" Catherine asked.

Gustave hadn't told his sister of his plans yet. He put down his pen and lifted his sister onto his lap. "I'm going to ask Celeste to marry me," he explained.

"Does this mean you'll be moving away?" Catherine asked, tearing filling her eyes.

"I certainly wouldn't be able to live here," Gustave replied.

"Don't leave me, Gustave. Please, don't leave me," Catherine cried as she threw her arms around her brother's neck.
Gustave was torn. His sister was only four years old. Did he really want to leave her?
On the other hand, he was eighteen. Most men his age at least had jobs by this age. Gustave helped out at the opera house here and there, but he didn't have a permanent job.
His thoughts were then turned back to the sobbing child that was clinging to him. Catherine needed him.

"There's a house that's not too far from here. It's reasonably priced and very spacious. There are four bedrooms and a big living room with a piano. What if I convinced Mother and Father to move there? We would all be able to live together there. I wouldn't have to leave you," Gustave suggested.

"Or you don't have to marry Celeste at all," Catherine suggested.

"Cath, you don't understand. I love Celeste. Almost as much as I love you."

"I love you too, Gustave. That's why I don't want you to leave."

Gustave loved his sister, but he knew that he had to ask Celeste to marry him. He didn't want this opportunity to just slip through his fingers.
That night, Gustave took Celeste to a fancy restaurant.

"What's the occasion?" Celeste asked.

"Can't I spoil you for no reason?" Gustave added to himself, "I'm only going to ask you to marry me. That's all."

The couple talked lively and after they ate their meal and the waiter cleared their dishes, Gustave began his speech, "Celeste, we've known each other since we were thirteen. Since we met, I've grown to love you more and more with each passing day," Gustave said as he got up and moved next to her chair. He helped her gently to a standing position and then pulled a box from his pocket and got down on one knee, "Celeste LeBlanc, will you marry me?"