4th of January, 1986
Brooklyn is 20, Janet is 19, Michael is 27

Michael: "I got the cake!" Chris yelled as he came through the front door.

I was at Brooke's house, orginizing her birthday party along with Joshua, Chris, and Cynthia.

Janet took her shopping for a while until we got everything ready.

"Great, that's great. Put it in the fridge, please." Cynthia mumbled to him. She was hanging up some decorations.

"Do you need help with that? That looks a bit high." I asked her.

"I know I'm short, Michael. Don't rub it in." she said.

I chuckled and backed away.

"Mike, can I have a hand here?" Chris called from the kitchen. I sighed, going over there to help him.

~

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Brooklyn. Happy birthday to you!" Everyone sang.

"Oh my God. This is amazing. Thank you, all of you." Brooke said.

She was grinning from ear to ear, greeting all of the guests.

Her father and her brother were here, of course. My own mother came, bringing my two older sisters and Randy. There were a lot of people I didn't know.

"Uh, excuse me." someone said from behind me. I turned around, and an unknown man was facing me.

"Michael, right? I'm Ross." he held out his hand. Ross. Brooke's ex. I shook his hand, smiling lightly.

"You're Brooke's ex boyfriend, aren't you?" I asked. He nodded.

"I just wanted to meet you. She looks so... Happy," he said, "Hold on to her, okay?"

"I'm planning on that." I mumbled. I put my hand in my right pocket, feeling the little box.

"Are you proposing?"

"Trying to. I still haven't found a way." I admitted. I could feel myself getting a bit hotter.

"Do it today." Ross said. I raised my eyebrows, "Today?"

"Yeah, today. Take her somewhere private, and ask her. She'll say yes, no doubt about that. Plus, it's her birthday." he smiled kindly.

"Thank you." I said, shaking his hand once again.

~

Brooklyn: I laughed at another joke Janet told me. She's been doing it all evening.

"Boo."

We both jumped.

"Michael!" Janet yelled, hitting her brother on the shoulder, "Don't do that!"

Michael chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"Do you mind if I steal her for a few minutes?" he asked Janet.

"No, go ahead. I'm pretty sure she's tired of my jokes already." she smiled.

"Come on." he said and grabbed my hand. He lead me up the stairs and into my bedroom.

He closed the door behind us. I sat down on the bed as he went to my record collection.

Michael pulled out "Abbey Road" and put it in the player. "Something" started playing.

"Dance with me?" he offered his hand.

I nodded and took his hand. He put his other hand on my hip, pulling me closer.

"Since when do we slow dance?" I asked.

"It's a special event."

I raised my eyebrows. "My birthday isn't that special."

"Of course it is. But it's not the event I'm talking about." he smiled.

"Then what is it?"

My boyfriend just kept swaying us from side to side.

I heard him silently singing along with the song.

"You're asking me, will my love grow? I don't know, I don't know..."

"Close your eyes." Michael finally said. I did as he told, feeling him let go of my hip in the process.

I waited a few moments until he told me to open my eyes again.

He was holding a diamond ring in his hand.

"Oh my God." I whispered.

"Brooklyn Clare Casey, I love you. So much. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

I looked him in the eyes and nodded slightly.

Michael hugged me tightly, and I started crying into his shoulder.

"I love you, Michael."

He chuckled and broke our hug so he could kiss me. "May I?" he asked, taking my left hand.

He carefully slid the ring on my finger.

"Who knows about this?" I said as I looked at it.

"Janet and your father." he smiled.

"My dad?"

"Yeah, who do you think gave me the permission to ask you?" Michael said.

I giggled and kissed him again.

~

Michael: "Where have you two been? Everyone was looking for you." mother asked me as soon as we came downstairs.

"I-" I started saying, but Janet's scream cut me off. She hugged Brooke tightly, and dragged her over to us.

"Mother, Michael and Brooke have something to tell you."

"And that is?"

I pulled Brooke closer to me, taking her hand. "We're engaged, mother." I said.

Mother looked happy, and her eyes were starting to water.

She hugged me, telling me she was proud. She then turned to Brooke, and kissed her on both cheeks.

"Now I can officially welcome you to the family. This is just so beautiful." mother smiled.

I blushed, and so did Brooklyn.

"Brooke!" I heard Cynthia's voice, "Come, your dad needs your help."

"Michael, come with me. We should tell him." Brooke said, holding out her hand.

"Tell him what?" Cynthia asked.

"You'll find out."

I took Brooke's hand gladly, and we followed Cynthia into the kitchen.

"Good, you're here," Joshua said, "Hello, Michael."

"Dad, we have something to tell you. Cyn, go get Chris."

Cynthia nodded, and left.

"So, Michael. You proposed, huh?" Joshua smiled, "You know, sweetheart, that ring is a little hard to miss."

Joshua hugged his daughter, and I smiled at that. He then hugged me.

"What's this all about?" Chris asked when he came in, Cynthia next to him.

"Your sister is engaged. Congratulate her."

Cynthia's scream caught me off guard and I put my hands over my ears.

"I think I'm deaf." I joked.

"Jesus, Cyn," Chris mumbled. "Congrats, guys. Good luck, Mike."

"Oh, shut up." Brooke said, rolling her eyes. He grinned and hugged her.

"Ignore him, baby. He's just mad about me taking you away." I said.

"It's cake time." Joshua announced, opening the fridge.

"Go away, we need to make it look like a surprise!" Cynthia told Brooke, shoving us both out of the kitchen.

"She's so uptight." I whispered to my fiancée. She giggled.

"I heard that!" Cynthia yelled. That just made us both laugh even harder.