The night sky above the compound was breathtaking.
Thousands of stars glittered across the darkness.
It felt like the universe itself had gathered to watch something important.
The neem tree stood quietly in the center of the compound, its branches whispering softly in the wind.
Precious sat beside me.
Her eyes were reflecting the starlight. I felt nervous.
Ridiculously nervous.
My heart was beating like a drum.
"David?" she asked softly.
"Yes?"
"You're very quiet tonight."
I laughed nervously.
"That's because I'm thinking."
"That's dangerous," she teased.
"Very funny."
She smiled.
But then she noticed something.
My hand was inside my jacket pocket.
Holding something.
Her curiosity grew.
"What are you hiding?"
"Nothing."
"David."
"Yes?"
"Your 'nothing' is making your pocket look suspicious."
I laughed again.
"Okay… maybe it's something."
Her eyes widened.
"What kind of something?"
I stood slowly.
The night breeze moved through the branches above us.
The entire compound felt still.
Like the world had paused.
I took a deep breath.
"Precious," I said quietly.
She stood too.
"Yes?"
"You once asked me if happiness lasts."
She nodded.
"Yes."
"Well… I've been thinking about that."
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small golden box.
Her eyes widened instantly.
"Oh my…"
My voice trembled slightly.
"You see… happiness doesn't last by accident."
"It lasts because two people decide to build it together."
Her hands moved to her mouth.
Tears filled her eyes.
I knelt.
Right there beneath the stars.
"Precious…"
She was already crying softly.
"When I first met you… I thought you were just a beautiful woman."
She laughed through tears.
"That was a good start."
"But then I realized something deeper."
"What?"
"You are brave."
"You survived illness."
"You protected your family."
"You love with your whole heart."
I opened the box.
The ring glimmered like a tiny star.
"And I realized something else."
"What?" she whispered.
"I don't want to dream about the future anymore."
"I want to build it."
"With you."
The wind rustled softly through the neem tree.
The world seemed to disappear.
"Precious…"
I held her hand.
"Will you marry me?"
She laughed.
Then cried.
Then laughed again.
"Yes!"
She jumped forward and hugged me so hard we nearly fell over.
"I thought you would never ask!" she laughed.
"Never ask?" I protested. "I've been planning this for weeks!"
"Well you took long enough!"
"I was waiting for the perfect moment."
"This was perfect."
We both laughed.
Then her father appeared at the veranda doorway.
"I knew something suspicious was happening under that tree!"
Her mother joined him.
Smiling.
Kenty shouted from the steps:
"FINALLY!"
Everyone laughed.
And in that moment, beneath the stars…
The dream became real.
Not a dream of wealth.
Not a dream of success.
But a dream of love.
A dream of family.
A dream of hope.
The dream of a Fortune Dreamer.