Portland Monthly's Bride & Groom

I had just been promoted to assistant store manager at Neiman-Marcus Beverly Hills when my mother’s health began to seriously decline. Butch and I had been dating for a year, so every day off and weekend I was flying to see one or the other. Finally the pressure became overwhelming and I flew to Seattle to break up with him. In the middle of dinner I began sobbing, telling him with mascara running down my face that I was sorry but something had to give. After a pause he looked at me and suggested I quit NM, marry him, and go see my mother whenever I needed to. I was absolutely taken by surprise; you never propose to a Southern Belle whose makeup is a mess. I went upstairs, washed my face, and then made him get down on one knee and ask again!