“For Christ sakes Amy, I’m driving! What is that thing anyway?” I didn’t think it was too dangerous, we were alone on the highway heading home from a weekend at her parents. I liked David and Paula, they’d make okay in-laws someday but the weekend was dominated with baseball, health issues and food. Those two did their best to force as much food down our throats as possible.
“It’s just their way of trying to relate to you Steve. They don’t understand what you do for a living, Amy had said early this morning before the world awoke.
“I’m a day trader Amy, and I’m good at it. Paid for this BMW didn’t it?”
“Jesus Steve, no one cares. You’re a good provider and that’s all that matters to me. You could be waiting tables for all I care.” She was still fiddling with that stick.
“Is that what I think it is?” I glanced at Amy sitting next to me. The leather seat held her like a glove or how an 8 year old looks sitting in her grandfather’s arm chair. Any minute now she’d be swallowed up in the soft black leather – never to be seen again. She nodded. I let out a prolonged yoga breath, the kind that’s supposed to cleanse you of bad vapors.
“You’re life isn’t topsy-turvy yet stud. I can’t make heads or tails of this damn thing. One stripe not pregnant, two stripes – Hello College fund. Only I can’t see any stripes at all. I can see where they’re supposed to be, but not those blinding blue “Your Life’s Gonna Change Forever Kind Of Stripes.”
“Maybe it means you’re not a woman Amy. All evidence to the contrary of course. Wouldn’t your college roommate be surprised she shared a dorm room with a…” I looked over and could tell this was no time for a joke. “Listen Honey, one stripe, two stripes, no stripes, it won’t change how I feel about you. I love you.”
“Even bloated whale pregnant?
“I loved Finding Nemo.”
“Stretch marked and flabby?”
“Have you seen my belly recently?”
“Or barren and all spinnsterly?”
“You mean a Cougar don’t you?”
“27 cats, and all of them named Fluffy?”
“You’re gonna clean the litter box, right?”
Amy lowered the window and tossed the white stick out into the gale force wind. She reached over and turned off the radio, and looked at me. I was one of those guys that never met an obstacle I couldn’t overcome, or run away from. She doubted he’d ever faced real adversity in his 31 years. She loved him, of that she did not doubt. He on the other hand, never took anything seriously enough to give a straight answer.
“Marry me Steve. Straight up. Yes or No. I’ll accept either answer.”
I turned and locked my gaze on hers, perhaps for the very first time.