Point of Retreat

to give it to you when I was ready. When you were ready. So…I hope you're ready."
     
    I put my hand in my pocket and pull out the star. I slowly unfold the paper and when I do, the ring slides out and into my hand. When she sees her mother's wedding ring, her hands go up to her mouth and she sucks in a deep breath.
     
    "I know we’re young, Lake. We've got an entire lifetime ahead of us to do things like get married. But sometimes things in people's lives don’t happen in chronological order like they should. Especially in our lives. Our chronological order got mixed up a long time ago."
     
    I take her hand in mine. She holds out her finger and her hands are shaking…but so are mine. I slide the ring onto her finger. It's a perfect fit. She wipes my tears away with her free hand and kisses me on the forehead. Her lips come a little too close to mine, so I have to pause what I'm saying and kiss them. She puts her hand on the back of my head and closes her lips over mine as she slides off the couch and into my lap. I lose my balance and we fall back. She doesn't let go of my head, and our lips never separate while she continues to give me the absolute best kiss she’s ever given me.
     
    "I love you, Will," she mutters into my mouth. "I love you, I love you, I love you."
     
    I gently pull her face away from mine. "I'm not finished yet," I laugh. "Stop butterflying interrupting me!" I roll her over onto her back and prop myself up on my elbow beside her.
     
    She starts kicking her legs up and down in a fit. "Hurry up and ask me already, I'm dying here!"
     
    I shake my head and laugh. "That's just it, Lake. I'm not asking you to marry me…"
     
    Before I can even get the rest of my sentence out, a look of horror washes across her face. I immediately put my finger to her lips and shush her before she interrupts me again.
     
    "I know how you liked to be asked and not told . But I'm not asking you to marry me." I roll on top of her and lean in as close as I can while still looking her in the eyes. I lower my voice to a whisper. "I'm telling you to marry me, Lake…because I can't live without you."
     
    She starts crying again…and laughing. She's laughing and crying and kissing me, all at the same time. We both are.
     
    "I was so wrong," she says between kisses. "Sometimes a girl loves to be told."
     
     
     
     
     
    ***
     
     
     
     
     
    "Are you knocked up?" Eddie asks Lake.
     
    "No, Eddie. That would be you."
     
    We're all sitting in the living room. Lake couldn't wait to tell Eddie so she called her immediately to tell her the news. Eddie and Gavin were here within an hour.
     
    "Don't get me wrong, I'm super excited for you. I just don't get it. Why so sudden? March 2is only two weeks away."
     
    Lake looks at me and winks. She's snuggled up next to me, sitting on her feet. I lean in and kiss her lips. Like I said, I can't help it.
     
    Lake turns back to Eddie and answers her. "Why would I want a traditional wedding, Eddie? Nothing about our lives is traditional. None of our parents would be there. You and Gavin would be our only guests. Will's grandparents probably wouldn't even show up…his grandmother hates me."
     
    "Oh, I forgot to tell you," I say. "My grandmother actually likes you. A lot. It's me she wasn't really happy with."
     
    "Really?" Lake says. "How do you know?"
     
    "She told me."
     
    "Huh." She smiles. "That's nice to know."
     
    "See?" Eddie says. "They'll show up. So will Sherry and David. That's nine people right there."
     
    Lake rolls her eyes at Eddie. "Nine people? You expect us to pay for an entire wedding for nine people?"
     
    Eddie sighs and falls onto Gavin’s lap in a defeated slump. "I guess you're right. It's just that I was looking forward to planning a big wedding someday.”
     
    "Well, you can still plan your own," she says. Lake looks at Gavin. "How many more minutes until you propose, Gavin?"
     
    Gavin doesn't skip a beat. "About three hundred thousand or so."
     
    "See, Eddie? Besides, I still need you to do my hair and makeup,” Lake says. "We need witnesses, too. You and Gavin can come and Kel and Caulder will be there."
     
    Eddie smiles. She finally seems a little more excited once she finds out she’s invited.
     
    I was hesitant at first with Lake's plan, too. But after hearing her logic…and especially after hearing how much money it would save us not having a wedding, I was easily convinced. The date of the marriage was a given.
     
    "What