“Our entire lives are here. Everything that we are and all that we have is right here.
“We can start over brand new. Not have to worry about people tearing us apart or saying we can’t be together or saying anything about you and the baby. We can even get married.”
“And no one who cares about us, no one that would even try to help us if we got into trouble will be there. Everyone that I trust is right here. I don’t want the baby anywhere else. And what about when he gets older and he asks about grandparents?”
“We’ll have each other. We won’t need anything or anyone else. We’ll make it through anything that comes our way.”
“ How can you be so sure?”
“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time.”
“What if it doesn’t work?”
“It will. I know it will.”
We sat there for a while quietly then he looked at the time.
“I should get you home. “
He climbed off of the hood and helped me down. He held me close for a moment then reached around me for the jacket. He set it on my shoulders and pulled me towards the door. I climbed in and slid to the window. He sat in the driver seat, turned on the engine, and pulled away. I stared out the window thoughtfully and slowly drifted into sleep. I woke to him shaking me gently. We were at my house. As I turned to him he looked torn. I started to ask what was wrong but he beat me to it.
“I’ll leave it alone for now, baby. We’ll try your way, just don’t tell your parents yet. I want to be there with you. I’m not going to let you do that alone, okay?”
“Okay. What do we say if they ask about marriage?”
“Say what you think is right. If you want to get married then we’ll do it as soon as possible, but if you’re not ready for that then we’ll wait . . . Which sounds better?”
“I want to marry you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Then will you wear this when we tell them?” He pulled out a small diamond ring. “I know it’s not really big, but you probably would have shot me if I’d gotten a bigger one. Do you like it?”
My mouth was too dry to speak so I nodded.
“You don’t have to wear it until we tell them but I want you to have it. Do you want me to put it in the box?”
I shook my head.
“You want to wear it?”
I nodded. He grabbed my hand slid the silver band on my ring finger so that the diamond
“We can start over brand new. Not have to worry about people tearing us apart or saying we can’t be together or saying anything about you and the baby. We can even get married.”
“And no one who cares about us, no one that would even try to help us if we got into trouble will be there. Everyone that I trust is right here. I don’t want the baby anywhere else. And what about when he gets older and he asks about grandparents?”
“We’ll have each other. We won’t need anything or anyone else. We’ll make it through anything that comes our way.”
“ How can you be so sure?”
“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time.”
“What if it doesn’t work?”
“It will. I know it will.”
We sat there for a while quietly then he looked at the time.
“I should get you home. “
He climbed off of the hood and helped me down. He held me close for a moment then reached around me for the jacket. He set it on my shoulders and pulled me towards the door. I climbed in and slid to the window. He sat in the driver seat, turned on the engine, and pulled away. I stared out the window thoughtfully and slowly drifted into sleep. I woke to him shaking me gently. We were at my house. As I turned to him he looked torn. I started to ask what was wrong but he beat me to it.
“I’ll leave it alone for now, baby. We’ll try your way, just don’t tell your parents yet. I want to be there with you. I’m not going to let you do that alone, okay?”
“Okay. What do we say if they ask about marriage?”
“Say what you think is right. If you want to get married then we’ll do it as soon as possible, but if you’re not ready for that then we’ll wait . . . Which sounds better?”
“I want to marry you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Then will you wear this when we tell them?” He pulled out a small diamond ring. “I know it’s not really big, but you probably would have shot me if I’d gotten a bigger one. Do you like it?”
My mouth was too dry to speak so I nodded.
“You don’t have to wear it until we tell them but I want you to have it. Do you want me to put it in the box?”
I shook my head.
“You want to wear it?”
I nodded. He grabbed my hand slid the silver band on my ring finger so that the diamond
