Chapter 30: When Love Found Us

A few days after Dulce and I started “dating,” I had my 18th birthday, and I had to stop seeing her. Well, I didn’t have to stop seeing her completely, but we had to quit messing around. An orange jumpsuit and shackles was just not a good look for me! Anyway, I’m not saying that I was in love with her, but that thing about absence making the heart grow fonder is kinda true! She came by the house a few times, and we talked and got to know each other better, but other than we only talked on the phone. I was actually beginning to feel like we were in a real relationship. I didn’t like that at first because, you know, I like to keep my options open. But the longer we were apart, and the more we talked, I grew to really like her. Maybe one day I would love her! Her cheerfulness was so refreshing to me. She made me realize how much I missed out in life by my mom dying when I was so young. She was childish at times, but it was funny.

I waited for what felt like years for her 18th birthday to come around. Then, FINALLY, we were able to hook up and start seeing each other again. But, to my surprise, my first reaction was not to send her a woo hooty text. I just wanted to see her beautiful face and watch her laugh…and perhaps have a marathon make out session or two. So, I took her out for a nice, respectable evening.

“Oh my god, girl, it’s been too long!”

“Tell me ’bout it. How much did you miss me?”

“This much!”

Then, out of the blue, it left like lightening struck through my body and I got a totally absurd idea! Don’t ask me where it came from.

“So like, I know this is totally crazy, right…but how about we never be apart like that ever again.”

I had no idea what I was doing it. She would be crazy to say yes!

“Are you for real?”

“Yeah. Marry me, Dee.”

“Ok then!”

That makes both of us crazy. I didn’t know how all of it worked, and I was bound to get a lot of it wrong. But I was young and confident, and that’s all I really needed at the time.

“So, let’s do it. Right here. Right now! You down?”

“I’m down! Don’t we need a preacher or something?”

“Nah, we just say some stuff, exchange the rings, and kiss! I’ll go first. Umm…Dee, when I first met you I thought you were the finest girl I had ever seen. And I thought to myself, man…if I could get with her, I’d go down in player history! I got you now! And I’m not gonna let you go.

Like I said…crazy…and stupid!

“That’s soo sweet! Ok, my go. Aiden, when I first saw you I thought you was pretty cute and stuff and I liked your hats. And I was like wouldn’t it be cute if we dated because we both wear hats! But what I liked the most about you was your confidence. You seemed like the kind of guy that know what he’s gonna do with his life and I really like that.”

“Ok…well, we don’t have my ring yet, so we’ll just do that part later. At least you have yours. Now, kiss me…wifey!”

I couldn’t wait to get home and tell Ava what we did!

Jaxson and I had been dating for a while, and we hadn’t “done” anything yet. We both decided that we wanted to wait until we got married so it could be extra special and meaningful.

But, the longer we stayed together, the closer we got, and it was getting harder and harder to maintain that commitment. He seemed to be doing ok with it, but I was a burning hot mess.

“Ava…I know what you’re trying to do. We can’t.  What about our promise?”

“Awww, come on, Jaxson! I don’t know if I can wait that long anymore! Can’t we just do a little something?”

He laughed at my failed attempt to justify whatever “a little something” was.

“I know, sweetheart. I know. Trust me…I know I come off as being strong and unyielding, but it’s hard for me too. But I like to honor my commitments. My word is important to me, and I always keep my word.”

“O-M-Goodness! That is sooo attractive and is not helping the situation at all!”

Suddenly, a surge of energy rushed through my body and I felt like I was going to explode. I opened my mouth to have an adult-sized tantrum, but something else happened and I can’t explain how.

“What are we waiting for, Jaxson? We’re not getting any younger, and if we keep waiting for the ‘right’ time, we’ll be old! Marry me, Jaxson. Right now! Right here!”

He smiled at me and helped me up. He looked like he was saying “bless her heart” on the inside.

“Ava…I will marry you. But not today. I want to marry you properly, in the sight of God, Aiden and all your friends! Let’s do it tomorrow. Can you wait one more night?”

“You’re the best, Jaxson! I would wait 100 more nights for you.”

“Then it’s set then! You don’t need to worry about anything. I will take care of everything. Just show up in your beautiful white dress.”

“Oh my goodness I can’t WAIT to tell Aiden about this!