"I think it's great."
"But?"
"But it's a lot of house.A lot of commitment."
"We're already committed."
"Are we?"
He turns to face me, his expression serious."Carla, I've been committed since the day I stepped between you and that truck in the Walmart parking lot.Hell, probably before that.This house is just making it official."
"Official."
"Yeah.You and me.Building a life.Making a home.All of it."
"You really want this?"
"I really want this.With you.Only you."
I look around the yard.At the swing set and the fire pit and the deck where we could have dinners with Vincent and Jonah and the rest of the team.At the space where we could plant flowers and vegetables.At the life we could build here.
"Okay," I say.
"Okay?"
"Let's do it.Let's buy the house."
Timothy's face lights up, and he pulls me into a kiss.It's not appropriate for the middle of a realtor showing, but I don't care.I kiss him back, pouring all my hope and fear and love into it.
When we break apart, Linda is standing on the deck, grinning.
"I take it you're interested?"she asks.
"We're very interested," Timothy says.
"Great.Let's go back to my office and start the paperwork."
We spend the next three hours filling out forms and discussing financing.By the time we're done, my hand is cramped from signing my name so many times.
But it's real.We're buying a house.Together.
On the drive home, Timothy reaches over and takes my hand.
"You okay?"he asks.
"Yeah.Just processing."
"Second thoughts?"
"No.Just thinking about how different my life is now.A year ago, I was running.Hiding.Barely surviving.And now I'm buying a house with a man I love.I got my teaching certificate and started teaching.Building a future."
"You deserve all of it."
"I'm starting to believe that."
He squeezes my hand."Good."
***
