That Wedding

"Because my dad was afraid we'd blow it on a car like this." He studies me and the car. "You look hot in this car. You should do what you want."

"I'm not buying a car like this, but anytime you want me to drive this for you, you let me know."

I stick my hand out and do my best rap star imitation. "I'm in my whip. I'm in my ride." I laugh. "You know, I totally should've been a rap star."

Da

"We're go

"I think you're trying to distract me. Back to the subject at hand. Do you know how cool it would be for our kids to be neighbors and for us to be able to hang out like our parents always did? In fact, speaking of that, you need to hurry up and get pregnant."

"No way."

"We want you pregnant soon."

"You sound like Phillip's mom. I wa

Da

Da

The sales guy, who's been following us around, says to me, "This car looks like you."

I'm not sure if looking like a fast expensive car is a compliment or not, so I ignore him. "A babymoon is the silliest thing I've ever heard. What are you celebrating? That your baby isn't there yet? The soon-to-be death of your romantic and sex lives? I want some time to enjoy it being just Phillip and me. Like you and Lori did. You had romance."

"We still have romance."

"Da

"Having a baby is romantic."

"It doesn't seem like it. Seems stressful, and once the baby is born, it's a lot of hard work."

"So how long does Phillip wa

"I don't know. We really haven't talked about it, but I'm sure he wants to wait too."

"Come on. Just think, our kids growing up together, playing football together." He gives me a big smirk. "Your daughter begging my son to teach her how to kiss."

"I did not beg you. I wanted a simple two-minute demonstration. I didn't expect you were go

I hear the sales guy chuckle.

"You know me, I just wanted you to be perfect."

"And besides, you're a year older than me, so I have some time."

"You need to start trying now."

"My luck, I'd get pregnant and would be puking through my wedding."

"Fine. After the honeymoon. You have a goal now. Visualize yourself being fertile, fruitful."

"Da

Da

"Da

"Fine," Da

"You know, you kinda pout when you don't get your way."

"I do with you."

"Why?"

"Cuz it usually works. Shall I give you my grin too?"

I smack his shoulder, which doesn't affect him in the least. Da

"We need to get Phillip over this nonsense and make him buy the house."

"I don't think it'll work. He thinks he wears the pants."

"Tell him you insist. You know, it's fu

"Da

"You're so dumb, and your parents would be so disappointed. They wanted to take care of you if something happened. That's why they were well-insured. They wanted to be able to give you something if they weren't here to give it to you themselves. So why was it okay to spend it on college, but it's not okay to spend it on a house?"

"I'm okay with spending some of it on a house! Phillip is the one that isn't. He said, What if we don't work out. And I've only spent it on things they would've spent it on. Like they insisted I go to college, so I was okay with it. They would've paid for my wedding, so I'm okay with that. But I'm pretty sure they never would have bought me a Ferrari, Da

"True. But don't you think your parents would love the idea of you living by us, of our kids growing up together, just like we did?"

"Yeah, they probably would, but it's not me you have to convince, it's Phillip."

"So once again, tell him you insist. Tell him it's what your parents would want, and just buy it!"

"I don't think he'll let me. He's stubborn."

"Then you have two options. Use your feminine ways on him or make him feel guilty. Tell him you strongly believe it's what your parents would want, and you feel like if you don't, you'll be letting them down."

"You're devious, Da

"Yeah well, that's why we get along so good."

After a great di

So of course, the topic turns to me and Phillip.

Blake goes to Phillip, "So now that you're engaged, you can finally tell us the truth. All those night the two of you went home to watch movies or just chill, you were hitting it, right? I mean we all knew it even though you were always like, We're just friends."

Nick joins in. "Yeah, why the big secret? It was so obvious to all of us. Every time you looked at Phillip, it seemed intimate."

My mind flashes back to coming home from hanging out with Nick, Chelsea, and some other friends. Phillip didn't go because he had a big test to study for. Phillip is a perfectionist. He likes to do his best at everything he does. That night, I came home and found his big body sprawled across my bed. I asked why he was in my room. He told me it smelled good, and it helped him relax. I quizzed him for a bit. Then he laid his head on the pillow next to me and buried his face in my chest. I could tell he was stressed, so I ran my hands through his hair. Sometimes, I rubbed it hard, like they do at the salon when they shampoo you. Other times, I was soft and gentle. I moved down to his neck, which was a mass of knotted up muscles. I figured his back was tense too, so I offered to rub it. I'd rubbed his back and shoulders many times before, but he'd always had his shirt on. He sorta shocked me when he sat up and pulled it off. I will admit, I didn't really mind rubbing his naked skin. I rubbed his back the same way I had rubbed his hair. Sometimes, hard and massaging. Sometimes, soft little caresses. Other times, I barely touched his skin with my fingertips. It was slightly hypnotic. I woke up later, wrapped in his arms, books still lying all around us. I didn't bother to wake him up. I told myself that I wanted him to sleep well before his test, but truthfully, I liked being in his arms. Nick is right. We were intimate. We just didn't have sex.