“Lacie.”

She was there, at my door, in her wedding dress. And yet, somehow I wasn’t surprised.

I let her in without a word and closed the door behind her. She took one look at me and the words spilled out.

“I’m sorry, but I had to come here and tell you. I can’t go through with tomorrow. My parents not only don’t approve, but the stress might actually be making my mom’s condition worse. Even if it weren’t for that, this doesn’t feel right. I like you, but I don’t love you. Not yet. I think I could, but there hasn’t been enough time—this has all gone so fast.”

I couldn’t form the words to reply yet, and stood there in stunned silence.

“I’m sorry,” she said miserably, although that didn’t make any difference.

And yet, I didn’t feel how I would’ve expected I’d feel. After these words, the words that meant the end of me, of my family, of everything that I’d worked so hard for my whole life, I felt relieved. I felt like I wanted to kiss her.

Instead, I tore my gaze away from her face, took her hand in mine, and squeezed it.

“Don’t be sorry. You’re right. This is exactly what I’ve been struggling with these past few days, too. Lacie, I like you, I really do—you’re everything I’d want in a partner; there just hasn’t been enough time. I don’t regret a second we’ve spent together. Not when they’ve been some of the happiest of my life.”

My hands were in hers, my gaze tracing the outlines of her face. When it settled on her lips, I closed my eyes.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I just didn’t—”

“You have nothing to apologize for. Not a thing in the world.”

We sat down on my bed, she and I, almost-bride and almost-groom.

“It’s strange to think that, other than my parents, you know me—the real me—better than anyone else. We’ve been through so much together,” she whispered.

I nodded. “We have. I feel like I’ve known you for months, years.”

“But you haven’t,” she gently reminded me.

I nodded once more. “If, after this, somehow, we could be something together, what would you want to do? What would you want to know about me?”

During our intense conversation, she had settled into me, fitting perfectly against my body. It felt comfortable, so right, both of us here. She didn’t notice, but I did. A wistful half-smile rose on her lips.

“God, what a question. I don’t know, maybe get a dog together? I want a dog someday.”

I sighed dramatically. “I’m a cat person. If you want a dog, I can’t be with you.”

As her face fell in horror, I couldn’t help cracking up.

“You brute!”

I kissed her cheek. “Yes, I am a dog, aren’t I?”

She couldn’t help but laugh as well.

“And…I don’t know, I’d like to do all the things I’ve always wanted to do. Already, you’ve made my life more like a dream, more exciting and wonderful than I ever thought it could be. So, I guess the rest would just be the icing on top. I’d want to go swimming with you, go to plays and movies, grow a garden, take cooking classes, travel the world. I’d want to do everything I’ve ever wanted to do, just with you.”

Now, her whole face was alive with her words, her dreams, as if they were happening as she spoke. Her happy eyes met mine.

“And you?”

I pressed her tighter to me in the circle of my arms.

“I’d just want to be with you. Every day, every night—just like this. Whatever we’d do, wherever we were, I’d want it to be just like this. Just us, being us. Not having to pretend or lie or do anything but exactly what we wanted to. And that would be okay too, you see—any hardship or tough time or decision would be bearable, because I’d be with you.

“As long as we didn’t have to take things faster or slower than we wanted to because of some outdated law, as long as I could love you as fully and honestly as I could, then, that, that my dear Lacie, would be enough.”

And then, all the words had been said, so all that was left to do was to prove how much I meant them. We fell back into the rhythm, and there was nothing to do but continue. My hands were clasping hers how they had that night a few days ago, picking up where they’d left off, while hers were clutching at my face as if trying to preserve this moment forever.

Her lips were smooth and soft, every connection of our skin sending bursts of hot fire pulsing through my every nerve. I slowly helped her out of her dress, and then we fell onto the bed and into each other’s arms, gently, slowly making love.