I wake up early. Way early. My mind is reeling over all I agreed to last night. I think about how I didn’t freak out. About how I know Phillip’s the one. About how I’m gonna have to plan a wedding fast. About how his parents are going to be the ones to freak. How his mom is going to push me to plan the wedding the way she thinks is best. How I want to plan the most amazing, romantic wedding ever. I was serious when I said I couldn’t wait to marry Phillip.
We’re sitting in bed, eating breakfast, when I tell Phillip I have a few demands. “You know, I was pretty amazing about this whole change-jobs, move-to-a-new-city, quickly-plan-a-wedding thing.”
“I was pretty shocked about that. I really expected you to throw a fit.”
“Well, I do have a stipulation.”
He rolls his eyes at me. “I should’ve known you’d have demands.”
“Not demands. Just one demand. One I’m very serious about.”
He tilts his head at me and looks concerned. “Okay, what is it?”
“We aren’t telling anyone about this when we get back. I’m talking no one. Not Danny, not Lori, not your parents, no one. We need some time. I’m gonna go back and quit my job but not tell anyone. I think, since we just finished that design project, they won’t ask me for two weeks’ notice. If they don’t, then I’m gonna spend the week doing some wedding planning. I need to gather ideas on my own. We need to talk about things, figure out what we want. The minute we tell your parents, they’re going to ask a million questions. Your mom’s gonna be the one to freak. I want to have some sort of a game plan first. I want this wedding to be about us. About our relationship. I’m not going to let your mom make me do stuff. You’re gonna have to stick up for us. If this week goes well, we’ll tell your parents next Sunday at dinner. Can you agree to that?”
Phillip nods his head and smiles at me. “Yeah, I’m good with that.” His face gets that soft look, the look where I swear he can see straight into my soul. “You know, even though your parents are gone, they’re still with you.”
“Yeah, I know, and I think they’re really glad I’m with you.”
I buy every bridal magazine available at the airport and excitedly look through them on the flight home. I even mark a bunch of things I think are pretty. Phillip starts out strong, but pretty soon, his eyes glaze over—probably from having to endure page after page of white lace—and he goes to sleep.
I have no idea what I want for my wedding.
But I do know one thing. I know who I want to marry.
