Dove and Grenade

Aron elbowed me, and I choked on my steak. He nodded to my parents, who were looking anxiously at me. I shrugged and set down my fork. I turned to Aron, and he leaned over to me.

"You told them yet?" he whispered.

"They know we're dating," I hissed. "That's all."

"It's gonna come out," Aron said.

I nodded and turned back to our parents.

"What are you two whispering about?" asked Dad.

"Aron's got a girlfriend," I said.

"Wha- Kara!" Aron said. "No!"

"No, you don't?" Dad asked.

"Yes, I do," Aron said. "But, Kara, that's not what I was-"

"That's great, honey!" said Mom. "What's her name?"

"Charlette," Aron replied. "Kara, what the fuck-"

"Language, Aron," Mom said.

"Are you two going steady?" Dad asked. "Don't get her pregnant, Aron. I'm not ready for grandchildren."

"Dad, it's none-"

"You're being a gentleman, aren't you?" Mom added.

"Of c-"

"Well, when do we get to meet her?" Dad. "Do we even get to?"

"Where does she live?"

"Does she have a steady income?"

"Do you have a steady income?"

"How long have you known each other-"

"Kara's engaged!"

I turned to Aron. He looked at me, his eyes wide. I looked back at my mom and dad, who were holding their forks above their plates and staring between Aron and I. I turned to Aron and punched him square in the shoulder as hard as I could.

"Dumbass!" I said.

"Kara..."

My dad had put down his fork. His hands were folded on the table, and his face was expressionless. I could tell, though, he was not happy. I felt my palms beginning to sweat.

"Well?" he said.

"I-I... We were waiting until tomorrow to tell you," I said. "I mean... Y-you didn't even know we were dating until just this week."

"And how long have you been engaged?" Dad asked.

"...a couple months," I said quietly.

"Months?" said Dad, Mom, and Aron in unison.

Mom turned to Aron and said, "How long have you known?"

"Not even a week," Aron replied.

"Oh, shut up, Aron," I snapped. "It's not like you didn't know what was going on. Matt can't keep his mouth shut to save his soul."

"Kara, I'm not so sure you know what kind of a commitment marriage really is," Dad said.

"Look, I'm gonna say this one fucking time," I said. "I love him. I love him more than I've ever thought I loved anyone. I can't imagine not being with him, and honestly, I don't want to. I want to be with him for the rest of my life, and no one is going to tell me no."

The others were silent, and I stabbed my steak. I didn't say anything either, letting the awkward silence grow more than necessary. The waiter came and set the bill on the edge of the table, but nobody touched it. I sighed loudly and set down my fork.

"Will one of you say something?" I said.

My dad looked at my mom, and she looked at Aron.

"It's true," Aron said. "I've never seen two people more head-over-heels for each other."

"Thank you," I said in a low voice.

He nodded as he picked up the bill. I looked anxiously at my parents, and my dad shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm not one to tell you no," he sighed, "because you're stubborn as a mule. I could give you my opinion, but it won't matter."

"Stop being dramatic, Dad," I said. "Just say it."

"You don't realize how many times I found you crying over some boy," Dad continued. "And every time, it was the same story. You thought he was the one and you loved him and yada yada yada. And it was always the same person who was the first one to comfort you. Look at this thing with Alex- who was there when you came home?"

Quietly, I said, "Matt."

"Exactly," Dad said. "He always was there for you, telling you they didn't deserve you and you shouldn't cry over someone stupid like that. The only problem was you didn't see the real problem was you. You destroyed every relationship you had because of one person. To make him come crawling up the side of the house and hold you while you told him some bullshit story about which asshole it was this time.

"Why is this any different?" Dad said. "How do the rest of us know you aren't doing this for him to come rushing back to you? This time it's just gone too far."

"Dad, this isn't-"

"Hush, Aron. Kara, you aren't ready for this because you don't have a stable grip on your own life. How are you supposed to have a life with someone else when you barely have one for yourself?"

I clenched my teeth and said, "I didn't destroy my relationship with Alex. If you knew anything at all, you'd know he cheated on me. I tried to make it work with Alex. For two fucking years, I tried. And I came home to find him in bed with the neighbor girl."

I took a deep breath.

"For two years, I let him push me around. I let him tell me lie after lie. I let him destroy my friendships with everyone. I let him control me like a puppet on a string, and the only reason I let him was because I was trying to make a relationship work for once."

I tossed down my fork and stood up. Nobody said anything as I walked out the front door of the restaurant, and for awhile, nobody came to see where I was. That was fine. I didn't need to hear anymore shit anyway.