Hesitate

“This is where she works?!” Griffin said wide-eyed and excited as he laid eyes upon all the goods in her store. “Dad, you can stay married to her for how ever long you want.”

“Well, I’m glad I have your seal of approval.” He laughed. “C’mon, let’s see if we can find her…”

“Can I look at the toys?” he begged.

“In a minute.” He told him. “Jaret, where’s Ash?”

“Went to lunch. Should be back any second.”

Just then the bell over the door chimed and turned to see her walk in with Shawn hot on her heels.

“Hey….guys.” he said with a puzzling tone.

“Hey man.” Shawn waved.

“Hey.” She said walking up and kissed him on the neck. He groaned a little under his breath. He loved it when she did that. “We went down the street and grabbed a burger.”

“Uncle Shawn!!!!!!” Griffin hollered as he threw himself upwards towards his dad’s friend.

“Hey kiddo. What you doing?”

“Me and daddy came to see Ashleigh.” He explained. “Can I go look at the toys now?”

Shawn laughed, “I’ll take him over there.”

“Thanks, man.” Corey nodded. “So, you and Shawn have a good lunch?”

“Yeah, it was fun.” She smiled as she put her purse in her office.

“Can we go in there and talk a minute?”

“Uhh…yeah sure…come on.” She said letting him in inside the office.

“I told Scarlett…” he blurted out. “I had to. Only reason I did was because of Griffin.”

She nodded and sort of smirked. “I understand. He looks just like you, ya know.”

“We hear that a lot.” He said moving closer to her. “I…..talked to him about it too.”

“Corey….” She started.

“I had to….I didn’t want to confuse him….and he heard me and Scarlett talking….he’s a *really* smart kid turns out….”

“What’d you tell him?”

“Just that we love each other very much…..and that we make each other happy when we’re together….and I asked him what he thought…..I took care of it…..”

“What happens if we don’t….ya know….”

“Come on……” he sighed. “We gotta talk and we gotta talk now.”

“Can’t we-”

“No, we can’t wait until after work…..we can’t wait until morning….we can’t wait. We’re talking about this now.” She could tell he was getting extremely aggravated. Shawn was right. He’d gotten her alone and in small room and was about to force her into this conversation she’d putting off since they found out they were married. “I love you.”

“I love you, too…” she said smiling and touching his face.

“Then what’s the problem?”

“Just because we love each other….it doesn’t mean that we should be married.”

“You don’t want to be married to me?”

“Corey, I don’t know what I want. Okay?”

“Well, I know what I want…” He spat and started out the door.

“No. You’re not leaving. You wanted to have this conversation. So, we’re having it. You don’t get to storm off and be mad at me when things get messy.”

“I don’t understand how you can say you love me….but you don’t know if you want to be with me….That’s fucked, Ashleigh.”

“Well, I don’t understand how you can get pissed at me for not being as sure about a drunken decision we made, in Vegas of all places, as you are. And I think that’s fucked.”

“You know why I’m so sure about it?” He was trying to keep his temper and emotions in check but it seemed to be a losing battle.

“Yeah, I’d love to know.”

“Because I’d do it again. Right now. In a fucking heartbeat. Because I know that it’s right.” He stood there waiting for he to say something in response but it never came. “Ok, I’m gonna take Griffin to my house. When you decide on what it is that you want…….try and find me.”

He stormed out, grabbed his son, and headed to the car.

“Daddy? Why do you look mad?”

“I’m not mad…..” he said with a smile to try and convince the boy of that fact.

“Then are you sad?”

“A little bit.” He said honestly as they drove down the road nearing the final curve before reaching his home.

“Why are you sad? Is it grown up stuff?” His dad nodded. “Well, what is it?”

“Griff…”

“Tell me.”

“I don’t think Ashleigh wants to be married to me….”

“She doesn’t love you anymore?”

“She said she does.” Corey answered as he pulled into his driveway.

“Did you make her mad?”

“Nope……”

“Well, if she loves you….and you love her…and you didn’t make her mad….why doesn’t she wanna be married?”

“I wish I knew….”

“Did you get her a real pretty ring?”

He made a funny face, “Actually no….”

“You should get her a pretty ring.”

He laughed it off for second but then thought hard. Why was his son such a little genius? He threw the car in reverse and back out of the driveway they were just parked in.

“We’re not going in?”

“Nope.” He smiled.

“Uhhh what are we doin?”

“We…..are gonna go get her a real pretty ring. You’re gonna help me pick one out.”

“Awesome! But can we stop and get something to eat first? I’m really hungry…”

“Yeah….food then ring……can’t have you picking out jewelry on an empty stomach.” Corey laughed.