8.6 Part One: Knot Tying

  The sunshine shone bright through the clear glass window panes, signaling the beginning of a new day. I walked into the master bedroom, the only bedroom, to see Maya fast asleep, quietly snoring beneath the covers. She was so peaceful when she slept, even though slowly she was losing her mermaid powers.
   "Good morning sleepy head." I said, trying to sound playful cute.
   "Mhmmgh. Harbor?" Her eyes delicately fluttered open, revealing her pal sky blue eyes. "What time is it?"
   "Ten, almost."
   "Really, that late?" She stood up, revealing that her pajamas did not consist of anything that even flirted with the scandalous side. "You shouldn't have let me sleep in."
   "You're peaceful when you sleep; I didn't want to disturb that."
   "I guess I should say thanks, then. You look rather dapper today, what's the occasion?"
   "We've been dating and living here for two weeks, I thought maybe we could celebrate that along with your last week of, you know," I didn't want to directly say her mermaid transformation powers, since the subject was sore and definitely not a great way to begin the day, "with breakfast out."

   "You're so sweet. Speaking of living with you for two weeks, the house search isn't going great."
   "It isn't?"
   "No... see, Harbor I don't want to move out."
   "I don't want you to either; you can stay as long as you'd like." I was secretly hoping that it would be for a very long time, I liked having her here; sometimes it got lonely out by yourself on the ocean.
   "That's the thing, though. I don't want to move out ever... I'm sorry."
   "Don't be sorry. I don't want you to ever move out, either."

   "I love you Harbor. I want to stay with you for forever, I want to be with you for forever."
   "I love you, too Maya. I want to be with you for eternity, because the luckiest man alive is the one who managed to convince you to date him and love him eternally. Hopefully  I'm that lucky man." I blushed a little; this had been the first time the L word had been said. "Did we-?" The realization of what I said and what it sounded like hit me.
   "What did we just do? I mean, should we?"
   "We could."
   "I love you."
   "And I love you."
   "Want to?"
   "Yes, Maya. I do."
   "I can't believe... wow." She smiled, leaning forwards to kiss me. "You're my fiance."

   "When should we tie the knot?"
   "Where?"
   "Do you have any free days?"
   "Pretty much everyday is a free day for me, what about you?"
   "Well, my job had the court case going on and I've been found innocent, however I'm being forced to take a two week unpaid vacation, in order to let city Hall clear the air."
   "Court  case? I mean, not important wedding.  don't have a dress that's white, but I have a purple one. Maybe that would work?"
   "My suit and tux collection is nonexistent, this is probably the fanciest thing I've got."
   "The beach is romantic."
   "It is and we could always rush to City Hall to get the paperwork filed."
   "Today?"
   "Hell, why wait?" And with that we began scurrying around, Maya finding her dress and hair products, me, well I wasn't sure I had my head wrapped around what I was doing.

Eight hours later...

   We stood on the beach, Maya wearing her purple party dress, I wearing khakis and a brown vest. It wasn't the most elaborate attire imaginable, but it was enough for us. We were two crazy kids, thinking we loved each other, who thought that we were ready to spend the rest of their lives with one another, after two  weeks of dating.
   "Are you ready?" I asked her, as she stood, beaming.

   "I am. Now it is time to hope you are." She took a deep breath, before launching into her spiel. "Harbor Janes, I may have only lived with you for two week, dated you for two weeks, and known you for less than a month, but I know I love you. You can't say ypu know a lot of things in this world, where anyone can become an expert on anything, but I do know that I know that I love you. It wouldn't matter if we dated for another day or month or year, I would still love you. I feel like we were meant to marry, I felt like fate decided that we'd be perfect for each other, ans why procrastinate what fate does? I love you and I can only hope you'll make me the happiest lady by making you the luckiest."
   "Wow." I whispered.

   "What, didn't think I could think on my feet that well?" She giggled, holding up the ring I' bought from the art and history center-museum's gift shop.
    "I love you Maya, I know you're amazing. That's why I'm going to say I do."

   As she slid the ring onto my finger, I could not help but think that the ceremony was half over. We were half way to officially being a married couple. Married?! I loved Maya, there were no buts about that, but married seem like insanity. She was four years older than me, after all; she had her future mapped out better. Marriage wasn't insane to her, it is what she was suppose to be doing in the twenty to thirty year old time frame. Nineteen and married. If you asked me what I thought I'd been doing at nineteen, it wouldn't be this. That does not change the fact that I'm insanely in love with Maya, though.
   "You're turn." Maya nudged me with her elbow. I'd gotten lost in my thoughts, forgetting I was suppose to speak immediately after. At least there was no audience.

   "Maya, I'm not sure what I am suppose to say to a woman as amazing, caring, sweet, and outgoing as you. I could tell you how it doesn't matter how long we've dated, I know you were the one from the start, but I know you know. I know you know I love you and i will for as long as I can; hopefully that's eternity. I won't bore you with a twenty minute vow, I'll just tell that as long as everything stays like this, we'll be happy. Will you be my wife?"
   "Yes, silly of course I will be!" She laughed, as she waved her hand in the air, as I slid the ring onto her finger. The ceremony was now complete. We were married.