Bowl Me Over

"Well?" he asked, anxious for her answer.

Sara felt that she had been around Tim enough to know him pretty well. She had seen him in his good times and his bad. She had seen him angry and she had seen him silly. Sara knew that he genuinely loved her just by the way he looked at her, touched her, and spoke to her. He was sweet, kind, funny, and always gentle with her. He loved her in ways that she had only imagined in her sweetest dreams and being with him made her feel whole. How could she turn him down? How could she turn down an opportunity to sleep with him every night whether they made love or not? She knew that she would regret it forever if she didn't take this opportunity and grab it. If their relationship was taking the serious turn that she envisioned, living with him would show her what being married to him could be like. She hated to think about it, hated to think negatively, but if things didn't work out, then she thought it better to find out sooner than later that they weren't compatible. In her heart and mind, she knew that she and Tim could be very happy together and she didn't want to waste any more time thinking about it.

"I'd love to move in with you, Tim," she said, squeezing his hand.

A small crowd gathered at Plaza Lanes that Saturday afternoon. It was almost a year to the day that Tim had first seen Sara crushing the pins with her flawless style. The first twenty lanes were reserved that afternoon and patrons from the other lanes strained their eyes from where they were standing to get a glimpse of the party that was in progress.

Tim and Sara stood on the approach between lanes twelve and thirteen facing each other and holding hands. A reverend stood in front of them saying, "Timothy Alan Rougeau, do you take Sara Ann Uttermolen to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love, honor, and cherish from this day forward?"

Tim answered in a clear voice, "I do." He placed a simple gold ring on her finger.

"And do you Sara Ann Uttermolen take Timothy Alan Rougeau to be you lawfully wedded husband, to love, honor, and cherish from this day forward?"

Her voice quivering, Sara answered, "I do." She placed a simple gold ring on his finger.

"What God has blessed, let no man break. By the power given to me by the laws of the great state of Indiana, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bowling partner for life."

The crowd laughed as Tim embraced Sara and gave her a long passionate kiss.

The party was simple and fun, Tim and Sara insisted on it. Her parents wanted them to have a church wedding with a nice ballroom reception, but they wouldn't hear of it. They had met at the bowling alley, got to know each other there, so they wanted to be married there. Her parents paid for the food and Tim and Sara paid for any bowling that the guests wanted to do. Everyone had a great time and were disappointed when it was time for it to end.

They drove back to their apartment that night. They would have to wait a week to take a honeymoon because Sara couldn't get the time off. Most of their belongings were packed and in boxes, ready for the move to their own house within the next few days. It looked so empty to them as Tim closed the door, the echo being pronounced. The only room totally intact was their bedroom. Sara looked radiantly beautiful in her tea length cocktail dress and Tim equally handsome in his black suit.

They looked at each other, taking in the whole special day and all of its importance. Sara moved to him and put her arms around his neck, gazing into his eyes.

"Remember in Louisville when I told you I couldn't be happier?" she beamed.

"Yes, I remember," he replied.

"Well, I was wrong," she said. "I'm even happier now." Happy tears were now falling from her eyes as she tried to brush them aside.

"So much has happened over the last year," Tim said. "I didn't think I could ever be happy again, but there you were at Plaza and you bowled me over."

"That's so corny," she laughed.

"It's the truth. If you hadn't been crushing the pins, I might not have noticed."

"It's a good thing I was bowling good."

"That's for sure."

They were quiet for a few minutes, each content to look at each other.

"You know," she whispered, "I need to take a shower and sometimes I can't reach everything that needs washing. Want to help?"

Tim smiled broadly at the thought of showering with Sara, bringing back great memories to his mind. "How could I pass up an opportunity like that?" he asked as he followed his wife to the bathroom.