Shanice and the Questionnaire

They took a shower together and went downstairs to watch a movie.

She pointed at the TV, "Why do they always do that?"

"Do what?"

"Run into the basement."

"If they acted with any sort of common sense there wouldn't be a movie."

She had trouble arguing the point.

They were content watching what they both felt was a stupid movie. While laying there she was thinking about how much he enjoyed shopping and how good he was at picking out women's clothing. She never met a straight guy who enjoyed both those things as much as he did.

"I'm going to ask you something. Please don't get mad at me."

"I won't."

She took a deep breath. "Do you cross dress?'

There she asked it.

"Why would you ask that?"

She said matter of fact, "I've never met a straight guy who enjoyed shopping as much as you do. Or was good at picking out women's clothes."

"If you do I won't leave you. I just wouldn't want you dressing up outside the house. We could pick out outfits together."

"I'm not a cross dresser."

Still having doubt, "So. When did you get so good at shopping?"

He sighed.

"The ladies in my family always went shopping. When I was little I had no choice to go. My brother hated it. Whenever he had a chance to skip it he did. I guess I liked being around the ladies of the family so I always went. When I became a teenager I ended up shopping with Sharon and her friends. After my brother died I ended up taking Lashay and the nieces shopping. As a teenager Sharon was the one got me my first job working at a clothing store in the mall."

This explained a lot of things.

"Did you ever hang out with your Dad?"

"He's the one who taught me how to fish, bowl, camp, hunt, and fix things. He was a mans man. He honestly didn't like the fact I hung out with Sharon and her friends all the time. I think he believed I'd turn out gay or something."

She felt this explained a great deal about Ryan.

"Old school?"

He quickly answered, "Oh yeah."

They watched the movie in silence for a while.

All at once he says, "Lets get married."

She: sat up, set the popcorn on the beat up coffee table (it was the reason it was in the basement), turned, and looked at him and said, "What?"

"Lets take tomorrow off and get married."

They stared at one another.

"There's a lot of planning we'd need to do. We can't just get married."

"Why not?"

"Because. A woman wants to get married in a church. She wants to wear a dress have family around. Wants flowers strung up in the church. Wants everyone to get together. It's a special day for a woman. Then there is the food the dancing. The honeymoon. No. We can't just get married."

"How about if we get legally married this week and then we plan out all of the fancy wedding things for a couple months from now."

She gave him a look.

She asked, "What will everyone say?"

"Who gives a rats ass what they say?"

This she completely agreed with.

She mentioned, "I don't like it when you swear."

He mentioned, "I won't swear."

"You've said this before."

"I promise."

"Okay."

He said, "I want you to be in my life every day. You know it'll work out."

"What happens if it doesn't?"

"Why wouldn't it?"

She had trouble arguing the point.

He said, "We'd need a few witnesses."

She immediately said, "I'd need to invite my Momma and sister."

"I'd invite Lashay and my nieces."

They were studying one another.

Ryan commented, "I'd ask Leroy to be my guy witness We wouldn't want more than this. We'll tell everyone we'll invite them to the wedding ceremony."

All at once she stood up, "No. This is to sudden. I can't just get married. We've only known one another for a few months. I have my business. You are struggling financially. What are people going to think? What will we do? I mean you'd have to move in. We'd have to have a rummage sale. We just moved you..."

What stopped her was when he kissed her.

She pulled away, "You have money for a wedding ring?"

"Yes I do."

"How can you afford that?"

"Since we started dating I've been saving up for one."

This touched her heart.

She went and grabbed the popcorn bowl and he followed her upstairs. She was making a mental list on what needed to get done.