No Strings

Chapter 52--The End of Blind Dates

"What?"

"I want to buy this house. It's in the outside of Boston."

"Do you need to borrow money?"

"Yes and no. I need someone to sign with me. My credit is rated excellent, but I don't have that kind of money to pay for the mortgage."

He held up his glass. I noticed it was a collins. I was a bit surprised. He stirred his drink with the thin, black straw.

"I wanted to ask you something though..."

"Yes?" I felt apprehensive. I didn't know what he was up to.

"Were you serious six months ago about the marriage thingy."

"Are you..."

"Yes. I want that house, and I don't want it to be bought up. It needs a little fixing up, but I need someone to watch over it while I'm not there..."

I bit my lower lip. "So this is a proposal?"

He nodded. "We can make a contract if you want. I don't have romantic feelings towards you or anything like that... but it'll be easier to get the house if we have combined assets."

"Let me see the house since I'll be living in it."

He was ready. He took out the pictures of the house. There were nice steep gables, several bays and the inside had lots and lots of light in it. It wasn't that big for a Victorian house, but it was cute.

"The only problem is that the pantry, family room and dining room doors are kind of stuck..." he started.

"Kind of or are?" I asked.

"They are stuck. It might take a while before we have the budget to fix it, but there is enough room for a kitchen table, and though the living room is small, it should fit my piano and your books."

"But why?" I asked. I found this sudden.

"It's so much hassle going in and out of relationships. I'm always busy with work, but I'd like someone to be there when I get home. I won't mind spending the rest of my life with you. In addition, you won't interfere with me at all. We know each other well, don't we?"

I nodded. "Ok, I'll help you buy the house."

There was a place where I could put my animals. He'd labeled it the zoo on the picture.

"Worse comes to worse, we'll split up."

I nodded again. "I'll give you the house then... and we can keep the assets separate."

He nodded and we discussed it. I couldn't believe I was doing this. But everything I proposed down to the finances and possible break up was planned. Buy the house first, then after my thirtieth birthday if we hadn't found anyone we would marry. He had some paper on him and we scribbled out the terms.

"Should we get wedding rings too?" I asked

"Shouldn't matter, should it?"

"Let's get two since we won't be seeing other people while we're married."

He nodded again. He wrote it down.

"Since your birthday is next month, I'll get the marriage certificate then. Speaking of which, what do you want for your birthday?"

I smiled and said, "May I have another pet?"

He laughed. "Sure. Tell me what you want, and I'll get it."

"A tarantula. A rose tarantula."

"Sure. OK."

"Yay!" I said. He laughed.

We toasted to our possible marriage.

#

William and I were walking near the ocean where they hocked the fake rolexes. I spotted one vendor with a bunch of rings in his black suitcase. Two of them almost matched each other.

"Twenty dollars, sir and mam. Get them. Gold. I guarantee it. You won't find these in the jewelry district so cheap."

I looked at William. He shrugged. I held up the two rings. They were gold-plated and not real gold, but I thought they had a nice printed design on them. It was a twisted ring. There was one of a larger size.

I paid for mine and William paid for his.

"Not a big loss if we find someone else..." I said.

"It was only twenty dollars. It'll be more for the marriage certificate."

"When you get it, tell me how much it costs, I'll pay my half."

I admired the ring. It was eerie how well they fit on our fingers. I put the ring back into the make shift paper bag. William did the same and we headed back for our offices.