The Engagement

6. For Better or Worse

A guy wearing a suit jacket over a band tee shows us to our table. It's a comically small round table with four chairs set around it. I sit across from Charles. Arnold is on my left and Davina is on my right. The tiny table forces my legs to bump into Charles's. I have no choice but to play footsie with him.

Something is poking me in the left side. I instinctively swat at it, hitting something hard and getting an ouch in response. Looking over I see that it's Arnold's knee poking me in the side. As I take in the sight of this giant man, I barely manage to suppress a laugh.

"This place wasn't made for me." Arnold says. He tries to shift so that his leg isn't touching me. In trying to move, he puts both of his legs under the table and lifts the table off the ground by accident. We all manage to grab our glasses of water before they get knocked over. Charles grabs his glass and Arnold's. His reflexes are impressive.

"Sorry Babe. I've never needed to think about the height of tables when picking a restaurant before." Davina says. A waiter rushes over to help Arnold get the table off of his legs.

"It's ok. I'm sure it won't be a problem often." Arnold says.

"At some point we will have to decide if our nuptial home will everything high up with me needing a step stool in every room or will everything be low down with you having to get on your knees." Davina jokes.

"I'd get on my knees for you any day." Arnold says. And he proceeds to do so. He pushes the chair out from under him and walks on his knees until his chest is flush with th table.

"Oh my God. I want to be you two when I grow up." I say.

"That won't work for us. We are two close in height. We will have to settle for a house with countertops of average height that we can both reach. And both of us will have to sit in chairs." Charles says. He holds his hand out across the table for me to grab it. I squeeze his hand as I smile brightly. He's right. Our relationship isn't like there's. We don't get on our knees for each other. In our relationship it's enough to sit across from each other and not want to fight.

It's a blessing, today and the meeting of the families. I don't know by what Grace it was that I am able to keep my temper now, but I'm grateful.

Arnold stays on his knees for the rest of dinner. Our table gets looks from the rest of the diners in the restaurant. They aren't judging us. If anything it seems like they're jealous of how comfortable Arnold looks.

The waiter comes by and asks us if we want dessert. I decline. This evening has been great but I don't want to push it. What if the sight of a salted caramel lava cake makes me want to smash Charles's face into it. Everyone else follows my lead and refuses as well.

Davina demands that the waiter only bring one check. When he brings it both Charles and Davina reach for it. They stare intensely at each other as they pull the bill back and forth. Davina has this look in her eye that says she never loses in the courtroom and she won't lose now. Charles has a look in his eye that says he might have lost to her many times before but he won't lose tonight.

"Hey two fitness instructors got paired with two lawyers. Maybe our jobs are built into our DNA too." Arnold says, trying to lighten the mood. The two lawyers ignore him. They continue to fight for the check. Arnold looks to me for help.

"You know I did get paid today..." I say as I slowly reach for the check. I can confidently say that Charles and Davina look nothing alike. Their facial features are distinctly different. Yet, the looks they are both giving me right now are identical. The looks say 'we can't be held responsible for our actions if you dare to touch this rectangular piece of paper'. So I withdraw my hand.