#ILoveYou #YouLoveHer

#FinishLine

Nathaniel

"Is it?" I asked, even though I don't doubt that Tia is the one for me too. And I do see myself spending the rest of my life with her. But does it have to involve a marriage with wedding bells and nosy relatives who question all your life decisions.

My parents have remained married, mostly because divorce isn't legal, but they don't seem to love each other. Most of the time, they act like strangers who are forced to live in the same house.

"Do you not want to marry me?" she asked doubtfully, her eyes wide and glossy.

"Not in the near future," I replied after a long pause.

"Why not?"

"I don't think I'm ready yet," I answered, before realizing what a terrible answer that was.

"How so?" she asked. "You have a condo, a car, a stable income..." she listed.

"Is that part of your checklist?" I interrupted her.

She thought of my question for a while.

"Finances have never been an issue," I clarified.

"So you're not emotionally ready?" she asked, putting stress on the word 'emotionally'.

"Let's just say that my family has certain expectations," I answered bluntly. Future In-Law Requirements List as Mich put it.

It sunk in, and Tia asked tentatively, "So I don't check off your list?"

"It's not really a list. And it's not my list," I clarified.

"What's on the list?"

I couldn't answer question. So I said instead, "There are other things on your list too, aren't there? Items that I don't check off."

She, taken aback, asked, "What?"

"I'm Catholic," I pointed out the first thing on her father's checklist, after the Bible Quiz thing, of course. "And that's something I don't plan on changing."

She thought about it for a long moment, without taking her intense eyes off me.

She was about to say something, her mouth opened, before it closed again and then promptly replaced with a big smile.

"Forget what I just said," she exclaimed. "I'm okay with Happy for Now," she added forcefully.

I reached over and held her hand in mine. It breaks my heart to tell her, but Mich is right, she has to know sooner or later.

"My family thinks that I'm dating Mich," I admitted.

Tia snatched her hand from mine as if scalded. This is not what she expected at all.

"Why... why would they think that?" her eyes are now flashing.

I can't lie to Tia, so I answered her honestly, "I brought her to a family event and introduced her as my girlfriend." I didn't give Tia a chance to interrupt, and continued, "Because my family has certain expectations about the girls I date and Mich matches the criteria."

Tia took a deep breath, considering her next move, and we sat in silence for minutes that seem like hours.

Then she took out her phone and started typing in it.

"Thank you for lunch and the road trip," she said. She then took out the key card from her bag and placed it one the table. "I don't think I'd be needing this." And then she got up and walked out.

I paid the bill quickly and rushed out after her. She was standing in the parking lot and checking her phone.

"Tia," I started as I approached her. "Let me at least drive you home."

"I called an uber. It'll be here in 10 minutes," she replied.

"Tia," I started again.

"Don't talk to me," she said through gritted teeth.

This isn't the finish line Tia expected when she broached the subject of marriage. This is the other finish line.

The break up.