Maybe Yes
"Tell me," Shaniqua demanded, staring at her boyfriend as he lie on the other side of the bed in the hotel, their weeks old daughter sleeping between them. "I was worried sick when you disappeared," Chris admitted. His dark brown eyes glittered in the dim light. "And with Justin to boot." It was rare for him to be this raw, this open about how he was feeling. She must have had him really worried. "I was in good hands," she said. "It's not like I could have gotten more pregnant even if we had sex." Chris snorted. "I'm just tired of where we are," she added, more serious again. "That's why you ran?" Shaniqua nodded, "Yeah." "With my best friend." "He's my friend too," she pointed out. "And Nick was on his honeymoon with AJ." Chris was silent for a long time. He went from lying on his side, head propped up, facing his girlfriend, to looking down at their third child to lying on his back, staring upwards. Shaniqua was almost certain he had fallen asleep when he spoke again. "I've been thinking," he said. He moved, taking one of the silver hoops out of his ear before propping himself up again. He offered his hand to her. She reached out and he dropped the earring in her palm. "What am I supposed to do with this?" "I didn't have time to get a real ring," Chris started. "But I think you need something." Shaniqua's eyes widened slightly, he couldn't be, could he? "Maybe we should just do it. Get married. What of it? Be Mrs. Kirkpatrick?" "Yes," she breathed. "Oh yes, I will." They leaned in, kissing until tiny cries reminded them that Christine was still there.














