1.08: If You Like It...

Life's been good.

Actually, scratch that.

Life's been fantastic.

Life with a newborn's been surprising easy, and I've totally got this parenting thing down to, like, a science.

...okay, maybe not quite yet. But to be fair, science was my worst subject back when I was in school.

And babies are a lot like Irishmen, as my Grandpa Ed used to say: give 'em a bottle and you'll solve all their problems. Granted, he was Irish, which was why it was fine for him to say that, but maybe he was onto something.

As for my relationship with Joaquin, well, it's going as well as you'd expect - we're totally comfortable around one another, but then again that might have to do with the fact the only sink in the house is in the only bedroom of the house...

But I'll give him this much - he's taking everything in stride and with a smile. Even if he is a weirdo that eats peas for breakfast.

Though admittedly I still do most of the cooking around the home, given the fact J's been known to burn water. And I'm no Ramsay Gordons myself, so I can't say I blame J for not always eating what I make.

As for work, that's been a mess, but at least I'm getting paid to do it.

But that day, I came home to see J cooking.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for work?"

"Actually, I quit," he said without looking up from the bowl.

"Come again?"

"So here's how I came to the conclusion - I was out digging for rocks this morning and I realized two things: first, the rocks pay more than the lounge does, and second, I was thinking my boss's name the entire time I was hammering into the rock chisel...and that doing so was making me pound harder."

"Then after I got done, I called in and quit. Think of it this way - it'll save money on a babysitter, and someone will be around to tend the garden. Plus, when Artie gets a bit older, I can take him out with me while I go collecting."

"I wasn't sure I'd made the right choice until I looked into Artie's eyes before his afternoon feeding - and then I knew for sure I had."

"Wow." Just then, the doorbell rang. Jesminder, probably - she'd been over quite a bit since Artie was born, offering parenting tips and helping watch him for brief bits so J and I could shower and eat.

"He's in his bassinet. Don't know if he's sleeping or not."

"Thanks." She closed the door to his room behind him without another word.

"Wanna go stargaze?" J asked.

"Sure." We set out and settled down on the grass behind the house.

A bit of silence - so of course, one of us eventually broke it.

"Shooting star." J said, pointing at a spot in the sky.

"Ooh, and that one's like, super bright." I pointed at a spot a bit over. "That's Orion's belt, right?"

"Not quite. But it's pretty close."

"Remember how our first real hangout one-on-one was stargazing?"

J grinned. "Sure do. And look at us now."

We both got up eventually.

"Actually," J said, "I might've had a - what's the word, mierda - you know, other idea behind something?"

"Ulterior motive?"

"Yeah, that - for coming out here tonight."

"Alone time?"

"Of a sort."

He brought me closer and touched my cheek. I don't know why he was buttering me up, but I was not about to complain.

And then he got down on one knee.

Holy shit.

"So we might've done things a tad out of order. But that's okay, because I couldn't really imagine my life any other way. And I know it's cheesy as all hell, but Brittany, I've never met another girl that makes me feel the way I do about you. You're the mother of my son, a kickass PR girl, someone who can always make me smile, and honestly, one of the things that gets me up and going in the morning. And I'm rambling, but fuck it, I hope you don't mind..."

"...marry me?"

"Yes."

***

...so I'm not dead after all. Plot twist, right?

College is an expensive time-suck, kids. Don't fall for it. But hey, I survived, and I'm here now, and that's what matters.

Next stop: All aboard the wedding express.