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I looked over at Bonnie and laughed at her excitement. “Wow, do girls start planning this stuff in preschool or something?”
“Yes, some do,” Bonnie said.
“Ok, and what is your wedding plan?”
“Well, since you asked, I plan to get married in front of the high school that they used for the set of Sixteen Candles, my all-time favorite movie.”
“Wow, that’s weird,” I chuckled.
“You jerk, it’s not,” she said hitting me playfully. “Besides, it’s my fantasy. I can do whatever I want.”
“Well, good luck with that. Are you sure that school is even still around? I heard somewhere that a lot of those places were abandoned schools that they fixed up just for the movies. That was back in the mid-eighties. It wouldn’t surprise me if those buildings had been torn down to make room for parking lots or something silly.”
Bonnie’s mouth dropped open like I’d just kicked her puppy. “You goof! That is not cool. I’m gonna have to look that up now and make sure you are lying.”
“I’m not lying,” I said. “I saw it in an interview or something once.”
“I’m starting to regret helping you,” Bonnie said.
“I do appreciate the help though,” I reassured her. Putting my arm around her shoulder endearingly, I said “Really. Thanks.”
Bonnie smiled sweetly. “Anytime.”
I found myself wondering if Leia would have been at all jealous of my and Bonnie’s friendship–if you could call it that. We’d had a few flings with each other over the time that we’d been neighbors, but nothing ever went beyond that. I think we both just mutually agreed that it would be weird to be romantically linked with someone who lived in such close proximity. If something ever went bad, one of us would have to move to avoid constant resentment and awkwardness.
“So, how are you going to do it?” Bonnie asked.
Stirred from my thoughts I shot her a puzzled look. “Do what?”
“You know… propose? Surely, you have something worked out? Are you going to do the get down on one knee thing just at dinner or something? Are you going to keep the proposal private with just the two of you around? Or are you going to do something ultra-romantic and think of some perfect setup?”
“Wow, there is so much more to this than I ever thought. Thank God I have a great friend like you to point all of this out.”
Bonnie rolled her eyes, picking up my sarcasm. “Ok, smarty pants. But seriously, what are you going to do?”
“I’ve got a few things mulling around. I was thinking I’d start with a romantic dinner and then take her on a moonlit stroll along Pacific Beach. She loves it out there. She even has her own little quiet spot picked out where she goes to think sometimes.”
Bonnie nodded. “Yeah, that’s good. What else?”
“I was thinking about proposing to her in the middle of a busy restaurant. I’ve seen that a few times in movies and such. It always seems like a classy move.”
“No,” Bonnie said. “That is a very uncomfortable move and it would make me feel pressured to say yes if that happened to me. No woman wants that. I think the walk along the beach sounds pretty perfect.”
“Ok, I will most likely do that then,” I said.
“You paid a good price for that ring by the way, in case you are wondering.”
I looked at the box in the bag and back at her. “I just can’t understand how anyone can pay that much money for something so small. And all it does is sit on your finger and look pretty.”
“Well, that is the point I believe. You know the rule that you are supposed to spend three month’s salary on the engagement ring.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I wonder who came up with that rule—women or the jewelry companies?”
“Probably jewelry companies run by women.”
My stomach was gnawing at me so we decided to grab a quick burger in the food court.
“How can you eat that? I thought professional athletes were supposed to be all into eating clean and staying at the top of their game?” Bonnie asked as I shoved a huge, double patty burger, dripping with cheese and grease into my mouth. It was delicious.
“Well, there are different types of athletes. I basically sit for most of my competition. Besides, I guess you haven’t heard, I am actually retiring from the sports world.”
Bonnie gasped. “No way! You are so good. Why?”
I told her about my back injury and that it was time for me to start doing something else.
“Wow, that is too bad. I’m sorry.”
“Thanks, but it’s ok. I’ll be fine. I’m sure I’ll find something else lucrative.”
“Well, maybe your new wife can get you a job. Doesn’t she own some kind of company?”
I smiled. Yes, she did. Bonnie had no idea how big of a company though.
