They first met in kindergarten. It was a rainy day. She was sitting under the shelter, cross-legged on the floor. He was standing outside, holding an umbrella in one hand, his school bag on the other. The class teacher made him take off his shoes and join the class. She could remember that day clearly. She had felt like a part of her soul was set free.
She was only five then, but she already knew she was in love with him. She loved him then and she loved him now.
They grew up together, through elementary, middle and high school. Then, they both left for colleges in different states. They were both going to study Life Sciences. She planned to be a doctor; he aimed to be a veterinarian.
They took turns calling each other daily, asking about their classes, how they were doing, who they were dating.
After graduation, they both went to their respective state universities for their Masters in Life Sciences. This time she completed a few months before him, but she was still in Arizona. He travelled all the way to Minnesota where she had gone to work in a hospital.
Her workplace had a lot of participants from a nearby reservation. It was summer, she was on 4-hour night shifts and she was feeling restless and bored. One day, she decided to leave her phone in her locker and head out to get some fresh air. She walked to a grassy field nearby. She sat there for a bit and then she heard a voice behind her.
"It's pretty, isn't it?"
She turned around to see him sitting there, with a smile on his face.
"Don't start doing that, you'll make me miss you even when you're right in front of me."
She sat next to him with a smile.
"So when are you going back home?" he asked, after a moment of silence.
"November," she responded.
"To get married?" he asked, teasingly.
"Yes, to continue my life as a nun," she responded with a smirk.
He chuckled and shook his head.
"You know I don't believe in marriage. It's no different from slavery."
"What do you mean, it's no different from slavery?"
"I mean, you're basically giving away your freedom. If you have an argument with your husband, the standard procedure is for the man to take the woman's car keys, throw them at her and tell her to stay at home. Then he goes out and drinks with the boys—and girls—and comes back home when he's good and ready."
"Must you always be such a feminist?"
"Because I'm a feminist," he replied firmly.
She smiled. "I'm just kidding, I don't think marriage as slavery. I don't get how you do, though. Living alone, with a bunch of cats."
"People are social animals. Even I need friends and family, but you are not obligated to be with any one person, you can still have a family. It's just not as permanent as marriage."
She smiled.
"Come on now, be honest with me, are you going to your wedding or am I finally going to get married?"
"Yes and no. I mean, yes and no to all that, sort of."
"Have you met someone?"
"Yes. He's a very nice guy, really," she replied.
"You like him?"
"I respect him a lot."
"You respect him a lot? Are you sure you want to get married? You sound like an arranged marriage."
"Sometimes arranged marriages are the best marriages."
"That's a good point. So, when is the wedding?"
"We haven't decided on a date yet."
"He wants kids, doesn't he?"
"Yes."
"What about you? Do you want kids?"
The question took her by surprise. She hadn't really thought about it. She had never specifically wanted kids, but he was bringing up such pertinent maternal instincts and her mind was searching for an answer.
"I have always wanted a child, but kids don't usually love their moms. You know how it is, mom's always get treated second to the father."
He smiled. "And now, guess what, the father is becoming old. It's only natural to worry about what will happen to him."
"I know."
"What will you do as a doctor?"
"He wants to move out of state, I guess I can join him there. I'll work for a clinic or a hospital or something."
"Probably a very rich hospital."
She smiled. "Definitely a very rich hospital."
"What are you smiling at?"
"Just the thought of you worrying about me."
He smiled. "I missed you."
"Me too."
They stayed sitting for a few seconds, staring at the grassy field, then he slowly leaned in and kissed her on the forehead.
"You know that you've been in love with me since you were five, right?" he asked, pulling away.
"What?"
"You're in love with me," he said.
She couldn't stop her cheeks from turning a bright shade of red. "Of course I'm not," she said.
"Why don't you tell the ants?"
She thought about what he said for a moment and just smiled.
"You've always been there for me," she said.
"Thank you."
"I'm always here for you too, you know."
"Thanks. Won't it be hard? Getting married to someone else?"
"Not really."
"And that's the truth? It's not hard for you?"
She just smiled.
"I need to go," she said after a while. "Thank you, for the talk."
"No, thank you. You've taught me a lot about myself."
"Everything else you know about yourself already."
He smiled and nodded. She left him and went back to work. She didn't see him again that summer.
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