Accepting You

Chapter 63 - Meeting the Parents

"Babe, what do you think about marriage?" Lily asks.

Lizzie turns her head to face Lily, giving her a curious look while Lily continues to stare up at the ceiling. "Are you asking because you're planning something? If so, I can still pretend to be surprised."

Lily turns her head with a crooked smile. "No, I'm not planning anything."

Lizzie giggles.

"Yet."

Lizzie stopped giggling. "Are you being serious?"

"Of course I'm serious," Lily says, her smile fading. "I want to know what you think. You've been proposed to once so I'm not sure if you want to do it again. It's fine if you don't. I'm happy with how everything is now but I want a future together. I want to plan our life and what to expect next year or the year after that. Five years later, ten years later."

Lizzie props herself up onto her elbows, pulling the blanket over her chest so she's a little bit more covered. She didn't know where this is coming from. She's completely surprised by Lily even having these thoughts and how mature she's being. She's always known that Lily would be in her future but she's been living in the present, loving each day that passes, that it never occurred to her what came next because it's always Lily. The next day would always be with Lily.

"We've joked about it but it was early on. We should talk about it and consider it if we're serious," Lily continues.

"I'm serious," Lily says quickly. "About us, I mean."

"Good," Lily smiles. "I am too."

"So we'll get married," Lizzie says. "Soon."

"Not too soon," Lily warns. "I haven't even met your family yet. I need to get their stamp of approval and then I need your parent's blessing."

"You've met my sisters," Lizzie counters.

"But not your parents. Or your other siblings."

"Okay, but who says you're proposing?" Lizzie asks. "You'll only need my parents' blessing if you propose. What if I want to propose?"

"You asked me out and you asked me to be your girlfriend," Lily counters. "So I want to propose."

"Technically you asked me out."

"You made me ask you out."

Lizzie smiles, remembering that night at Chris' birthday in the garage. God, Lily was so frustrating back then and now she has Lily in her arms and she wouldn't have it any other way. She's glad she fought for her.

"So what?" Lizzie retorts. "It's not a rule that if I asked you to be my girlfriend that you have to ask me to be your wife."

"I'll say no," Lily says seriously. "If you propose to me, I'll say no."

Lizzie rolls her eyes, amused at her bluff. "Yeah, we'll see if you can resist when you see me on one knee."

"I'm serious," Lily says, quite seriously, her face stoic and her eyes unwavering. "I'll say no."

"You know, you've said you would say yes if I asked a few times," Lizzie reminds her. "Jokingly but it still counts."

"Yeah well I knew you wouldn't," Lily huffs.

"Mhm," Lizzie hums, completely not believing her but letting Lily believe her own lies as she reaches over to fiddle with Lily's leather bracelet. She still hasn't ever taken it off since Lizzie picked it out for her since the first time they went to the farmer's market.

Lily watches her fingers play with her bracelet. Then she takes her hand and holds up her hand to Lizzie's so that their palms touch against each other. Lily's hands are slightly bigger but she smiles at their hands, only outlines able to be seen in the dimmed bedroom.