Condensed, Evaporated, and Whole

Changes

„Hey!", he said, beaming, as he saw her standing outside on the patio, her silhouette barely offset against the night sky, the cicadas chirping in the distance, „There you are! You alright?"

„Oh yeah, I'm fine! I just... had to get some fresh air. It's scolding hot in there."

„That it is! And the party hasn't even properly started yet."

„The party no, but it's all the chafing dishes from the buffet, haven't you seen?"

He sighed. „You promised me you weren't going to comment on the food." He cocked his head, then wrapping his arms around her before giving her a gentle poke on the nose with his.

Her lips, meanwhile, turned into a pout. „I know, I know... It's just, I don't understand why Lorna declined my offer to take care of the catering tonight? It would have been my gift!"

„You don't under...? Well, what do you think? Because I asked her to!"

„What?"

„Lisa, this is her wedding, and we are her guests! You're supposed to relax and enjoy yourself, and I want to be able to relax and enjoy myself with my girlfriend if you don't mind, so no, I don't want you running around back and forth from the kitchen all night long, managing the catering, not even if the food tonight should taste like cardboard, which – I'm sure – it won't! Besides, it's from one of Cisco's favorite restaurants."

„It is? No wonder. That man has no taste... except for some reason in women, of course! Don't worry!"

„Thank you!"

„I can't believe they're married now? Fully, properly married? I mean... first you, and then Cisco? So much for not having a type..."

He stepped out to stand next to her, both of them leaning forward, propped on the parapet, their gazes getting lost somewhere in the distance between the stars in the night sky.

„Oh, I know. Trust me", he said, „neither can I, and I've known them for much longer than you. Part of me still thinks they will come out to reveal any moment now that it's been a prank all along. It was beautiful today though, wasn't it?"

„Oh my God, it absolutely was! It may not have been the most ostentatious wedding I've ever been to, but it was genuine, it was warm, it was heartfelt, with a lot of love and laughter... it was perfect! And the bride looked absolutely stunning!"

He nodded, already lost in thought, mumbling: „That it was..."

After a few moments of silence, each of them reminiscing the beautiful day they'd shared with their friends who had finally managed to arrange the perfect wedding that they had been dreaming of for so long, suddenly, she heard his voice, and barely more than a whisper: „Marry me, Lisa!"

Her head shot around as she gasped, looking at him. „I beg your pardon?"

„We should have this too...", he made an encompassing gesture, „we should be together like this. Declare our love in front of the world. Celebrate it with all our friends and family. Promise to each other to be there for each other, forever." 

„Mickey... are you serious?"

„Why not?"

„Why not?! I've been married before, which didn't exactly end all that well, you've been married twice... you really think it'll work out this time around?"

„I do, actually... I mean, what do they say? Three times's the charm", he smirked, but she just cocked her head.

„Mickey...", one word, enough to let him know that this wasn't something to joke about. Then she sighed. „I can't believe Lorna was right..."