I Only Know How To Love

25: Alex

I had gotten home early, because I wanted to talk to James about marrying Cashmere. I can't see myself without her. Looking at the ring in the box, I knew that it would fit on Cashmere perfectly. I just needed James' permission. It was a princess cut 14k yellow gold diamond engagement ring. I can't believe this was my grandmother's engagement ring. If she were around, she would've wanted to see Cashmere wearing it. Sitting on Cashmere's bed, I hear the door open. It was Cashmere coming home from school. "How was your day?" I ask her as she entered the bedroom, hiding the box in my pocket. "It was alright," she tells me. Probably had a good day for once. "That's good to hear," I tell her. "Yeah," she told under her breath. "Is your dad coming in later?" I ask her. "He's working from home today," she tells me. Timing couldn't be more perfect. "Oh. I have something I need to talk to him about," I tell her, trying not to make it seem to obvious I'm going to be asking for his permission to marry her, even though I am going to be doing that. "He's in the basement watching TV," she tells me. It's weird of how she could tell that he would be doing that when she literally just got in. She probably knows him well enough to know that. "Thanks. And I just want to keep the conversation private," I tell her. "Is there something you're not telling me?" She asked rather curiously. "It'll be a surprise," I tell her before heading down. That was all I was telling her. I headed downstairs to see James watching the hockey game on the TV. Cashmere really knows him well enough to claim that he would be watching a game on the TV. "Hi Mr. Oberon," I tell him once I'm down there. "Hi Alex," he exclaims. "There's something I want to talk to you about," I started. "Well come sit then," he tells me as I sit beside him. "Mr. Oberon I love your daughter so much. And I'm not doing this just because of the baby. I'm doing this because I can't see my life without her," I added on. "You're acting a lot like you're asking for permission to marry her. She's still young," he tells me. That wouldn't stop me from marrying her. "I know. It's just that I can't see my life without her. If I lose her I'll be devastated, and I don't want that," I tell him. "You're young. A little too young," he tells me. I guess this tactic wasn't working; I have to bring out the big guns.

"Haven't you ever wished you could go back to the first time you met Cashmere's mom and fix the one thing that you hadn't done?" I ask him, hoping that this will help him see where I'm coming from. "Well, there is one thing I wish that I could do. It's to ask her out when I first met her. I never did, and she went off with someone else," he tells me. "When she left you for someone else, did it break your heart?" I ask him. "Yeah it did," he tells me, thinking about it really carefully. "Ever wish you could have kept her for yourself?" I ask him. "Yeah," he tells me after realizing it. "Now you understand me," I tell him. "You're right. I give you my permission to marry her," he finally tells me. I wanted to scream out in excitement, but Cashmere would hear me, and I don't want that. "Thank you. That's all I wanted," I told him rather excitedly. "Oh and one other thing," he started. "What is it?" I ask him knowing that nothing could get better. "Call me James," he tells me. "Thank you, James. I don't think I'll ever get used to that," I tell him. I know his first name, but I just never really thought of calling him by his first name at all. "I'll grow on you," he tells me, sitting back in his chair. "I better go. The trial is happening today and Cashmere and I don't want to be late," I tell him before heading up and getting Cashmere. We headed to the courtroom.