Story One: Jacqueline's Decision
Is That Your Final Answer?
"Calm down, Jackie," Molly said. She was sitting on a bench in her friend's locker room that she shared with her boyfriend.
Jacqueline paced back and forth across the locker room. Everyone always thought of her as a tough woman, but only two people knew she was a big softy under the toughness: her best friend, Molly Holly, and Al Snow.
"I can't calm down. It came out of nowhere," Jacqueline said. She finally stopped pacing and sat down on the bench next to Molly.
"It didn't come out of nowhere," she said. "He loves you, Jackie." Molly smiled slightly and set her head on Jacqueline's shoulder.
She put her head in her hands. "I know... I know..."
"Have you given him an answer?" she asked as she lifted her head from the fellow diva's shoulder.
"Yes, no, yes, I think so, I don't know," she mumbled. She picked at the lint on her black stretch pants intensely.
Molly rubbed her back to comfort her. "Have you given him all of those as your answer?"
Jacqueline nodded her head yes. She was so confused; she didn't know what to do.
"Oh, Jackie," she said sadly, "its okay to feel confused about this. I was." Molly shook her head as she thought of the way her husband had proposed to her.
"I know; I just feel so bad that I had changed my answer so many times. If I loved Al, I should be able to give him a straight answer, right?" Jacqueline asked. She needed... no wanted... reassurance that she wasn't crazy.
"It's different for everyone," Molly told her. "What do you feel in your heart?"
Jacqueline smiled as she reminisced about all the fun times she had with Al. "I love him; he has always been there for me..."
She smiled. "You know the answer."
"Well, I'm glad she does," Al said walking into the locker room and joining them.
Jacqueline and Molly both smiled.
"You're not the only one," Molly said.
Al laughed. "I would wait forever, if I have to."
Jacqueline smiled embarrassingly and tucked a piece of her light, brown hair behind her ear. "I'm lucky that you would." She stared at him intensely. The two looked into each other eyes, blinking occasionally, but not looking away.
"Hello?" Molly said as she waved her hands in front of their eyes trying to break the stare they had.
"Sorry, Molly," Al said breaking first. "I just heard the news, congratulations."
She smiled. "Thank you. We've been married for almost eight years... so you know."
"Maybe, Jackie and I will at that point... soon?" he said looking at Jacqueline.
"I don't know, maybe," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders.
Molly looked at her two friends and sighed. "Okay, I'm gone. You guys have things to discuss. I have to go see my husband."
Jacqueline stood and hugged her best friend. "Congratulations, Mol."
She giggled. "Thank you and I better be saying the same to you tomorrow," she whispered. Molly gave Al a hug and left the locker room.
"So, it's just me and you," he said. He nervously stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
Jacqueline stood from the bench and shifted back and forth on her heels. "Yep, me and you," she agreed.
They were both silent for a couple of minutes.
"Molly looks good, doesn't she?" Jackie asked.
Al nodded as walked to stand in front of her. "Baby, not to be rude... but I don't want to talk about Molly. I want to talk about us."
"I know," she whispered.
"I just want to say that I love you and whatever you decide, that will never change," he said.
"I know," Jacqueline repeated.
"And that all I want is for you to be happy and if you're happy just the way we are; then I am too," Al said. "I'm happy as long as you're with me."
Jacqueline nodded her head. "Okay."
"Just know that I want this for us, I—"
"Yes!" she shouted. A grin crossed her face and she jumped up and down impatiently.
"...want to be your— what?" Al said. He smoothed his long black hair. Something he tends to do when he was nervous.
She stopped jumping and stood directly in front of him. "I said yes," Jacqueline said.
He raised his eyebrow out of disbelief. "Is that your final answer?"
She nodded. "Yes, no doubts this time. I want to be your wife... I want to marry you."
Al scooped Jacqueline up into his arms and hugged her tight. "I love you."
She looked into his eyes and smiled. "I love you too."
He leaned down and his lips met her. Their tongues tangled until they couldn't breathe anymore. He pulled away and ran his fingers through her hair. "I will be proud to be your husband," Al said as his lips joined hers once again.