Claire was sitting there in shock. No one had ever asked her this question before. She didn't know what to do.
"Claire? Jack said. "Claire?"
"What?"
"Will you marry me?"
"Jack, I don't know what to say."
"Say yes."
"You caught me off guard."
"I know." "I'll make you happy Claire I promise." "We could add to the family if you wanted." "I'd love to have more kids." "If you wanted you could stay home and raise our kids." "I'll take care of you."
"Maybe."
"Maybe?"
"Maybe I'll marry you." "I wanna think about it."
"Ok." "I don't want you to feel rushed but I'm leaving Friday night."
"I just need a few days."
"I understand."
"You're not mad are you?"
"No take your time."
"Thank you for being so understanding."
"Claire, I love you." "I'd never want you to feel pressured."
"I know, I love you to."
"I'm gonna go and give you some time to yourself."
"Ok." They kissed. "See you tomorrow."
"Ok bye."
"Bye."
Claire sat there for an hour then decided to call Maria.
"Hello?" Maria said.
"Maria I don't know what to do." Claire said.
"What's wrong?"
"Jack's being transferred to San Diego."
"When?"
"Next week." "He wants me and Desi to come with him."
"He does?"
"He proposed to me."
"He what?"
"He asked me to marry him."
"That's what I thought you said." "What did you tell him?"
"I said I'd think about it."
"Do you wanna marry him?"
"I don't know." "This is all happening so fast."
"Do you love him?"
"Yes."
"Then what's the problem?"
"I have Desi to think about." "I moved here so she could be closer to John." "Moving farther away would only cause problems."
"He could always take a plane to see her."
"I know but it's not just that." "I love my house and my job." "If I move that's all gone." "If I don't move I lose Jack." "I love him."
"I know."
"I'm confused." "I haven't been this confused since I found out I was pregnant."
"Just take some time to think things over."
"I'm going to."
"This is a big decision."
"Yeah." "It's times like this I wish you still lived twenty minutes away."
"I miss it to."
"I wish I could tell Jack not to go."
"I know."
"This is such a hard decision to make nobody wins, no matter what I do." "If I say no to Jack he'll be crushed." "If I say yes to Jack John will be crushed because I'm taking Desi further away from him."
"When you make the decision just make sure you do it because it's what you wanna do."
"I will." "I never thought someone asking me to marry them would be one of the hardest decisions of my life."
"My answer was easy." "I was seventeen and pregnant." "Except MTV didn't ask me to be on a stupid reality show that glamorizes teen pregnancy."
"Speaking of your pregnancy, how are you doing?"
"Good we find out what it is next month."
"What do you guys want this time?"
"We're hoping for a boy but either one will be fine with us."
"What does Amy think?"
"She's excited about being a big sister."
"Good." "Well I'm gonna try and get some sleep."
"Ok bye."
"Bye."
The next day after Claire got home from work the phone rang.
"Hello?" She said.
"Hi." John said.
"Hi." "Desiree's taking a nap."
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah I just have a lot on my mind."
"Wanna talk about it?"
"You don't wanna hear it." "It's about me and Jack."
"I don't mind."
"At the end of this week Jack's being transferred to San Diego." "He asked me to marry him."
"So you'd be living in San Diego with him with Desiree?"
"Yes."
"Please don't take her from me."
"I haven't said yes yet." "I'm thinking about it."
"I love having her in Boston, I take her to see my parents." "If you move they'll never see her."
"I know." "I have to go John."
The next evening after work Claire left Desiree with the babysitter and went over to Jack's. She knocked on the door. He answered.
"Claire I wasn't expecting you." He said.
"Can I come in?"
"Sure." She went in. They sat down.
"I've made my decision." "I can't, I can't marry you I'm sorry."
"Why?"
"It has nothing to do with you." "I love you Jack but I don't wanna move." "If I move I'm out of a job." "If I move it means taking my daughter away from her father." "I can't do that to them."
"So I guess it's over?"
"Yeah I hope you can forgive me someday."
"I'm not mad, one of the things I love about you is how much you love Desiree." "Even though it hurts I understand why you said no."
"So."
"So."
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye." Claire kissed him on the cheek and left.