Cory clumsily shoved a handful of potato chips into his mouth as he scanned the refridgerator for yet another snack. While his appetite was clearly top priority, Cory listened intently to his friend's problems.
"I wouldn't blame her," Shawn continued, thoughtfully drumming his fingertips on the Matthews's kitchen counter. "I can't believe I was so insecure."
Cory squinted his eyes, carefully thinking about how he should console Shawn. While he wasn't Shawn's most reasonable friend, he was his closest, and Cory's advice always came from the right place.
"It's simple, Shawnie," Cory articulated through a mouthful of chips. "You love her, and love can make you do and say some crazy things."
Shawn just nodded. He'd come straight to the Matthews's apartment after waking up, desperate for some heartfelt advice on his situation.
"If Angela feels the same way about you, and I know she does, then she has to understand that," Cory continued.
"She was wonderful," Shawn said, remembering how caring and patient Angela had been the night before. "I'm the one with the problem. I just don't want to mess this up."
Cory nodded, inhaling a forkful of the chocolate cake he'd just unearthed. Right about then, his inquisitive sense kicked in. As if struck by lightning, Cory suddenly ceased his chewing and put the cake down, ready to tackle the thought that had just popped into his mind.
"Wait a sec, let me get this straight, cause something is just occurring to me here." A devilish grin spread across Cory's face. "Why are you so intent on keeping this perfect? Why are you so paranoid about this whole `level of commitment' stuff? The Shawnie I know would just shrug it all off. Come on Shawn, spill."
Shawn attempted to suppress his feelings, but a small smile was evident in the corners of his mouth. "Cory, you know me too well," he said, shaking his head in astonishment. Shifting to a very matter-of-fact tone, Shawn began to share the reason behind his troubles.
"Okay, Cor, this has been hard enough for me to admit to myself, but I've realized something recently." He hesitated for a moment and breathed deeply before going on. "Angela is the love of my life, Cor, no question. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I -- I want her to marry me."
Cory laughed at the confirmation of what he had known all along. He had always considered himself fortunate to have found his true love so early on in life and wanted only the same for Shawn. "Well what's stopping you, you crazy kid?" Cory asked optimistically.
"Angela and I have had some rocky times in the past, because both of us were unsure. We're both young, and what if she isn't ready to tie herself down to a life of hard work, to one way of living, to -- to me?" Shawn asked, desperation echoing in his voice.
"So that's why Charles the charmer made you so uncomfortable?"
Shawn nodded.
"Think about this, Shawnie. You have the next month to find out if marriage really is the next logical step in your relationship. From there you can decide if living together will just be a happy memory or a situation that you can't live without."
Cory was making sense. If after one month, he and Angela weren't ready to go on living their lives apart, the answer would be obvious to them both. At that point, only one question remained in Shawn's mind.
"How do I show her that I'm genuinely sorry for the way I acted last night?"
Cory was, without a doubt, the right man to answer this particular inquiry. Though only married for a year and a half, he and Topanga had been a couple for most of their lives. Inevitably, there had been more than a few occasions where some form of apology was necessary.
"You do something absolutely wonderful for her. Roses and cards aren't enough these days. Let her know that she is the greatest thing in your life, and she won't have to wonder if you're truly sorry," Cory said sincerely.
Shawn bit his bottom lip, thinking of a way to show Angela how he felt without being cliched or too understated.
"You know, Shawnie, if you need to get her out of the apartment for a while, I could help," Cory said, sensing his friend's confusion. "Topanga can call her up; they'll go shoe-shopping. Trust me, you'll have hours to prepare."
Shawn grinned at his friend's suggestion. "Sounds like a good plan," he said. "Our entire future together could depend on how things go after tonight. I already feel okay about this."
The two men looked up at each other to see genuine hope looming in the air. Best friends since childhood, it was this kind of brotherly support that guaranteed that each would do his best for the other in any situation, no matter how trying.
*****************************************************************************************************
"These will be perfect with the new dress I found on the sale rack at Bloomingdale's last week," Topanga squealed, admiring a pair of baby blue platforms. "What do you think?"
Angela responded with a half-hearted smile and nod. Ordinarily, she would have been digging through the racks enthusiastically with her friend, but this was the 14th pair of shoes that Topanga had found in that store alone, and there were other issues weighing on her mind.
Still smiling over her most recent fashion find, Topanga looked up to see traces of worry written all across her shopping companion's face. "Oh, Angela," she said sympathetically. "Are you gonna be okay?"
Angela nodded uncertainly as the two exited the store and began strolling down the sidewalk. "Well, I have been much worse," she said frankly. "I just can't stop wondering why Shawn got so upset about that waiter."
Topanga reached up to touch her friend's shoulder, trying to hide her all-knowing grin. Cory had divulged the details of Shawn's fears to her earlier, and she was doing her best to keep herself from spilling to Angela.
"You guys have been apart for a long time, and I know he's missed you like crazy. Trust me, Cory and I have heard it every day for the past year."
Angela blushed momentarily, relieved to hear that Shawn had missed her as much as she'd missed him.
"Your coming back into his life put him at an emotional high," Topanga said rationally. "When you're that ecstatic, it's easy to feel let down. He just needs some time to adjust to the situation, and I know you guys will be great."
Allowing her best friend's advice to sink in, Angela wondered how she'd made it all year long without Topanga there to support her. "So," she pondered aloud, "how do I make this as easy as possible for him?"
The busy New York streets were suddenly silenced for a brief moment, as Topanga began to realize exactly how much love existed between her two close friends. Identifying with Angela's deep concern over her boyfriend's feelings, Topanga brought her walk to an abrupt halt, dropping her shopping bags onto the pavement.
She placed both hands on Angela's shoulders and gave the most heartfelt advice she possibly could. "You never stop letting him know you love him." She spoke softly, truthfully. "Make sure that with everything you do, everything you say, he never once has to wonder how much you care for him."
Angela accepted the advice graciously. She hugged Topanga tightly, noticing the sun fading behind the early shadows of night. It was past 7 p.m., and both girls knew that the time had come to go and be with their respective partners. Without so much as a word, the two friends smiled at each other before going their separate ways down the streets of New York.
This night might as well determine the rest of our lives, Angela thought as she rushed home, eager to let Shawn know exactly how much that meant to her. As she dreamed up ways to sincerely convey her affections, her boyfriend was at home, awaiting her arrival and the unforgettable night that lie ahead of them.