Nita Callahan tossed her auburn hair over one shoulder and folded her arms, tapping one foot impatiently. JFK Airport could be so slow sometimes…
Kit?
Mmmmph…huh?
Oh…sorry. Where are you?
We're…we're coming in. Don't worry…
So remind me again why you didn't just teleport here?
Too tired…happy I'm outta college.
Kit…
Hmm?
I missed you so much…
Yeah, same here. I can't wait to land and get out of this daft airplane…
Kit?
Huh?
Get down here. I need to give someone a hug. A real big hug, and maybe even a kiss.
Nita almost laughed as she felt Kit perk up a bit.
What? Did you say a kiss? he playfully sent back.
C'mon down. I'm waiting.
I want your grad pic.
Hey, whaddya know. I want yours.
So…your relationship with Alan go okay?
Nah…we broke up a few months after me 'n you last talked. Hey Kit, what about you and Amy? You never told me…
Yeah. It kinda floundered and broke. Hey, I can see JFK…
Nita had to bite her tongue to keep from grinning with joy.
Well get your butt down here. Hurry up!
Twenty minutes later, Nita jaw almost hit the floor as her best friend walked out into the food court. To keep from hugging him and kissing him right there and then, she thought fiercely, I am not romantically involved with my best friend…I am not romantically involved with my best friend…I am romantically…oh, to heck with that.
She ran to him and hugged him hard. He kissed her gently on the lips, then gazed meaningfully back into her light gray eyes, which were currently dancing with tears and joy. She smiled wetly and kissed him back. His hand wrapped around her slim waist, and, breaking the kiss, she placed her head on his shoulder, in the spot he knew he loved best. Indeed, he blushed, uncertain of what to do next as she snuggled closer to him, unwilling to move another muscle. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "We can do this a bit later…"
Nita sighed, reluctantly pulled away from him, and whispered, "So when's the big day for us?"
Kit smiled at her.
"I thought you knew, the years we spent discussing this…the second of July."
Nita started the walk to her car, slipping her hand into Kit's with a murmur of approval.
"Four weeks…and we still haven't told your dad, or mine."
Kit smiled gently.
"Yeah, but my mom knows."
Nita sighed, suddenly melancholy.
"Mom…"she began, her voice trembling.
"Mom knew we were gonna get married… she was teasing me about it the day before she died…"
Nita sniffed, wiped her eyes, and grinned up at Kit, who was three inches taller now, standing a good five seven.
"Wow…you grew."
Kit placed a hand on her shoulder.
"And so'd you. How's your job going?"
She grinned.
"BMW has never paid me more. Wait till you see your house…"
Kit had found a job for her as a computer consultant at BMW USA. She had a great life at age 22. Kit, on the other hand, was working the same job as her, but at Lexus USA, where he had an equally profitable income. They loved their lives…
Nita whirled into her parents' house, dragging Kit with her as she called her dad downstairs. There was a loud thump from upstairs, followed by a few swearwords and the clatter of a monkey wrench on the tiled bathroom floor, then her dad poked his head out over the stairwell.
"Hey, Nita. Hey, Kit! How're things?"
"I'm okay, thanks. You?"
Mr. Callahan shrugged.
"I'm alright, considering that finding out my daughter's engaged from her spouse's parents came as a bit of a shock… Nita, why didn't you tell me? Congrats!"
Nita blushed and hung her head; the ironic tone her father used was friendly and accepting enough, but carried enough scolding in it to warn Nita that her procrastination was not good. Her father continued.
"So…where's this gonna be, honey?"
"Uh…"
"White's Landing, Santa Catalina Island," Kit interrupted. "July Second, from eight fifty-five to eleven thirty. Honeymoon from July Fifth through July Fifteenth, Hawaii."
Nita's dad laughed.
"Alright, Kit. No need to sound so eager about it…"
He grinned, winked at Nita's blushing face, and disappeared back into the bathroom to finish his job with the piping.