8. Hypothetically

Shane was sitting in one of the chairs in the theater when he heard the main door open. When he turned around he saw Catalina walking towards him, holding a small box in her hands. "Hey, what are you doing here?" He asked.

"Nothing, what are you doing here?" She smiled.

"Nothing," Shane chuckled. "What's in the box?"

"It's for you," she said handing him the box. "Well, it's for Jess," she corrected.

When Shane opened the box he saw a ring that looked to be about fifty grand if not more. "This is," Shane whispered. "What is this for?"

"Well, this is from all the Cirque members," Catalina smiled. "This is for when you ask Jess to marry you."

Shane's eyes bulged so far out of his head that he thought they would fall out. "What? Who said that I was asking Jess to marry me?"

"What were you doing here by yourself, if not thinking about something really important? The only thing you ever think about is Jess," Catalina's smile grew wider. "So I know that the question has been running through that brain of yours."

Shane had to admit that Catalina was really observant, and really forward about personal things. "Catalina, I love Jess, a lot," Shane said. "I have thought about this so much and I have actually mentally prepared myself to ask her so many times, but every time I think that she will say no, or that her cancer is enough for her to deal with and I will put too much pressure on her. I want to ask her but can't," Shane looked down and put the box in Catalina's hand.

"Well, we kind of had Kimee talk to her," Catalina seemed to blush, which was rare. "She said that she would marry you, even if she was on her death bed, but it was a hypothetical question that Kimee asked."

"So, hypothetically," Shane started. "Jess would marry me, if I asked her."

"Hypothetically, Jess would marry you if you asked her," Catalina reiterated, smiling, handing Shane the ring.

"Jess, you know," Kimee laughed. "Even though your sick, I will still kick your butt if you get out of line with Shane tonight."

As Jess put her hair up in a messy pony tail and slipped on her flip-flops she looked at Kimee. "Yes mother," Jess saluted Kimee with a smile. "I promise I will not have sexual intercourse with my gorgeous boyfriend of almost six months, even though I am of a legal age and am most likely going to marry him once I am healthy," Jess laughed.

"Jess," Kimee smiled. "I'm not saying not to, I'm just asking for you to wait until you are completely healthy."

"Kimee, I am never going to be completely healthy," Jess said. "There is always a chance for the cancer to relapse."

"Well, can you wait until your married, at least?"

"I don't see a shiny ring on your finger," Jess laughed.

"Am I not going to get through to you?"

"Nope," Jess smiled at her best friend, who looked like she was about to cry. "Are you going to cry?"

"No," Kimee started sniffling. "It's just that, you have grown up so fast, my little girl," she started laughing.

"You are such a pain, you know that," Jess laughed and gave Kimee a hug. "I'll be back before midnight, at most."

"Love you, sweetie," Kimee laughed.

"Yeah, yeah," Jess said and walked out the door.

As Shane sat on his couch, he wondered when the perfect time to ask Jess to marry him would be. Will there ever be a perfect time? He asked himself. "Yes, there will be a perfect time," he answered himself. When he heard a light knock on the front door he got up and answered the door.

"Hey," Jess smiled at him. "How are you?" She asked as she walked into his apartment.

"I'm good," Shane said taking her hand. "Better now that you're here."

Shane could see the blush rise to Jess's cheek when she looked down, and smiled.

"Where's Matt?" Jess asked looking around.

"He's over at John's house," Shane laughed. "John's parents are over for the week and Matt is trying to be a good boyfriend."

"Why is he starting now?" Jess raised her eyebrow in suspicion.

"Well," Shane said. "He told me that he wants to try to get John's parents approval to be legally wed in Canada."

"Really," Jess laughed. "So no more late nights out with the gang apparently."

"I guess not," Shane looked down, wondering how he could get the words 'Will you marry me' out of his mouth.

"Hey," Jess lifted his face by his chin. "Are you alright?"

"Of course I'm alright, silly," Shane smiled. "Your still here, aren't you?"

"I'm always going to be here, Shane," Jess smiled at him looking him in the eyes and right through to the depths of his soul.

"So," Shane started, interrupting the silence. "I made you dinner."

"Shane," Jess laughed. "You didn't have to do that."

"Yes I did," Shane smiled. "But I can't promise you that it's the best food you've ever had."

"Why?"

"I'm not the best cook," Shane laughed.

"Well, it's the thought that counts," Jess laughed with him.

As Shane walked over to the kitchen he set the table and lit two candles on the table. "This is probably going to be corny," Shane laughed. "But I don't care," he said as he turned down the lights in the apartment.

"Wow," Jess looked around. "It looks different with just the candles burning."

When Jess turned around she saw that Shane was staring at her. "What?"

"Nothing," he answered, walking towards her. Shane grabbed her hand and held her by her back. "Dance with me."

"There is no music," Jess laughed.

Shane grabbed a remote from the table and a soft song started playing, and soon it filled the entire room. "Now will you dance with me?"

"I can't dance like this," Jess laughed.

"Neither can I," Shane said as he started to lead their steps to the sound of the music. When spun her he wrapped his arms around he fragile body. "I have to tell you something," he whispered into her ear.

"What?"

Shane was quiet for about three seconds until he finally took in a deep breath. "I love you," he finally said.

"I love you too, Shane" Jess smiled.

Shane turned her around so that she was face to face with him. He lightly caressed her cheek in a way that made her melt into him. Shane moved them back and forth the rhythm of the music and to soon the song was over. "Do you want to eat now?" Shane asked her.

"Shut up," Jess smiled. "You ruin the silence sometimes, you know," Jess laughed.

She felt Shane's chest shake with his laughter. "Sorry."

"It's ok," Jess laughed. She looked up at him and studied him like this was their last night together. His masculine chin and defined cheek-bones, his dirty blond hair played with her face whenever they were close, and his honey-colored eyes. She seemed to become entranced into a spell when she looked into his eyes. "Shane," she said quietly. When he looked down she got on her toes and kissed him in the powerful way she did when she was scared that it would be there last. He kissed her back, just as forcefully. Shane picked her feet up off the ground and cradled her in his arms, and led them into his bedroom.