A few Months later- Late Summer –

I was dead asleep, dreaming of Bo in a FBI suit and berating me about aliens. I heard nothing dream Bo was saying, I was distracted by her top few buttons being undone and showing me glimpses of one my favorite things in the world.

Dream Bo glared at me and walked over, pushing me on the shoulder as I sat on a fluffy couch. She kept pushing and poking, telling me to wake the fuck up. Soon her voice shifted away from the smooth one I adored to the most annoying voice that had been in my life for a decade.

I peeled an eye open to find Tamsin lying next to me in her full police uniform, poking me with her baton. "You need to wake the fuck up, I have to talk to you."

I groaned, reaching for the blanket to cover my head with. "No, you need to go the fuck away and leave me alone. It's like six in the morning and Bo just left to meet with Laurel. I can finally get some sleep now that she's not enticing me." I grumbled into the pillow. I was tired, worn out and wanted to sleep a few more hours. I found when Bo had nothing but free time and a healthy mind, she couldn't keep her hands to herself as our relationship began to grow and stabilize. We were almost completely happy.

"Yeah, I know. That's why you need to get up." Tamsin poked me again, "I think it's time you and Bo find a place of your own. The noise level when you two are naked grappling is getting to me."

I sighed heavily and rolled over, "We've had this conversation. Bo and I are half assed looking for places, but she gets that weird stressed out look and I end it. I don't want to push her, but I know she wants to find a place. Bouncing between here and Laurels is irritating us both." I pushed myself up, pulling my hair back into a ponytail. I glared at my best friend, "Trust me, you and Freddy aren't any better with the weird noises."

Tamsin blushed, "Shut up. It was one time you came home way too fucking early while I was playing paleologist." She rolled her eyes, "Why the fuck do you have a cell phone if you never fucking answer it or check the messages." The baton poked my other shoulder, "I gave you fair warning that I was having a visitor."

I yawned, "Paleontologist? What the hell is that?"

Tamsin rolled her eyes again and scooted off the bed, "It's where I go looking for a bone. Jesus." She slammed the baton on the edge of my desk to collapse it. "The point is, I love you. I love Bo in a weird sisterly roommate way, but it's time. We are both going to kill each other soon enough due to our boning schedules overlapping." Tamsin gave me that one annoying smirk, the one that made me want to shove her down the stairs.

"You are getting worse in your old age. You have to stop hanging out at that sub shop with all the frat boys. They're teaching you terrible habits." I leaned against the headboard looking over at Bo's bag sitting outside of my closet. We had just gotten to a really good place and had moved to talking about living together either at the brownstone or go looking for a new place. The logistics were sticky. Bo wanted to be close to campus. I wanted to stay in the neighborhood because I liked being able to walk anywhere. Basically we were at a stalemate when we got too in deep with discussion. I wasn't sure if Bo was ready to take on another huge jump with our last year of law school right around the corner. It would be ten times worse in stress on top of looking for internships, I was wary. I sighed, "Can it wait until after Bo's family barbeque? I'm already stressed out having to meet Bo's dad again after all these years and show him that I'm not just the pipsqueak that fucked everything up." I looked at Tamsin, "There's a house outside of campus Bo and I both like, I think I can get her to go and put an offer in after we go home."

As Tamsin slipped the baton back on her belt, she removed a keychain with Han Solo and Princess Leia on it, there was two golden door keys on it. "I hang out at that sub shop because I get free subs and then they tell me which dipfuck is selling bad weed to the freshman. You know I'm working towards a promotion." She threw the keys on the bed, motioning towards them. "Happy birthday, merry Christmas, happy labor day, and congratulations on your nupitals that are hopefully going to happen before I turn thirty."

I picked up the keychain, "What is this? Did you finally get a new set of keys for the shed in the backyard?"

Tamsin chuckled, "Who needs keys when you have battering rams." She sat on the edge of the bed, "That is your eviction notice. I'm kicking your ass out, Bo too, effective today."

I glared at her, "Tamsin, I swear to fucking fudge…"

"You're right, it does sound weird when you put both of your swear words together, Lauren." Bo poked her head around the corner, a big grin on her face. "It's cute, but weird."

I frowned at Bo, "You're supposed to be at Laurel's dealing with the Michaela fall out from two nights ago."

Bo slid into the room, "I had to tell you something to make you fall back to sleep when I left." She looked over at Tamsin, "Do you want to tell her why you're kicking us out?"

Tamsin chuckled, "Aside from the aggressive sex noises you two idiots make, I love you both dearly and seeing the piles of shit you've both been through. I thought I would do something nice, to try and take some of the pressure off and make amends for my own stupid." She reached over, flicking Han's face. "Those are the keys to your front door, which is right next door in the brownstone my dad sold to you and Bo last week."

I felt my mouth fall open in confusion, "What?"

Bo laughed, "I know you thought that I was getting weird when we talked houses, but I suck at keeping secrets and Tamsin swore me to secrecy after she presented this idea to me." She glanced at the blonde who looked very sheepish as she picked at her badge. "Tamsin's dad bought four of the brownstones around this one three weeks ago. That's when Tamsin approached me with a the idea of us taking it and moving in together." Bo sighed, "I've come to the conclusion that Tamsin is a part of our lives. And oddly enough I cannot imagine her not being less than five steps away." She smiled at the blonde, "Plus our future kids will need some sort of terrible influence to learn from."

Tamsin scowled lightly, "Hey, I might be terrible, but I'm very lovable." She then turned back to me, her green eyes filled with worry, "We did the deal behind your back. My dad just took a chunk out of your royalties from your software patent and Bo contributed on her end. The brownstone is bought and paid for and completely renovated."

I was still staring at the two with my mouth wide open, confused, "But we don't have furniture or other shit to move out." I glanced at the keys, "I don't know…" I was honestly overwhelmed by the gesture of my best friend and my girlfriend of going behind me back to do this. It was amazing to see the two work together and Bo be more than willing and able to take such a big step.

Bo moved to sit next to me, grabbing my hand, "The house is fully furnished. Remember when I had you sit with me that one day and pick out furniture while we waited for Laurel to meet us for dinner?"

I nodded slowly, "Yeah, but I thought that was just you planning ahead."

Bo kissed my cheek, "It was. That's why I had to leave early this morning. Everything was delivered and we have to put it together after we move your stuff over." She then looked down at my worn out bed, "This stays here, I picked out a brand new one that doesn't squeak under duress."

I felt my cheeks turn a bright red when Tamsin snorted out a "gross" and hopped off the bed. "Bo, I don't know what to say." I palmed the keys, still shocked.

Bo held out her hand, "You can take my hand and follow me to our new home." She then motioned over her shoulder at Tamsin who produced a huge roll of black garbage bags from thin air. "Tamsin has volunteered to help you pack."

Tamsin winked at me, "Packing, more like shoving your shit into bags. Who's got time to fold your nasty underwears." She walked over to the closet, "Get the fuck out of my house and check out the surprise your girlfriend has waiting in the bedroom." She grimaced, "I just threw up in my mouth."

I sighed heavily, rolling out of the bed. It was too early and I was too confused to fight with them. "Fine." I grabbed Bo's hand, "Show me what you two maniacal ladies have done."

Bo squeezed my hand and giggled as she lead me downstairs and outside to the brownstone next door. I didn't bother to look at the brownstone, as it looked almost identical to the one I lived in for the last year. Bo pushed open the door, still giggling with excitement as she rambled on and pointed out the hardwood floors, the new paint on the walls and the piles of shelving and other random things that would take the rest of the day to sort out. I scanned the living room, noticing a handful of boxes with Bo's name written on them. I looked at the back of her head as she led me upstairs, "Bo, how long have you been planning this?"

She flashed that grin that melted all of my willpower, "All of my life, but in reality, the last month. It's been hard sneaking around you and distracting you, but the look on your face right now. It's so worth it."

I gave her a dirty look, "So it's not been the summer heat making you frisky as hell? You've just been using sex and my fascination with your boobs to secretly buy our house? Our furniture and move in?"

Bo stopped at the doorway to a very large bedroom that had a massive window offering a view I was envious of whenever I was in Tamsin's room. She spun around and looked at me with fearful eyes, "Lauren, I…I wanted to surprise you. Do something for you, I didn't think you would care since Tamsin's dad said you just roll your royalties payments into a savings account you never use. And he gave us a stupid good deal, and the furniture, we can take most of it back and go looking again." She let out a breath, whispering something about verbal diarrhea attack before looking up at me, "I love you and I wanted to do this for us and you. Take some of the pressure off. We love this neighborhood and I know you want to stay here because Tamsin is close by and you worry about her, shit I worry about her too. I fell in love with this place and I think it's perfect for us. A new start, but a familiar one that we can make our own." She rolled her eyes, "Yes I did prey on your boob fixation, but I had to do something. You're always so observant…"

I leaned forward, kissing Bo hard and cutting off the next round of verbal diarrhea. I smiled against her lips when she whimpered and melted into the kiss. I parted from her, grinning, "I was messing with you. I think this is amazing, incredible and I absolutely adore you for doing this." I ran my hand down her cheek, loving how she sighed into my touch and relaxed. "I'm still iffy on Tamsin being our moving guy, but the rest, it's amazing." I kissed her again, "You're amazing."

Bo bit her bottom lip as she grinned, "I have one more thing." She tugged me into the room and pointed at the bed covered in brand new Star Wars sheets. She chuckled when she saw my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"Bo, I know I have my Star Wars sheets, but they're comfy, we can get other sheets." I frowned, why was I such a nerd. I was a grown ass woman with a girlfriend, and yet. Star Wars sheets.

Bo kissed the corner of my mouth, whispering, "Do you remember what we did on a set of Star Wars sheets just like these, maybe eight or nine years ago? You were trying to teach me chemical equations and I was trying to teach you…"

I cocked an eyebrow, "It was actually biology homework." I gasped when I felt her hands slip under my shirt, "And I think I learned quite a bit from you."

Bo winked at me, "Exactly." She tugged my hand, "What do you say to revisiting some old biology homework?"

I smirked and kicked the bedroom door shut, "I think I could use a refresher."

xXxXxX

Lauren was fiddling with the dial of the radio and Tamsin reached over and smacked her away from the dial and glowered. "Stop it. I would like to listen to an actual song." She blew out a frustrated breath then asked, "Why are you so damn fidgety today?"

I bit my tongue as I tried not to answer for Lauren. She had been uneasy all week. I hadn't seen her this uneasy since we did my retakes for the SATs then again when that happened I was also stressed but I distracted us both with sex. Sex wasn't working this time around. In fact it had lead to an argument or two because Lauren had went off on me. She was nervous because of my dad but I told her not to worry about it because my dad had changed his tune however Lauren thought otherwise.

Lauren ran her fingers through her hair then rested her elbow on the door and stared out the window. I reached up and rubbed her shoulder hoping to let her know that I wasn't going to let her go through this alone. "Don't worry about it Tamsin. Just get us there without killing us."

I gave her shoulder one more reassuring squeeze then sat back in my seat. I felt she was worrying about nothing but then again this would be the first time Lauren had seen my dad since we got back together. He had been overseas the last few months with expanding the company and he hadn't seen Lauren yet but today he was going to. My parents were throwing a barbecue to celebrate my final days of law school among other things. Lauren's parents were going to be there and so was Tamsin's dad so it was a small get together with all of our families.

I hadn't told my parents yet that Lauren and I had moved in and I was going to do that today but Lauren seemed so frazzled by seeing my dad again that I was thinking that I shouldn't. We got to my parents house and I got out of the back of the car then I opened the door for Lauren. She got out and looked at me. Lauren did not look happy. I smiled at her then I looked at Tamsin. "Go inside. We'll follow after."

Tamsin got a concerned look on her face and I gave her a look that told her that I needed to talk to Lauren. She gave me a subtle nod. When she was gone I took hold of Lauren's hand and said, "Talk to me."

"He's going to hate me."

I let out a small chuckled and told her, "He's not going to hate you. I've talked to him and he's okay." Lauren drew in a deep breath then she let it out. I kissed her cheek then whispered, "Lauren my dad doesn't hate you and if he says anything I'll talk to him." She rested her forehead on my shoulder then I asked, "You want to bolt?" Lauren pulled back and looked at me, "I'm serious. Say the word and I'll grab my mom's keys then we'll go up to the hill or go to your parents' house. Say the word and I'll do it."

A ghost of a smile came to Lauren's face and I grinned. "Uh-oh that looks like a smile."

Lauren rolled her eyes then she kissed me. It lasted a moment then she pulled back and whispered, "I love you, you know that right?"

I gave her another kiss then remarked, "Oh I had an inkling," I placed my hand on her cheek then asked, "ready to go in?"

Lauren nodded and I gave her one more kiss. It was then that I heard my dad call out, "Bo I know how fond you are of liplocking with that pipsqueak but your mom and her folks are wondering what the problem is."

I pulled back and muttered, "I swear when he's older we're putting him in a nursing home." She chuckled then I asked, "Ready?"

"As much as I'll ever be."

I gave her hand a squeeze then we walked up to the front porch where my dad was waiting. We walked up the stairs and I let go of Lauren's hand so I could give my dad a hug. He kissed the side of my head and said, "You doing okay kiddo?"

I smiled and looked at him. "Yeah dad I'm doing fine."

"Good," he looked at Lauren for a moment then he asked, "you didn't go out west and get all hippie-ish on us now did you?"

A confused look came to Lauren's face a she answered, "No sir."

My dad grunted then he looked at me. "She's not so much a pipsqueak anymore now is she?"

I took hold of Lauren's hand and said, "No dad. In fact she could probably kick your ass if I told her too."

His eyebrow went up as an amused glint shown in his eyes then he chuckled before he said, "You want to put Bo's theory to a test?"

Lauren shook her head then said, "No Mr. Dennis."

"All right then." He stood there for another moment then he held out his arms and said, "Come here." Lauren stood there wide eyed and uncertain what to do. My dad motioned for her to come closer. "We ain't got all day Lauren. Now we either hug it out and put the past behind us now or I'll give you a big ole bear hug at dinner and tell everyone that I forgive you being the one to deflower my little girl."

I felt my face heat up with embarrassment as I hissed, "Dad!"

"Well now I was joking but seeing how flustered you look tells me everything I need to know," he said with a grin on his face. "Now are we going to hug it out or should I tell your parents about all the times I caught you two making out in the living room?"

I pushed Lauren and said, "Go."

She gave my dad an awkward hug and he whispered something to her then let go of her. He smiled at me then said, "I'll tell everyone that you two will be in, in a second. I'll try to keep the tall one from eating everything that isn't cooked."

"Tamsin will try to test that dad." I said as I looked at Lauren. I noticed her eyes shimmering with tears and I wondered what my dad had told her. I knew he hadn't upset her because there was a smile on her face.

My dad scoffed then remarked, "I'm going to clock her. All right you two be quick."

He went back inside and I asked Lauren, "What did he say to you?"

Lauren looked at me and she blinked a few times before she said, "He said that he's going to be very proud to call me his daughter-in-law and that I need to give you a kick in the ass every now and then."

I grinned and told her, "I don't need a kick in the ass. Though my dad might need one since he wants to be a pain in the ass and all." I took hold of her hand, "See I told you he was over everything."

Lauren rolled eyes as she walked closer to me. She gave me a brief kiss then said, "You were right." She grabbed my hand, "Let's get in there before Tamsin starts blabbing to your dad about everything we did when we were kids."

I gave her a skeptical look and pointed out, "She knows a lot and also your parents are here so…."

Lauren pulled my arm as she mumbled, "God I hope there's enough food to keep her preoccupied."

As we walked into the house I chuckled even though my mind began to wander to things like us having more family gathering. Those thoughts then lead to other things that I told myself that I wasn't going to think about until after everything was said and done with law school but they were ones that I couldn't wait to make a reality.

XXXX

Nervous wasn't the word that could come close to what I was feeling. I was a mix of things and there wasn't enough distraction to get me to think about anything aside from Bo's parents looking over at me every three seconds. It was a small gathering, just our parents, Tamsin's dad and a few neighbors and I hid in the corner like I always did, avoiding social interaction as I fell into my head.

I knew I should have felt better, relieved, when her dad said what he did when I hugged him, but still. There was tension, fear and the waiting for the other shoe to drop. Bo had told me the other night about how she had to hold her dad back a few times from flying to California to break my nose. That both of her parents at one point had contemplated ruining me because we all had thought the same thing about why we split apart. It wasn't going to be an easy overnight fix, at least in my mind. Bo and I weren't an easy fix, we were getting closer every day, but we still had a few more miles on the road to recovery.

I sighed, looking down at the cup of lemonade in my hand. Bo and I had a few arguments while we moved. I felt bad, I was stressed out and was used to living with Tamsin were I could yell at her, she'd yell back and we'd go watch cartoons. Bo fought back and fought until we worked our things out. They were stupid arguments and meant nothing in the larger scope of things, and it was a good sign we were both recovering from our pasts and fears. I swirled the lemonade, idly wondering if we would bicker when we were married.

Married. The single stupid word had me sighing happily whenever I looked over at her and pictured us together forever. Bo bringing it up the night after our first date, had shoved the idea permanently in my head and I spent a lot of time thinking about getting her a ring. That led to how I would propose to her, and that led to a million other things that I needed to think about and plan out. This last year would be too busy for us. Law school was almost over and we would move into looking for real jobs. Bo was looking at an internship at the DA's office downtown. I was looking at moving into the police department. Another thing we had to work out, talk about. I shook my head and sipped on the lemonade when Tamsin strode over with a plate piled with food.

"Your dad made some killer ribs." She licked sauce covered fingers, "Bo's dad is making another pile of burgers, you should grab one before they're all gone."

I rolled my eyes at the garbage can that was my best friend. "I'm not that hungry." I looked up to see Bo with her parents, smiling and chatting animatedly. She was probably telling them about how we just moved in together. Sending another bolt of nausea through my stomach. I glanced at Tamsin, "I hope you leave some for the rest of the party."

Tamsin chuckled, "I already got the fifth degree from my dad, Bo's dad and then your dad just politely ask if he could do a lab study on how I can eat so much." She picked up another rib, "I think they're just all jealous of me."

I laughed, "That's exactly it." I set my red plastic cup down and tucked my hands in my front pockets. "God, I'm so fucking nervous to be here."

"Why?" Tamsin stood next to me, "It's just the family."

"That's it, it's the family. Bo's parents who probably despised my existence for what happened to Bo. Even though her dad said something incredibly sweet to me, I just worry." I frowned, "Worried that they might think I don't love Bo enough."

Tamsin started laughing around her rib, "You're an idiot, you know that, right?" She licked her lips and moved closer. She pointed at our parents all standing with Bo now and talking, smiles happily plastered on their faces. "All of them can see how much you love each other. The mom brigade led the charge and straightened the dad squad out after the truth was revealed. No one sees anything but two big dumb idiots in love and on their way to marriage." She waved a half eaten rib bone around, "This is proof that all is finally right in this world."

I looked at my best friend, "I just worry sometimes. Bo's dad, I can't really ever get a read off of him." I looked over to catch him giving me a weird look as Bo grinned with flushed cheeks. "God, I am deathly afraid to ask him if it's okay to marry Bo."

I heard a cough from Tamsin as her head spun around, "Wait, when are you going to ask that question?" She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, "Today?" Her green eyes sparkled in that way that told me she was beyond excited.

I shrugged, "I keep thinking about it since Bo mentioned it a few months ago. It makes sense and we are finally balancing out. The only thing that is holding me back is if it will be too much for Bo with school and everything else." I turned around to pick at the bowl of chips on the table I had stood in front of. "What if he says no? God, what if Bo says no?"

"What would my daughter say no to?" Bo's dad's voice appeared out of nowhere. "Jesus, Tamsin! Where do you store all of the food you eat?"

I turned around to see Phil standing in his Kiss The Cook apron, scowling at Tamsin and shaking his head.

"In my stomach, of course." Tamsin blushed when she saw her dad coming up to give her a dirty look. "Um, I am going over there now. I think my dad is about to yell at me about something." She bent her head down and shuffled away. Her dad smiling as he threw an arm around her and dragged her over to a table full of neighbors.

I smiled watching the interaction. Tamsin's dad was stupid proud of the woman she had grown into and took every opportunity to show his daughter off.

"So, Lauren, what is it that you think my daughter will say no to?" Phil reached past me to grab a handful of chips. I swallowed hard looking up to see Bo nervously talking to my mom and dad off into a corner. Her face was a beet red color and her hands were moving in the way that told me she was immersed in a heavy bout of verbal diarrhea.

I stared at her for a second, my stomach turning as she had most definitely spilled the beans that we had moved in together. I chewed my lip and started to panic at what else she was telling them. I went to take a step and excuse myself to go find out what in the hell Bo was telling them. My mom had that one look on her face that told me she was about to stride over to me and follow through on the threat she issued on graduation day.

I felt a hand squeeze my shoulder gently, "Lauren? I won't bite and I won't break your nose. You can relax kiddo." Phil smiled softly at me, "Bo tells us that you two have been doing really well together, that she's been doing really well."

I looked in the man's eyes and saw what he meant. "She is, we are. Um, it seems that she's on the right track and has no intentions to deviate from it." I felt weird talking about this with her dad. "And she's happy. Happier than I ever remember seeing her when we were younger."

"Yeah well, the road was a hell of a bumpy one for a very long time. I never thought she'd get out of it, put the damn bottle down and all the other bullshit. No matter how many times I tried to be strong for her. We just couldn't find the right door to open." He turned away to look at his daughter, now even more red face and hands flailing. "You broke her heart pretty damn good and I almost broke your damn nose pretty good."

I felt a quick spike of anger, "It was a miscommunication and I have done my fuck…fudging best to repair what I did." I folded my arms across my chest tightly, "I never, ever, meant to hurt her. I was a stupid kid that was so damn afraid of what I felt…"

Phil laughed, grabbing my elbow, "Relax, I was going to say you broke her heart pretty damn good, but you've done an incredible job putting it back in her. I've never seen my Bo this happy, and it makes me happy." He winked at me, "I meant it when I said it when I forced you to hug me. I look forward to having you as my daughter in law." He then squinted at me, "But it's weird to hear you say fuck. You were such a polite, well-mannered pipsqueak." He then looked over at Tamsin shoving food in her mouth as her dad clearly talked her up. "That tall blonde, it was her, wasn't it?"

I nodded, feeling my own cheeks burn red with embarrassment, "Yes. It was her." I cleared my throat, "By the way, about the daughter in law thing…."

"You have our permission. To date Bo, to move in with her and live in sin, to marry her and keep her in sickness and irritation." He chuckled when he saw the look on my face, "I've been married for close to twenty five years. The irritation is a give in. But when you love the one, it makes up for it." He gave me a genuine look, "But at the end of it all, you were the best thing to ever happen to my little girl. Both times you fell into her life, I can't ever ignore that. She loves you like you're the air she breathes."

I nodded, whispering out, "Thank you, Mr. Dennis. I'm going to wait until maybe this time next year after Bo is settled in at an internship and I'm closer to what I want to do."

Phil nudged me again, "Call me Phil." He waved over at the grill, "How about you help me burn some more meat for the tall one to consume and tell me all about these patents you hold." He gave me a once over, "You certainly aren't a pipsqueak anymore." He then pointed at me with a chip, "But don't say fuck around Bo's mom, she gets pissy about swear words."

I laughed and nodded, "Noted."

I let out a breath and walked over to the grill with Phil. Laughing as he swatted her hand with the grill spatula and told her to go sit on her hands before she ate him out of house and home.

I looked over as I held up a plate of steaks for Phil, filling him on that the one patent I held was the operating software that was leading the future in a new thing called smartphones, and spotted Bo being hugged by my mom. She met my eyes and smiled even though she had an about to vomit everywhere face.

"Fudge."

Bo had definitely done something.

xXxXxX

I stood there with my mom, Lauren's parents, and a few other neighbors and I was sort of paying attention to the conversation while watching my dad and Lauren. Lauren looked like her fight or flight response had kicked in and she wanted to bolt from my dad. My dad on the other hand looked harmless at the moment but that could change at any moment. Things were going well and everyone was having a good time. Tamsin had been scolded about her bottomless pit eating habits. I told our parents about us moving in together and none of them seemed to be surprise but they were excited for us nonetheless.

I chewed on my bottom lip as my mind began to wander. Today was the day. I had cleared it with Dr. Greenbaum and had talked it over with Tamsin and Laurel. I was going to do it. As I built up the courage to ask Lauren's parents to come talk with me I thought about what Dr. Greenbaum had said in my session with her earlier this week.

"I'm going to do it."

"You're going to do what?" Dr. Greenbaum asked and the confusion was evident in her voice.

I turned from the window that I was looking out of and looked at her. "I'm going to ask Lauren's parents if they're okay with me marrying her."

"Oh. Wow. That's…that is big Bo." She cleared her throat then wondered, "I mean you two have only been living together for a few days are you sure you don't want to give it some time and make sure you're ready for a commitment of that level?"

I raised my eyebrow and smiled, "You do know I'm not asking Lauren to marry me right?"

"I know that but you two have just started to explore a relationship that doesn't focus on your issues. Isn't it too soon to be thinking about marriage?"

I shrugged and walked over to the chair. I sat down in it and told her, "It may be but you know how you have a gut feeling that tells you beyond a shadow of a doubt that something is a good thing?" Dr. Greenbaum nodded. "My gut is telling me that Lauren is it for me. And it's not only that but she has seen it all, Dr. Greenbaum, and she has stayed." I smiled then chuckled a little. "And there's not only her accepting my dark, scary places but she knows how to make smile, laugh, and she gets me," I sighed, "I don't have to explain anything to her. Lauren can just look at me and she'll just know. It's weird but at the same time it is so comforting because sometimes I can't express how I feel, you know that, so having someone who is in tune with me is a great thing."

I was quiet a moment, and as I looked down at the rug and studied the pattern that was on it, it all just clicked for me. "I have never loved anyone as much as I have loved Lauren. Even when I had that moment of where I was okay and tried to have a relationship, it didn't feel right. No one has felt as right as Lauren does and she is my rock, foundation, and all those other romantic clichés. She is who I want to share my life with."

I looked up at Dr. Greenbaum and I saw the tears shimmering in her eyes and I got scared for a moment. She must seen the worried look on my face and she said, "It's okay Bo. I'm just-This is unprofessional for me to say, but you have been one of my clients that I was rooting for, and to see you happy and getting to a point where your depression is no longer clouding your life…..it makes me a little emotional. I'm happy for you Bo."

I grinned and said, "Thank you, Dr. Greenbaum but we both know if it weren't for you and everyone else in my life I wouldn't be at this point."

"This is true but you put in the effort in wanting to get to this point. There is still work we need to do and you're going to have moments but for the most part you are in control of how you deal with your depression." She leaned forward and pulled a tissue out of it box then dabbed at her eyes. She sniffed then chuckled a little. "I apologize. Just give me a moment." I smiled as the woman composed herself. After taking a deep breath Dr. Greenbaum said, "Do it Bo. You know what you want and I see no reason why you shouldn't. Remember what's in your heart and you'll be able to get through it."

With a huge smile on my face I nodded and said, "I will."

Remembering my conversation with Dr. Greenbaum fortified my resolved and I interrupted the conversation my mom was having with Lauren's mom, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Mrs. Lewis can I talk to your and Mr. Lewis for a moment?"

Lauren's mom smiled at me and said, "Of course Bo. Give me a second to go get Lauren's dad."

She went to go get him then the three of us walked over to a more private area of the backyard. Mr. Lewis smiled at me and asked, "What's the matter Bo you look like you might vomit?"

I chuckled uneasily then I did vomit, not actual vomit, but a torrential outpouring of words that came out in one breath it seemed like. "No, no. I'm not going to vomit. I just-You two have always been supportive of Lauren and you have always been supportive of her relationship with me, even when we were separated and we didn't know the truth, you were there helping her get through what has been the most horrendous thing that she has ever gone through. And I'm promising you this now that she will never go through that again. I will go through hell and high water to make sure that she doesn't get hurt like that again. I mean-"

"Bo we appreciate you saying that and acknowledging what we have done to support Lauren, but that's not the real reason why you wanted to talk to us is it?" Lauren's mom asked, stopping my flow of word vomit.

I shook my head and I took a deep breath then, as I remembered what Dr. Greenbaum told me to do, I said, "No it isn't. I'm nervous and I tend to ramble when I'm nervous." Lauren's parents laughed a little then I smiled. "As you know Lauren and I have moved in together and she means everything in the world to me. Without her I am someone I don't recognize, I'm not saying she defines who I am, but she completes me and I couldn't imagine-"

"Yes Bo."

I stared at Lauren's mom, my eyes wide with surprise. "Yes?"

She smiled and nodded. "Yes. You have our blessing to marry Lauren. We couldn't imagine her with anyone else."

Tears formed in my eyes and I moved to hug Lauren's mom. I closed my eyes for a moment. I knew that Laruen's parents weren't going to say no but at the same time to have their blessing after everything that had happened felt like another resolution to a complicated past that was slowly falling away. Lauren's mom pulled away and her dad asked, "So when are you going to do it?"

That was one minor detail I had yet to figure out, when. I had an idea of the ring because I had been looking at rings since that night Lauren and I had talked about marriage on the roof that one night but when was another complicated matter because between the ending of law school and internship interviews there wasn't going to be time plan an elaborate proposal. Then again I did plan a date on yacht. I chuckled then told him, "I don't know but when I do know and have the ring I will let you know in advanced. Lauren doesn't do well with surprises."

"No she doesn't, " her mom replied while laughing. "But I think this is one surprise that she will let slide."

A grin came to my face as I nodded in agreement, "I think she will too." I looked over at Lauren who was helping my dad at the grill and our eyes met. I smiled. Yes this was definitely one surprise that she was going to let slide and I couldn't wait to see the look on her face when I proposed to her.