“No.” I laugh. “Not at all.”
“I’d take offense to that, but look where it got me?” He takes my hand and kisses it.
“Well, there’s a direction I wasn’t expecting to take tonight, but yes, let’s.”
“Care to explain further?” He asks.
“Your family.”
“My family is surrounding me right now and?—”
“You know what I’m talking about.”
“I assure you, it’s a non-issue. They will meet you and fall in love with you like I am,”Oh my God.“Or they will fuck off. I will choose us, all five of us, over them if they even dare to try and bulldoze over my happiness. I am stepping softly right now, because you need that. But I can assure you, inside, I am much like Lucy today in the shoe department. Every moment, be it beside or inside of you, I’m happier than I ever imagined I could be. You’re my sparkly shoes, Hildy Sullivan.”
We turn on to the Brooklyn Bridge, and I am equal parts confused and desperately wanting to say something to him that makes him feel how he just made me feel, that I am at a loss for words.
He pulls into the Bears arena and puts his vehicle in park.
“Security is amazing here. Keycard access. Cameras are mounted everywhere with 24-hour surveillance outside and inside, both electronic and guards doing rounds.” He turns to me. “Lucy could ride in with me every morning when I’m in town, and on the days I’m at away games, you can walk her in. Then, when they outnumber us,” he chuckles. “I can bully a rookie into meeting me outside every day to help me wrestle them in, or you could ride in with us. It is up to you, but Hildy, she would love it here.”
“But we’re not?—”
“We will be, before our next two come into this world.”
I gasp, “Are you seriously asking me to?—"
“Do you hear violins, fireworks, me on one knee with a ring?” He asks, looking almost offended.
“No.” I scowl.
“I will not be asking you to be my wife without that, and more, Hildy.”
“I’m not getting married because I’m pregnant, and definitely not until I graduate.”
He throws his head back in laughter, “You care to make a wager?”
“You want to place a bet on —”
“Yes, and just so you’re aware, I have fate on my side.”
We sit here and look at each other, and he looks as convinced I’ll fold as I am convinced that it will not happen. “I have worked too hard to get this far to have anything other than Hidy Sullivan on my PhD.”
“I’ll work twice as hard to make you change your mind.” I start to open my mouth, and he places a finger over it. “Lucy is highly intelligent, and the program they run here is better than either of those places. This isn’t part of our little bet; this is about giving her an opportunity that you should have had.”
“How much is it?” I ask, knowing I could not possibly afford it.
“It’s a perk of banging a bear.”
“Stop.” I laugh, even though I try not to.
“You’re my domestic partner, it’s truly a perk of banging a Brooklyn Bear.” He chuckles and holds out his hand, “Deal?”
“I really hate to sound ungrateful, because I am not, but could you please just tell me how much?—”
“As much as I love saying perk of,” he stops when I cover his mouth with not just a finger, but my whole damn hand, and he laughs against it. “Call Claudia, I’m telling you the truth, meine kleine mama.”
“Promise me you always will?” I ask, sitting back and looking at the building.
