Together. Forever.

*I think you should say those words in your head the same way Flotsam and Jetsam from Disney's The Little Mermaid say them when they are trying to talk Ariel into going to see Ursula the Sea Witch, just after Ariel's father destroys her treasure trove and subsequently her cherished statue of Prince Eric. It really adds to the whole ambiance of this post.*

I was standing at the stove today, cutting up some chicken and snatching little bites here and there, when Miguel came up behind me and nuzzled my neck. I love when he does this. It makes my toes curl and my tummy gets butterflies in it. But then he said something that made me want to sucker punch him. Or at the very least, dump the juices from the cooked chicken on his head. He said, "Do you think I'll always be in love with you and that we'll never get sick of each other and I'll always be as happy as I am now and when we're old we'll still be together because we won't want to be with anyone else?"

Now, I'm not sure if those questions had anything to do with all that grunge music he is poisoning his brain with, or the fact that he was just thinking (in a very round about way) about the happiness to come in our golden years, but suddenly I was 7 years old again, and bawling as my dad tossed my banjo into the fire while I watched, tears streaming down my cheeks. I mean sure, it didn't have all it's strings, it's neck was cracked, there was a hole in its head, and its tailpiece was missing, but still. Hello? My baaanjoooo was burrrrrninnngggg!

What if when I grow up, I lose a few strings, crack my neck, develop a hole in my head and heaven forbid, lose my tailpiece, and Michael wanted to throw me into the fire? All over a few missing, but important parts. But then he said, "I was only asking because I know we won't let anything come between us; I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page, and I want to always feel the way I feel right now." Awww, damaged goods and all. That's true love, I tell you.

That's when Corrine walked by. And like all nosy children, she goes, "What are you guys talking about?"

"Oh, just that your mom and I will always stay together because we won't let anything come between us," Michael replied. "Just like when you grow up, you and your husband will always stay together. You know why? Because we won't let you marry someone who is a loser."

"Huh?" she asked distractedly. We could tell she was totally into the conversation at this point.

So Michael picked her up and snuggled with her and said, "Even when you come home and say, 'But Dad, I love him! And when I'm with him he makes me soooo  haaaaapppppyyyy!' I'll say, 'But Corrine, he doesn't have a job, he shows no interest in obtaining his driver's license, he lives in a van down by the river, and he's never shot a trophy mule deer. This is not the guy for you.' "

"But you guys can't tell me who I can and can't marry. This isn't the olden days. It's not like this is the 1960's. No wait. I mean the 1980's."

Riiiight.

And to think, our parents were fresh out of that whole 'arranged marriage' era when we were her age. Sheesh! We sure dodged a bullet there.