It was Monday afternoon and they arrived back at the penthouse. They stayed through the weekend to spend more time with Trace and the girls, Justin going into the studio a little each day. 

“I know LA is ONE home, but this will always be REAL home,” Deana said. “I need to start looking into credential programs, I don’t want to lose momentum.”

“If that’s what you want, we’ll make it happen. Just curious, what do you plan to do once we get pregnant? I mean, we’re wanting to start trying, right? Won’t that cut into things?”

“I guess we’ll play it by ear.  I mean, given our unique situation, I’d be able to stay at home with our kids. Maybe we can put this off for a while, but I do want to sub. I miss being in the classroom, and that way I’d be getting paid.”

“That’s up to you, you know I’ll pay for…”

“I know,” she interrupted. “I’ve never imagined myself being a kept woman. I might enjoy the idea of being a stay at home mom, but I want to have some financial independence.  I don’t want to have to rely on you to give me money so I can do this or that.”

“You make it sound like I’d have you trapped here, a prisoner instead of a partner.”

“I didn’t mean it that way, I’m sorry. I just want money of my own. I fully expect there to be a prenup written up before the wedding.”

“Why on EARTH would I do that?!” he asked. 

“Because it’s what happens when…”

“…when you expect that it might fail.”  Now it was his turn to interrupt.  “What if both people think it’s going to last forever?”

“I’d say it’s romantic, but not pragmatic. Marriage is hard, then you throw in kids.  Trust me, I’m in this for the long haul, but what IF something happens that things don’t work out?  What if something happens with one of our parents, and the stress of the situation gets to one of us?  What if we can’t have kids, and you resent me, or I resent you?”

“We support each other.  Those situations wouldn’t change anything, those are the times we’d need each other MORE, hopefully grow closer together, not farther apart.  You’ve never been after my money, so why would I make you sign a prenup as if I don’t trust you?”

“To protect yourself in case something happens.”

“I’m more worried that you think our marriage is gonna fall apart than that you’d get my money…”

“I don’t think it is, I just want to protect you.”

“From WHAT?!”

“I… I don’t know.”

“There are plenty of couples that didn’t sign prenups.  Yeah, some split, but I feel this is the real deal, Deana.  Don’t you?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Then why plan for something that may never happen?  The money means nothing compared to the heartbreak I can only imagine I’d go through if things didn’t work out.”

“I’d be heartbroken, too.  I’d never imagined a life with you in it beyond giving you your drinks at Starbucks.  Now, I can’t imagine a life without you in it.  I don’t want to.”

“Can I tell you something?” Justin asked.  Deana nodded.  “If we hadn’t met at karaoke, there’s still a chance we’d be together.  You had always been so sweet to me, never treating me like a celebrity, just a regular person.  You asked me how things were going, you gave me that pickle juice tip to try and help my throat.  A tip, by the way, I fully plan on trying again when it’s not my vocal chords.  That’s just the kind of person you are.  I was starting to have mixed feelings, liking you, but not knowing I was already in love with you.  I guess how you felt with me.  I felt bad for having feelings for two women, who happened to be the same wonderful, amazing woman.”  He took his hand in hers, lacing his fingers between hers.  “I love you, all of you.”

“I love you, too.”

“I’m gonna head into the studio, there’s some phone calls I need to make.”

“Always working,” she sighed.

“Always up to something, that’s for sure,” he laughed.

...

The next afternoon, a cold snap hit.  It went from being in the 60s to near freezing during the daylight hours.  “We aren’t going anywhere the next few days, are we?” Deana asked.

“Actually, I was kinda thinking of a little date night tonight.  Is that ok?” Justin asked nervously.

“That’s fine, it’s just gonna be cold.”

“We’ll manage, I’m sure,” he smiled.  “I’m always ready to hold you and keep you warm.”

“Is that an invite to snuggle on the couch? If so, I accept.”

“Well, who am I to say no to a beautiful woman?”

“As long as that woman is me…”

“Always.”

They sat together for a while, just enjoying being together.  They watched TV, enjoying a quiet afternoon at home.

“What should I wear for this date night?” she asked.

“Nothing fancy, something low key.”

“With you, things are never low key, so you know.”

“You say that, and yet…”

“Can I dress up a little?  My black sweater, like the cream one?  I’d wear the cream one, but I don’t know where we’re going to dinner, and don’t want to risk staining it.”

“The black sweater is fine.  Does it still fit, given how much weight you’ve lost?”

“I guess we’ll just have to find out.”

She walked into the bedroom, Justin following close behind.

“You gonna watch me get ready?” she asked.

“I’d like to, yeah,” he smiled.

She peeled the shirt she was wearing off of her body, showing Justin the lacy bra she had on underneath.

“Are you starting the long game, here, babe?” he asked.

“No, I just felt like being cute.”

“No arguments here, either way.”

She grabbed the sweater from inside the closet.  She slowly put it on, afraid of how it would fit.

Justin smiled.  “Perfect.  You look amazing, baby.”  The sweater was paired with the dark wash jeans she already had on.

“You have to say that…”

“No, I GET to say that.”

She did her hair, adding a little product to enhance her curls, doing a neutral eye, wearing the jewelry Justin had bought her long ago.

He smiled at her.  “Ready to go?”

“How are we traveling tonight?”

“I figured we could walk, we’d just need jackets.”

“Then let’s grab jackets and head out.”

“You want your jean jacket?” Justin asked.

“I’m already walking with you, I feel like that would just be overkill.”

They grabbed jackets and headed downstairs, enjoying the cover of dark to give them some added privacy.  Deana smiled as she recognized where they were going.  “Feeling like a little Chinese tonight, are we?”

“Just a bit.  It’s my favorite place, it led me to you.”

They went inside, the owners glad to see him again.  They ordered, Deana telling Justin about wedding planning stuff with Danielle, how her parents were “suddenly contacted about an inheritance from a relative”, and the money went into their wedding fund.  They both knew that wasn’t the truth, but if Danielle didn’t question it, they weren’t going to worry about it.

They finished their meal, heading back out into the cold.  “I thought maybe since it’s Tuesday, you’d want to go to karaoke?  You certainly look amazing enough to wow everybody.”

“I mean, I guess since we’re in the area…” she smiled.

Deana was pleased to see Danielle was there, seeing her friends she’d made there over the years.  She had missed going, singing songs that weren’t Frozen over and over.

“Alright, tonight is another Disney night ladies and gentlemen, so let’s see what you can come up with,” the DJ said over the PA.  

“Well, I know one song I won’t be singing this time around,” Deana laughed.  “I definitely want to say I’m in love now.”

Deana grabbed one of the song books, looking through the Disney songs he had available.  Deana put in her slip, Danielle putting one in as well.  They sat down, Danielle giving Justin a slight head nod.  

Justin went to get drinks, leaving the girls alone.  “So I told Justin he should get a prenup…”

“You did WHAT?!  Why?”

“To protect him in case anything happened.  It was stupid, but I thought it might be a more pragmatic move.”

“Does he want one?”

“No.  He actually got really upset.  We worked things out, but I still worry.  I don’t need his money, so if something were to happen, I don’t want to look like I’d tricked him into not getting a prenup and taking this big chunk.”

“Really?  I thought we were done talking about this…” Justin sighed, overhearing the conversation.

“I’m sorry, and it’s really no one else’s business.”  Deana hung her head.

“Hey, tonight is supposed to be fun,” he smiled, lifting her chin up.  

It was soon Deana’s turn, she took the stage and sang “Candle on the Water” again, this time making sure to look at Justin the whole time.  

“Deana, don’t go anywhere, you have a duet up next,” the DJ said.  She stayed on stage, expecting to see Danielle come up.  Instead, she saw Justin walking towards the booth to get a mic.  

“I thought given our last week, and the weather outside, this song would be appropriate,” Justin said softly before the song started.  

Deana saw the title of the song flash on the screen before the music started.  She smiled.  

Okay, can I just, say something crazy?

I love crazy!

All my life has been a series of doors in my face, and then suddenly I bump into you

They continued to sing, it just feeling so natural after all the times they watched the movie and sang to the soundtrack with the girls.  So much so that she didn't pay much attention to the end of the song.

Justin said, Can I say something crazy? Will you marry me?

Deana replied, Can I say something even crazier? Yes!

She went to look at him, but his face was out of view.  As the crowd started to cheer, she looked down, and understood why.