“No. No. No. No. No. Absolutely not!”
Charmaine froze like a statue after her exclamation. Peter wasn’t certain how he should react. In his opinion, she was being unreasonable.
“They have been my friends since college and our friends since our second date.”
“How could I forget. We had a terrific first date, then you brought your entourage to our second outing.”
“Two men hardly constitute an entourage.” Peter decided to offer his view of the situation. “We spent last weekend in Palm Springs, just the two of us. I didn’t golf. I didn’t go to the gym. Just you and I eating, drinking, shopping, lying by the pool and two evening shows. One each Friday and Saturday. You were then and are now the center of my attention.”
“I don’t want you to forget that. I’m your number one.”
Peter broke away from her stare. Charmaine continued, “And your number two and your number three.”
“That’s a little possessive.”
“Where’s that coming from? Your boys?”
“Even if it were, it doesn’t mean that I’m incorrect.”
Charmaine turned away with a huff of a long exhalation.
“On Saturday morning, I will be practicing my golf game with Aaron and Ty. I will be home after lunch to give you my undivided attention.”
“That stupid tournament is not even for another two months.”
“Practice is needed. It’s a big benefit for kids. Several teams of professional athletes are playing.”
“I’m certain they aren’t any good at golf either.”
“You’d be surprised.”
“I’ll just spend the day with my girlfriends. Shopping.”
“Great. That should be fun for you.”
Saturday morning arrived. It was a cool, sunny morning which was perfect for playing golf. Aaron, Ty and Peter walked across the green between the seventh and eighth holes. Aaron looked at Peter.
“What’s the update. How’s the engagement going?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Didn’t you go to Palm Springs last weekend?”
“Yes.”
“How was that?”
Both Aaron and Ty noticed the long pause before Peter answered.
“You guys may have been right.”
They stopped walking while they waited for Peter to finish his thought.
“Charmaine is a bit controlling.”
“Finally,” Ty threw his hands up in the air. “We worried that once you get married, we would never see you again.”
“I’m a little afraid about how she will react if I call off the engagement.”
“Not if,” Aaron stated calmly. “When.”
“It’s great to be out here with both of you on this beautiful Saturday morning,” Peter tried to shift the conversation.
“Will you commit to a timetable?” Ty asked him.
“For?”
“For extricating your life from Charmaine. “
“She’s beautiful. Has her own career. She cares about me in ways that no one ever has.”
Aaron started to walk towards the eighth hole. After a few steps, he said, “Well, I come from a more traditional family. The man is the master of the house. The woman is his helpmate.”
“Really Aaron,” Peter pleaded. “Don’t you think that is a bit medieval?”
“For either person to completely dominate the other? Yes, that is medieval.”
“I haven’t seen you at church, since the two of you moved in together.”
“Well, Ty, my thought was that I am currently considered to be living in sin, so I have not pressed the issue with her until we get married.”
“What church did she attend?”
“She didn’t.”
Each of them took the golf T quietly. Aaron’s ball landed within few feet of the eighth hole. He raised his hand for a high-five. Ty and Peter reciprocated.
“Looks like you’ve been practicing,” Peter observed.
Ty picked up the conversation where they left off. “Your faith has always been important to you. I understand that moving in together before marriage is common. In your case, it might even have saved you from making a big mistake.”
“You think I’d be making a big mistake?”
“No one should control your friendships. A marriage is mutual affirmative growth, not isolation and restraint.”
“I need another week to think about it.”
Aaron reached out to massage Peter’s shoulder with his right hand. “We’re here for you. Whatever you decide.”
Psalm 96:2
Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand.