“Hailey,” Grant said, looking into her eyes, “I got an offer from Harvard.”
“You did?” Hailey gulped.
“Yeah,” Grant frowned.
“Wow,” Hailey nodded. “That’s wonderful…I mean, I had no doubt, but…congratulations!”
“I don’t think I’m going,” Grant shook his head.
“You’re not?” Hailey replied.
“No,” Grant smiled. “When you’re in love with someone, proximity is a good thing, and being close to you is more important to me than where I go to school. And, trust me, that’s not easy for me to say because I’m not convinced that’s the way it should be…but it’s how I feel. I don’t have to go to Harvard.”
“I do,” Hailey nodded confidently.
“What?” Grant replied, stunned.
“Not Harvard,” Hailey said softly, “but there are other schools in Boston, right?”
“Yeah,” Grant gulped, “I mean there’s Boston College, Boston University, Emerson…” He paused. “You’re really willing to move to Boston with me?”
Hailey felt a peace fall over her. “Yeah,” she said confidently. “I’ll follow you anywhere.”
Grant grabbed Hailey, pulling her on top of him. “I love you,” he said as his lips moved quickly to hers. He stopped short of kissing her. “So if we don’t get married until after undergrad/law school…we’re talking like another five or six years before we can…?”
“Really?” Hailey exhaled. “That’s what you got out of that conversation?”
“I’m just trying to make a plan,” Grant smiled.
Hailey smiled as she kissed him.
“I never dreamed my life would turn into such an adventure,” Hailey said excitedly. “I’m excited about Boston! I’m excited about seeing where life takes us next…”
“I’m thinking we should take the short route to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,” Grant declared with a grin.
Hailey fell back in the snow. “Pennsylvania?” she pondered. “I’ve never heard you mention Pennsylvania…”
“It’s a nice place,” Grant nodded. “Philadelphia…Independence Hall, 1776, the signing of the Declaration of Independence…the City of Brotherly Love and all that jazz…”
Hailey wrinkled her nose. “Is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Philadelphia?”
“No,” Grant answered simply.
“Is it a house?” Hailey asked. “Does someone live there?”
“Well, George and Laura bunk there now, but they don’t own the place,” Grant shrugged.
There was a long pause. “George and Laura…that sounds so familiar…wait a minute…are you talking about President Bush?” Hailey’s nose wrinkled again. “Let me guess,” she nodded, piecing the puzzle together. “Pennsylvania Avenue isn’t even in Pennsylvania is it?”
“Not the one to which I was referring,” Grant shook his head.
“It’s in Washington D.C.?” Hailey nodded.
“Yup,” Grant said easily.
Hailey smiled. “You know, you could have saved us a lot of time if you had just said that to begin with.”
Grant shrugged. “That’s just not how I roll.”
Hailey rolled her eyes as she gently kissed Grant’s lips.
“Remember how you told me that you have always dreamed of living in a white house?” Grant asked.
“Yeah,” Hailey beamed.
“How would the White House strike you?” Grant smiled.
“Why, Mr. President,” Hailey giggled, “are you asking me to marry you?”
“Well, I don’t have a ring or anything,” Grant shrugged, “but if I get a ring and ask your daddy for permission and get down on one knee and ask you for real in about six years, do you think you’d like to be my First Lady?”
“First and only,” Hailey’s cheeks glowed in the cold night air. “Just promise me that you’ll ask.”
“I promise,” Grant nodded.
“Pinki swear,” Hailey held up her pinki finger, and Grant wrapped his around it.
“Pinki swear,” he repeated.
