Chapter 30 Nyree
We were sprawled on my couch, some movie playing that neither of us was watching. Asia was curled against me, her head on my shoulder, my arm wrapped around her. The scent of her perfume filled my senses every time she moved.
On screen, the couple was having one of those movie moments where the music swells and they admit their feelings for each other. I glanced down at Asia and found her already looking up at me, her eyes reflecting the soft glow from the TV.
Before I knew what was happening, we were kissing. Not the quick pecks we'd been sharing since the engagement, but deep, hungry kisses that spoke of something more. She shifted in my arms, turning to face me, her body pressing against mine.
“I can’t wait til you’re my wife,” I breathed.
“Me either,” was her soft response.
We were kissing again, more urgently now. Her hands slid under my shirt, her touch electric against my skin. I guided her down until she was lying beneath me on the couch, her hair fanned out across the cushion.
Everything about her drove me wild—the soft sounds she made when I kissed her neck, the way her body fit perfectly against mine, the look in her eyes that told me she wanted this as much as I did.
As things heated up between us, a thought crystallized in my mind with sudden clarity. I pulled back, looking down at her flushed face.
"Fuck it, let's take it to the courthouse."
Asia blinked, her lips parted in surprise. "The courthouse?"
"Yeah," I said, feeling more certain with each passing second. "If we gonna be going all the way, we might as well make things official."
My mom's voice echoed in the back of my head—Have a long engagement. Take your time—but I pushed it away. This felt right. Asia was the one. I knew it with every fiber of my being.
Besides, I needed to set myself apart from her ex. Quan had strung her along without committing. I wasn't going to be that guy. When I made a promise, I kept it.
"Okay," Asia said in a small voice, and I realized I'd been so caught up in my own thoughts I'd almost forgotten she was lying underneath me, waiting for more of an explanation.
"You sure?" I asked, searching her face.
She nodded, a smile spreading slowly across her lips. "Yeah. I'm sure."
I kissed her again, gentler this time. "Tomorrow morning. We'll go get the license."
"Tomorrow," she agreed, pulling my head down toward her face for a kiss.
Later that night, as Asia slept beside me in my bed, I stared at the ceiling, thinking about what we were about to do. Marriage. The real deal. No big wedding, no waiting around, just making it official as soon as possible.
Sometimes you just knew. My grandparents had gotten married weeks after dating, and they'd been happy for sixty years before my grandfather passed. Sometimes when it's right, it's right.
I turned my head to look at Asia, her face peaceful in sleep. She was everything I hadn't known I was looking for. Smart, ambitious, beautiful, kind. She pushed me to be better, to want more for myself. How could I not want to lock that down?
***
Morning came quickly. We woke early, showered, and dressed with nervous excitement. Asia wore a simple peach-colored dress that made my heart skip a beat when I saw her.
"You look beautiful," I told her.
"It's just for getting the license," she said, smoothing down the fabric. "Not the actual ceremony."
I kissed her forehead, then grabbed my keys. "Ready?"
The drive to the courthouse was quiet, both of us lost in our own thoughts. I kept glancing at Asia, trying to read her expression. Was she having second thoughts?
"You good?" I asked as we pulled into the parking lot.
She turned to me with a smile that chased away my doubts. "I'm good. Just taking it all in."
We walked into the courthouse hand in hand, following the signs to the marriage license office. The space was bright and professional looking, with several counters and a waiting area where a few other couples sat.
We approached the desk, where a middle-aged woman greeted us.
"How can I help you today?"
"We're here to apply for a marriage license," I said, unable to keep the smile from my face.
"Okay. Do you both have your IDs, birth certificates, and social security cards?"
Asia squeezed my hand. We had gone over the requirements last night, making sure we had everything we needed.
"Yes, we do," she answered, reaching into her purse.
We handed over our documents, then took the clipboard with the application form to fill out while the clerk made copies.
Name, address, date of birth, parents' names... the form was straightforward but seeing our information side by side made everything feel more real.
"Have you been married before?" the clerk asked when we returned the completed form.
"No," we both answered in unison.
"And have you completed premarital education?"
We looked at each other. "No," I admitted.
"That's optional," she explained. "But it reduces the license fee and waives the waiting period."
"We haven't done that," Asia said.
"Alright then. The license fee is $56, and there's a three-day waiting period before you can have the ceremony."
I pulled out my wallet to pay, but Asia already had her card out. "I got this," she said with a smile.
“Negative,” I replied, and quickly handed the clerk my card before Asia could protest.
The clerk processed our payment and printed the license application. "You'll need to review this for accuracy and then both sign."
We went through the document, then signed our names at the bottom.
"Your license will be valid for six months," the clerk explained as she handed us a receipt and information sheet. "You can pick it up in three business days, and then you'll have six months to have the ceremony and return the completed certificate."
"Thank you," Asia said, placing the papers in her purse.
We walked out of the courthouse into the bright morning sunlight, a strange mixture of excitement and solemnity between us.
"So, three days," I said.
"Three days," she repeated. "Then we can make it official."