Chapter 5

Mr. Knowles stood up and said, “Here is to Ricky Summers, Google’s newest executive assistant – Cheers!”

Everyone picked up whatever they were drinking, and raised their glasses as well.

Mr. Knowles hadn’t expected me to, but I got up holding my glass of water and said, “Thank you to all of you for being here tonight. My first job is amazing, I can only hope that you all have what I have, a good job, and someone good looking to care about – Cheers!”

Everyone picked up their glasses again and had a drink. I looked over and saw Becky blushing, so I sat down and gave her a kiss, on the mouth.

“Whoa there, Ricky?” Mr. Knowles said.

“Go ahead, Ricky – he’s all talk,” said Norah.

“But, he’s my boss as well,” I replied, causing the whole bunch of them to laugh.

A waiter came up and took our orders; Becky and I ordered an Australian Lobster Tail to share. After the waiter left, we went into five or six separate conversations, the whole while Becky and I were holding hands and constantly looking at one another.

I leaned over and whispered to her, “If we got married, can you imagine this group at a wedding?”

“RICKY,” she blurted. “What a thing to say?”

This got my sisters ear, “What did he say, Becky – it must have been good.”

The other conversations had all halted at Tiffany’s question.

Becky looked at me and said, “Tell them, or I will?”

“I know that look, Ricky,” her sister Jennifer said.

“I would just ... I mentioned ... that if we got married ... this group would be a loud bunch at the wedding,” I relented.

My dad chuckled as her dad said, “While I approve of you as her boyfriend, let’s hold off on the marriage talk for a couple of years, OK?”

“Yes sir, Mr. Knowles. I was comparing a Yahoo search to a Google search a while back, and found out that, with a consent form, you can get married in Nebraska at seventeen years old.”

Becky said, “You did. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to make you any more nervous than we both are right now, Bec,” I said.

Our food arrived, mercifully. Mr. Knowles gave me a look, but smiled and started into his Broiled Salmon Steak. Everybody’s food looked and smelled wonderful. Becky and I were enjoying our dinner, with her feeding me bits of Lobster Tail, and I was delighting in the moment.

With the amount of money, I am going to be making, we can come here often, although we will need a ride.

“Dad, do I need a permit to drive a scooter?” I asked.

“Actually Ricky, a moped is the way to go,” he responded, “but you’ll still need to show proficiency, as well as have insurance and a helmet. I understand that Apple, also in California, gets all its employees a moped for getting around. Isn’t that right, Edward?” my dad said.

“You’re absolutely correct, Russell! The moment Ricky shows proficiency and has a helmet and insurance, Google will gladly purchase for him a top-of-the-line Moped, along with a second helmet, for my little girl.”

They got up and shook on it. Dad knows his way around a negotiation. Way to go, Pop!

The food was so good and at the end of the evening, I glanced at the bill when it arrived. Oh my gosh! Let’s just say that neither dad would have wanted to cover that bill with his personal credit card.

Since we wouldn’t see each other until the next day, while we were waiting for our valeted cars, I pulled Becky over so we could talk.

“I’m sorry I embarrassed you when I talked about our wedding,” I said.

“Our wedding -- you really think we will be married to each other?” she said, with the cutest smile forming on her mouth.

“Oh yeah, Becky, I have got it really bad for you, and I hope, right here at this restaurant in three years, that I can ask you to marry me,” I said.

“That sounds like a promise, so maybe we should get each other promise rings,” she said.

“Just as soon as I can,” I said.

We each got in our parents’ cars and headed home. I was sitting with my sister next to me who asked, “You sure have a goofy look on your face, little brother – what’s going on?”

“Can you take me to Jared’s in the Mall tomorrow?” I asked in a very quiet tone.

“Why?” she said, with a quirky smile on her face.

“I want to get my girl a ‘Promise Ring,’ OK?”

“Aren’t you the romantic one?” she said, with a tear dropping from her eye, onto her cheek.

“Yeah, I’m in love!” I said, wiping the tear away for her.

While still on the way home, I texted Becky, “Goodnight, I miss you already.”

She sent me back, “So do I,” as we pulled up to our house.

Less than a month later on a Friday after work, I showed Mr. Knowles my proficiency, and that I was insurable. He presented me with the keys to a brand new 300cc Aeolus Mainstreet Moped Scooter. I didn’t know they made them so powerful, but it had a windshield and was very cool. It was blue, a real pretty blue. Becky was there to see me get it.

She ran to me and we hugged one another, until her father cleared his throat.

I had her promise ring in my pocket ready for just the right time to give it to her.

“Can I take her home, Sir?” I asked.

“Ricky, be careful – that’s my little girl,” he said.

“Yes, Sir – She’s my one and only. I will have her call you the moment we get back to your place. I have a map in my head, it’s only 7.82 miles to your front door,” I said putting on my helmet. I helped Becky get hers on, and I fired it up. We waved goodbye and she wrapped her arms around me, laying her head on my back. We got home to her place in just under twenty minutes. I didn’t drive it very fast. Norah invited me in.