Sylvia downshifted as ze pulled off of I-71 and onto the expressway leading to the suburbs outside of Cleveland as Dakota stared out the window watching the landscape rapidly become less and less green. Some folk song neither one of them knew played softly from the radio and filled the otherwise silent car with just enough noise to prevent the quiet from being awkward. After a few minutes on the local expressway, Sylvia broke the silence.

“Look, honey, I’m sorry but I still can’t wrap my head around this. Your parents actually moved to Cleveland willingly?”

Dakota looked over at Sylvia and rolled her eyes as she let out a small laugh. “Yes, they did. Not only did they choose to move to Cleveland, but they’re very happy there. I don’t know why you’re having such a hard time believing that.”

“Because it’s Cleveland!”

“What exactly is so terrible about Cleveland that you can’t believe anyone would move there of their own volition?”

“It’s a dying town! Ever since most of the union shops shut down there’s no work and nothing to do. Every person I’ve met from Cleveland spent all of their time saving up to get out of Cleveland, so I’m just having trouble believing someone would willingly move there, let alone choose to retire there.”

“Well, my parents chose it. Said they wanted to be in a big city that they could afford on their pensions. Besides that, you know a lot of people feel the same way about Eastern Kentucky.”

Sylvia glanced over at Dakota with an indignant look on hir face, barely able to believe hir ears, before quickly returning hir eyes to the road. “First of all, uncalled for. Second of all, say what you will about the Eastern Kentucky job market with the coal drying up but at least it’s pretty down there. Beautiful country all over, while all Cleveland has is gray, black, and tan buildings.”

“There’s parks! I think.”

“The fact that you have to put an ‘I think’ on that sentence just proves my point.”

“Look, I grew up in Covington, not Cleveland! I’m sure they must have at least one decent park in the whole city. I just wouldn’t know since I’ve only been once and I was twenty at the time.”

“Yeah, but would you rather live near a single park or surrounded by nature? I know my choice.”

“I’m not saying I disagree, I’m just saying that green space wasn’t even on my parents list of priorities. Dad just wanted to be near the railroad so he could still see his old work buddies on occasion and mom wanted to be in the tri-state. Cleveland was the best option for them.”

“Well, it’s still Cleveland though so that puts it down several points in my book. They got shitty football, shitty baseball, and shitty basketball. The only thing they’ve got going for them is that mayor they got. He’s not too bad.”

Dakota snapped and pointed at Sylvia as she spoke back up. “That reminds me, no politics or union talk at the dinner table. I do not want to have to deal with you and dad arguing over labor militancy and whether or not the Teamsters are doing enough at Amazon.”

Sylvia lifted hir right hand from the stick as if ze was taking an oath as ze responded. “Alright, I promise I won’t bring it up.” Ze brought it back down onto the stick as she continued. “What am I supposed to do if he asks me a question though? I know for a fact you’ve mentioned the drive at work, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he brings that up at some point.”

Dakota sighed as she thought of what she wanted Sylvia to do. “Just… just answer his questions, but don’t let him suck you into a big discussion over it. I just don’t want you to meet my parents for the first time and immediately get involved in a big fight. I know that they’ll like you, but I just want this to go perfectly. We can save the arguing for the holidays like everyone else.”

Sylvia chuckled at Dakota. “You’re used to fighting around the holidays then, I assume?”

Dakota nodded, although Sylvia didn’t see it as ze was watching the road. “Oh yeah, it’s not a Passover or Thanksgiving without at least one argument.”

 “You would have loved my family at Easter then. I swear, me and my mother could be heard screaming up and down the block at each other over every little thing. She used to wear these God awful hats every year, I swear you would have thought it was Derby Day the way she fussed over them. Then of course, you had my dad who wanted nothing to do with it all since mom always took us to Mass and he was a Baptist. I think we got a noise complaint for three years running when I was around ten.”

Dakota shook her head in disbelief at Sylvia’s family. “Jeez, and I thought we were bad arguing over whether or not we actually had to eat matzo for all eight days while you had the troubles on repeat every damn weekend. I guess that explains why I haven’t met your family though.”

Sylvia shrugged. “Eh, I mean they wouldn’t dare pull that kinda shit in front of you. Put on the best behavior in front of guests and all that, you know?” 

Dakota nodded again as she quietly said “Yeah.”

“The big reason you haven’t met them is because my mom is still convinced that if she’s passive aggressive enough she’ll somehow turn me into the good little Catholic boy she always wanted. If she’d quit just trying to convert me, I’d introduce you to her. Dad’s better, unless he’s been on another ancient aliens bender, then all bets are off. Which exit is it, this one or the next?”

Dakota quickly refocused to rake her foggy memories of her trip four years ago. “Next one, I’m like ninety percent sure.”

“Okay, I have to get over then.” Sylvia glanced over hir shoulder as ze turned on hir blinker and quickly merged right. Ze turned the car into the exit and began to slow down as ze turned onto the residential street.

Dakota began to motion as she gave Sylvia the last directions to get to her parents house. “Two lights up, take the right onto Fifth Street and then their house should be the third on the right.” Sylvia nodded at Dakota as ze downshifted into second gear.

“God, six hours on the road, I am beyond ready to eat and sit in a comfortable chair. Now, you’re sure that your parents are okay with us staying the whole weekend? I don’t want to impose, especially on the first visit.”

“Believe me, they insisted. Said they were happy to host us for the weekend and show us around town.”

Sylvia switched the blinker on again as ze turned right onto Fifth Street. “Good, because I do not have it in me to drive all night tomorrow.”

The car scraped slightly on the concrete as Sylvia pulled into the driveway and parked the car, the emergency brake letting out a groan as ze activated it. The light was just starting to fade as the sun continued setting, dusk rapidly leaving as night set in. As Sylvia unbuckled hir seat belt and got ready to head into the house, Dakota opened the glovebox and cleared her throat.

“Hey, before we head in I’ve got something for you.”

“What is it?” Sylvia asked as ze looked up to find Dakota holding a small gray box in between their seats. Ze stared at Dakota in a mixture of disbelief, shock, and excitement. Ze swallowed before ze spoke, trying to find hir voice. “Is - is that what I think it is?”

A small grin appeared on Dakota’s face. “If it is, would you say yes?”

“Will you answer a question for me before I answer yours?”

“Of course.”

“When?”

Dakota’s head tilted slightly as she processed the question, clearly not having expected that to be what Sylvia asked. “When did I get it or when did I decide that I would eventually give one to you?”

“How about both?”

“Three weeks ago and January sixth, 2019.”

Now it was Sylvia’s turn to tilt hir head, unexpected answers seeming to be the theme of the night. “God, we had only been dating for, what, four months then? Had we even slept in the same bed yet?”

“That was actually the third night we slept in the same bed. As I was just lying there trying to get to sleep, I was the happiest I had ever been and knew I wanted to be that happy for the rest of my life.”

“Oh my God.” Sylvia nervously swallowed once again, hir fear visible in hir eyes as ze spoke. “Do… do you still feel that way with everything I’ve been feeling and dealing with lately?”

Dakota nodded. “Absolutely. If anything, seeing you happier has only made me love you more. I love you Sylvia, no matter how you dress or feel about your body or gender. The only thing that could make me stop loving you was if you asked me to. Now, it’s your turn. So, what do you say Sylvia Riley? You want to marry me?”

Sylvia nodded as fast as hir neck would let hir. “Yes. A thousand times, yes.”

A smile appeared on both of their faces as Dakota opened the box to reveal a silver ring with a small green stone in the center. Dakota took the ring out of the box and placed it on Sylvia’s left ring finger as she spoke. “I know you don’t really like diamonds, so I had the jeweler use peridot instead since it’s your birthstone. Do you like it?”

Sylvia looked up from examining the ring in what little light there still was with tears prickling in hir eyes. “I love it, but not nearly as much as I love you Dakota.”

“I love you too Sylvia. C’mon, let’s go inside, get some food and relax. You can show that ring off to my mom too, since I know she’ll be eager to see it.”

Sylvia nodded and turned to get out of the car before quickly turning back to give Dakota a quick kiss. Holding hands, they walked up to the door and waited to be let in smiling at each other as they waited.