Another tiny flash fiction about the Current Thing. Being who I am, this bend of the story was kind of inevitable.

Not quite “martial law,” but under a declaration of emergency, Charli and Amelia still had time to walk to Hyde Park and sit on a blanket.  For the season, it was unusually warm, so he was in short sleeves and she similar with a gray skirt.  He’d picked some fish and chips as takeaway on the tube ride there.

He looked about.  “Lots more people out than I would have thought,” he said.

“Most of the rioting is going on in a different part of town,” his girlfriend smiled at him.  Her eyes twinkled under her bobbed, purple hair.  He noticed she had added a tiny gold cross to her black choker.  Odd that, we’ve never been to church.  “Once the evacuations are complete, housing prices should come way down.  Let me have some of your water, please.”

Given all the other fluids between them since their first date, a water bottle was nothing.  He passed it to her.

“How do you do that?” Charli asked, genuinely curious about the girl who so fascinated him.  “We’re in a slow-motion civil war right now, and you’re thinking of property values.”

For just a moment, her brows knitted.  “I think about quite a lot, Boyfriend.”  They relaxed.  “And I like to think about you.  And us.”

He knew only a tithe of her political connexions but was still flattered that they had ended up the center of one another’s world.  “Speaking of,” he said, reaching into the left pocket of his slacks, producing a small box.  “Here.”

For once, he was absurdly pleased to see Amelia caught unawares.  Her hand shook.

“Is…this…?”

Charli waited.  She opened it.

“I’m still a kid in junior college, so it’s not much…murphl!” Her lips were pressed to his.  Hands on her shoulders, he leaned her back.  This was a time to be serious.

“Amelia?  Will you be my wife?” he nearly intoned.

Crying, she took a shuddering breath.  “I shall love, honor, obey.  I am so; as I live and die, I am so.”

Taking the box back, he took out the little ring and slid it onto her finger.  All they could do was stare at one another and grin.

“Now what?” Charli asked.  “I guess you’ll want some big wedding…”

“No.”  Amelia batted her eyes at him.  She briefly lifted the hem of her skirt.  No panties.  “I just want you.  Let’s have ten kids and renew this Island.  Our home!”

“Starting out here?” he laughed.

“Finish your lunch.  We’re going to be busy the rest of the day, Husband!”