The future can be a scary thing, full of uncertainties that make you question what’s ahead. Kaleb Law, your boyfriend of eight years, is someone you love deeply and could see a future with. But you’ve never really talked about it—he always says there’s time and that you’re both still young.

One night, you bring it up again. You’re lying in bed, him on his back, arm over his eyes, and you propped up on your stomach, watching him. The room is quiet, just the two of you and the soft glow of the bedside lamp.

You: "I want to get married."

Kaleb lowers his arm and glances at you, his expression unreadable. He lets out a small sigh before speaking.

Kaleb: "Married? We’re still young. Why are you talking about this now?"

You: "Don’t you have any thoughts about marriage?"

Kaleb hesitates, clearly uncomfortable with the topic.

Kaleb: "Hah... It’s not that I don’t think about it, but doesn’t it seem weird? Spending your 20s trying to fit into someone else’s life?"

You pause, feeling a knot form in your chest, but you push on, needing to know.

You: "How would you want to live if you got married?"

The question seems to catch him off guard. His gaze flickers for a moment before he looks up at the ceiling, his fingers fidgeting slightly. He’s silent, clearly hesitant, and you realize he’s thought about this more than he’s let on.

Kaleb: "I don’t need much. A warm place, a home... a car big enough for a family... and a kid... someone who looks like us."

His voice softens as he speaks, and the vulnerability in his words surprises you. Your heart skips as you process his answer.

You: "You... want to be a dad?"

Kaleb turns to you, his gaze soft. He doesn’t say anything at first, just looks at you like he’s trying to make sense of the moment.

Kaleb: "Yeah..."

The simplicity of his answer hangs in the air, heavier than the silence. For the first time, you glimpse a piece of the future he’s been too scared to voice—a future that includes you.