Sorry, but I’m not ready to live together just yet…
James thought that Lucy was just as in love with him as he was with her, so he was quite surprised by her response to his suggestion of moving in together.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not ready to live together yet!” she exclaimed.
“But why not?” he asked.
“I don’t know. We’ve only been dating for six months. I think it’s too soon…”
“Too soon? Darling, I think it’s the perfect time. We’ll live together, get to know each other better, and who knows, maybe we’ll take the next step.”
“James, this isn’t a video game, this is real life. And in my life right now, there’s no room for cohabitation, but that doesn’t mean I don’t value our relationship. I just like things the way they are.”
“But I want more! I want to wake up with you every morning. I want to fall asleep together! Don’t you want that too?”
“We do that already. Twice a week, remember? Isn’t that enough?”
“It’s not enough for me!”
“Well, if you love me, you’ll just have to wait a bit.”
“I can wait if you give me a reason! Why don’t you want to? Explain it to me! Is it that difficult?”
Lucy thought for a moment, then smiled at him, deciding to discuss the matter more thoroughly.
“James, let’s be honest. What does living together mean to you?”
“I already told you: going to sleep and waking up together!”
“And in between?”
“In what sense?” he asked, confused.
“A day has twenty-four hours, remember? You’re only talking about night and early morning, but what about the rest of the time?”
“But the rest of the time we’re mostly at work! Isn’t that right?”
“Not always. For instance, we’ll be having dinner or breakfast together, won’t we?”
“I hope so!”
“And who will be cooking?”
“You can’t cook, can you?” James guessed, although he’d tasted her cooking plenty of times.
“I can cook!”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Who will be cooking? You or me?”
“Well, you, sometimes, and me on other occasions. Why are you so worried about this?”
“Because, James, I don’t want to turn my life into a monotonous routine, like many of my friends! I don’t want to get up early to make breakfast for someone. I don’t want to rush from work, shop for groceries, drag them home, and then spend two hours cooking dinner!”
“But you sometimes cook when you stay over, don’t you? I thought you enjoyed it…”
James looked a bit frustrated. Was his girlfriend just lazy?
“I love cooking, but I’m not ready to do it every day. I like coming home, quickly making a salad, and that’s it. I enjoy seeing you twice a week, sometimes more. That’s enough for me! Maybe one day, I’ll want more, but not now.”
“You just don’t love me!” James concluded.
“Oh, come on…”
“What? Isn’t it true? When a woman loves someone, she’s ready to do anything for them!”
“And what about the man? Is he ready to do anything for his beloved?”
“Of course!”
“Alright, then let’s live together, BUT – all household duties are split. Everyone cleans up after themselves, we take turns cooking, and we do our own laundry. How does that sound?”
“But I’m not a great cook. You said it yourself!”
“Well, it’ll be a good reason to learn. You can’t eat pizza and burgers all the time. I can help with the cooking lessons!”
“I just don’t get it; is it that complicated? Then why isn’t it hard for others? Are you special or something?” James pressed on.
“Well, if you want to think that way, fine! I’m special. I don’t want to sacrifice my personal life at the altar of love. Not right now. I’m only twenty-three. I want to enjoy my freedom!”
“Oh, I see! You’ve got someone else!” James jumped to another unexpected conclusion.
“And why would I need that?” Lucy didn’t understand.
“Well, if you don’t want to live with me, then he must mean more to you!”
“Your imaginary man means more to me?” she chuckled.
“Your imaginary guy! Why would you make something like that up for me!”
“Oh, so you don’t need men, so you decided to make one up for me, right?”
“You’ve got me all confused!” he almost shouted.
“Because you’re talking nonsense! There’s no one else! Sometimes even you are too much, which is why I don’t want to live together! I love my solitude and I’m not ready to give it up. Not now!”
“How can you love being alone when you’re in a relationship?” James was surprised.
“Very easily. Aren’t there things you like doing when no one’s home?”
“For example?”
“I don’t know: reading a book, watching a series, taking a bath, browsing social media, trying on clothes from the wardrobe, dancing in the dark!”
“Guys don’t do that!” he retorted.
“But girls do! And I love it! I’m not ready to give up the simple joys of my single life just yet!”
“But there are plenty of perks to living together too!” James tried to convince her.
“Like what?”
“Falling asleep and waking up together!” he started his argument again.
“James, did you know you snore like a tractor?”
“What? You never told me! And no one else complained!”
“Well, I can’t speak for others, but after Leo accidentally hit your nose at the barbecue a couple of months ago, you started snoring terribly. And by the way, I did tell you! I can put up with it a couple of nights a week, but not every day! I also need to get some sleep sometimes.”
“You don’t sleep well next to me?”
“Only during the rare moments when I manage to fall asleep before you do!”
“But you usually go to bed later…”
“Exactly!”
“So, I snore, I don’t cook well, I’m not fit for cohabitation?”
“And as it turns out, you’re a bit of a bore!” she couldn’t hold back.
“Why am I a bore!?”
“You’ve been trying for half an hour to convince me to do something I fundamentally don’t want to do. What else is that if not tedious?”
“Lucy, I actually wanted to marry you! That’s why I suggested living together!” he said, hurt.
“And did I ever say I wanted to get married?” she asked, giving him a sad smile.
“You don’t want to? All girls want to get married!”
“Apparently not all…”
“Or you don’t want to marry me?” he figured out.
“I generally don’t want to, but just to put it your way, what can you offer your future wife? Falling asleep and waking up together?”
“Are you saying I’m nothing? That I’m incapable?”
“You’re almost thirty. You work for £1,500 a month, you live in your uncle’s rundown flat just to avoid paying rent, you buy clothes at discount stores. You don’t even want to get a car because it needs maintenance!”
“Listening to you, it sounds like I’m quite the catch! Then why did you date me at all?”
Lucy shrugged her shoulders.
“You’re handsome, well-built, funny, and a great lover.”
“For health?”
“And for the soul!”
“But we’re not going to have a family!”
“Not until you grow up, definitely not!”
“Fine! Then my proposal is off the table! And you know what, I’ll tell you more! We’re breaking up!”
“Seriously?” Lucy asked sarcastically. “I thought you’d never offer! So, see you?” she said, waving her hand, reminding him that he was arguing in her flat.
“See you!” he declared proudly, pulling on his trousers. “Actually, goodbye!”
“So long then!” she said with a smile and threw him his shirt.
James left, while Lucy put on some music, turned off the lights, and started dancing. It always helped to calm her nerves and restore her positive mood. She knew that sooner or later he’d be back, but would she let him in again? That was the question.
