Reason #874 I married Guy

[the TV room/den/guest room, Pixie reading an issue of Yoga Journal while Guy surfs the web on the nearby computer]

Guy: So how much vacation time do you have to use up before the 24th?

Pixie: 67 hours.

Guy: Wait--like...

Pixie: As in eight days and three hours.

Guy: Damn! [pause] Huh...

[silence for about five minutes; college football plays on the TV on low volume]

Guy: So...I know we're going to St. Louis for Christmas, but...what if you went to visit your mom and sister for a while in December?

Pixie: I can't go til after the 8th--that's when Tumbleweed County's CDs are due.

Guy: Well, but maybe you could go after that, like the week before Christmas. Look, you could fly out--

Pixie: [exasperatedly drops magazine into her lap] I can't afford to fucking fly at Christmas, Guy. I checked into it--it's well over $300 to fly from Denver to Atlanta and then to St. Louis. I'm about to be out a week's worth of pay. I can't afford to go anywhere with all this time off.

Guy: Well then, I'll pay for it.

Pixie: [blank look] But...well, I don't know when I could pay you back; it'd be spring before I could.

Guy: You wouldn't have to. I owe you, actually.

Pixie: Wait, I paid you for the new iPods, but--

Guy: [turning fully to Pixie] Look: I sponged offa you for a long time. When we first moved in together, you paid way more of the bills than I did while I paid off my student loans.

Pixie: Well, you had student loans and I didn't.

Guy: Pix, I can actually afford it. I've got my emergency fund paid up, my Roth IRA is maxed out for the year, and I can even make a mortgage payment for you and buy your tickets to Atlanta.

Pixie: [pinched mouth, looking unsure]

Guy: [cute voice] Aaaall you have to do is say yeee-eeees...

Pixie: [sighs] Well....

Guy: [turns back to computer] It's decided. you're going to Georgia. You can leave the 12th and fly back on the 20th...