Even knowing what this is and where it's going, Karen still feels her heart skip a beat when he opens the ring box. They may have discussed this already and determined from doing so that they want the same thing, but there's a big difference between talking about it in theory and having it actually happen. This isn't someday; it's now, and they're really doing this. She knows, of course, what her answer is even before he's finished speaking. It doesn't require any real thought. He's right that things just made sense from the start, even if neither of them could have known it at the time, and the life they've built from that, no matter how unconventional, is the one she wants. She can't imagine there being anyone who could fit better with her.

No amount of common sense or certainty or prior discussion could override the emotions that come with something this significant. Her smile widens, her eyes just a little watery, as she nods enthusiastically. "Yes," she says. "Yes, of course I will."