She chuckled.
Just then, the phone rang again. His voice on the other end was surprisingly gentle: "Silly girl, I can give you the time you need, but you must stay in touch with me every day so I know you're safe."
She obediently nodded, "Alright."
"When you come back, you must tell me in advance so I can pick you up."
She hesitated slightly, then compromised, "Okay, I'll let you know as soon as I'm done with things here."
"You promise to let me pick you up?"
She confidently retorted, "You didn't even attend the graduation ceremony, so you better make it up to me. Do you think I'm going to marry you no matter what? You big brute, let me tell you, it's not like you're the only man in the world who has that thing..."
"..."
"Hmph, you picking me up gives me face. Otherwise, if I slink back alone, I'll be under your thumb for life... If it really comes to that, don't be surprised if one day I up and leave, and you'll never find me again..."
"Silly girl, don't scare me."
