Enigma

by Leslie Drennan

  By the time the bell rang, I felt relieved that my tuxedoed friends delivered each of my large gifts to my house. When I got to my locker, Avan was already standing in front of it, greeting me with a smile that had become so familiar I could tell you every detail of it. I still had a hard time stopping myself from the shock of how gorgeous he was. It was difficult for me to believe I was the only girl in school that he had found worthy enough to pay attention to, much less jump into a serious dating relationship. He was so perfect.

  I still wondered what his parents must be like. The entire time we had been spending time together he never once mentioned his parents, his house, where they were from originally, or anything in regards to his home life at all. The only life I knew of his outside of school was his relationship with me, his friendships, and his job at Spirits. He had never even mentioned the date of his birthday. When I thought about not knowing his birthday, it made me feel incredibly guilty, considering how special he had made mine.

  “Don’t dwell on things you will know the answers to in time,” Avan said, still smiling as I opened my locker.

  “You know, eavesdropping just because you have the freaky talent to know what I’m thinking somehow isn’t very nice.”

  “Actually, I find it quite beneficial. Besides, it helps me make things in life the way you deserve them to be.”

  “But if I don’t know how to make life special for you, then it’s all one sided and that means I never give. I just take all the time.”

  “That isn’t how it is at all. A real man makes sure the one he truly loves never has to question it. That’s all I’m doing. It’s called chivalry, and it’s been forgotten by most people these days. It’s sad to me that girls are told from the time they’re born that everything is a two-way street. They are taught how to keep a man instead of how they are supposed to be treated by one. Women were not just created to be silent servants for men who could serve physical purposes and have children without having opinions or decision-making skills. Women were made as a gift for men to cherish and love more than anything. She was made as his helpmate not as his slave,” Avan said with passion.

  “I’m just glad I found a good one,” I noted as I shut my locker.

  “I’m just glad I was created for you.” Avan smiled.

  We made our way down the staircase and headed out of the main doors of the school building, heading for Avan’s sleek, white Mustang. After shutting the car door for me, he was in the car in record time today. He seemed really excited as he put the car in gear and headed out into the street from the parking lot. I was afraid to ask why, knowing he would just tell me it would no longer be a surprise if he told me anyway. I noticed we were headed in the opposite direction of Spirits, where I normally spent my afternoons with him while he and the rest of the crew worked and goofed off just as much.

  As Avan pulled on to the highway I got a good idea of where we were going by the signs we were following. He took the exit for the beach a few minutes later, which made me wonder what we were possibly going to do at the beach in February. I kept myself from asking any questions and decided to go with it. I sat quietly, taking in the scenery as we got nearer. I could tell we were getting close, but before I could start guessing why we were headed to the beach, Avan turned right on to a road that had a sign for a small, local airport pointing in the same direction. I was really confused now! Why were we going to an airport?

  Avan pulled in a parking space and came around to the passenger side to let me out. Giving him a confused look, he just smiled back, taking my hand and leading me into the small building in front of the airport. Inside, I could tell by the decorations alone it was run by a staff made up of all men who desperately needed a woman’s touch.

  Walking up to the front desk that was old and scratched up, he signed a few papers, and the man who took them informed us he would be with us momentarily. We took a seat in the unmatched chairs by the window that was covered in old, faded, lace curtains that hardly served a purpose at all and waited patiently. I was still completely lost as to why we were here as Avan sat confidently, looking like he just discovered his rich uncle died, leaving him as the heir to his fortune. A few minutes later another man came out, telling us to follow him.

  Leading us out the metal door at the back of the small building, we followed the man across an old, stained sidewalk through an open gate and behind a fuel pump where he directed us to wait. I had a funny feeling that Avan had to have paid a lot of money for whatever was coming next. He kept quiet, not saying a word and smiling at me with an unmistakable mischievous look on his face. I was more than cool being in the air, but I hoped with every part of me this was not going to end up as some tandem skydiving thing. Being in a plane was fine by me, but jumping out of one was a whole other story.

  A few minutes later, the man who had led us out to the area where we waited taxied around the side of the hanger in a small, white Cessna 172 four with four seats where he stopped right in front of us as the propeller was still spinning rapidly. The pilot jumped out of the plane and opened the door to the small aircraft. Then he and Avan helped me climb into the backseat. Avan followed, taking the other seat beside me. The pilot offered us both a set of aviation headphones to cut down on the noise of the engine.

  Once we were all buckled in, the pilot put the plane in gear and we were heading down the runway, slowly ascending into the air at an incline. As we ascended higher, I felt my ears pop right before we leveled off. Even with the aviation headphones on, I could still hear the loud hum of the engine. The cabin of the plane was very small, but it hardly mattered when you looked out the window, seeing the incredible view below. The only thing about the cabin that really bothered me was the front seats, which were the cockpit. Just looking at all the different gauges and controls made me nervous. I was really glad the pilot had his aviation degree and knew what he was doing.

  Looking down over the areas we passed, I really had no idea how to tell where we were by landmarks. I loved looking at it all, though. I liked watching the cars traveling. They looked like Hot Wheels from this high up. Even large buildings and houses looked like toys. We flew through a cloud that turned into nothing more than a mist as we passed through it, and when we came out, we were flying over the ocean as the sun danced off of the waves. I knew the water was too cold for swimming and out this far it would have been way too deep, but it all looked so beautiful I just wished I could hang my hand out the window and have the pilot fly low enough to run it over the top of the waves. The water was a dark blue color that sparkled with the sun, kissing each and every wave.

  We flew over the water for several minutes before I felt the tilt of the plane letting me know we were circling back around. Avan had been staring out his window just as I had been for most of the flight, taking in how beautiful everything looked from an aerial view. I reached over and took his hand in mine as he looked into my eyes and mouthed the words “I love you.” Every time he said those three words my heart skipped a beat. I knew he could feel my response just through the way our hands were touching. All of a sudden, Avan told me to look down through the window. As I peered through the window, I saw we were flying over the beach area, which was all but deserted in the winter months. As I kept looking down, I saw exactly what Avan had wanted me too.

  In the sand, made of more black rocks than I could count, Avan’s message stretched along the length of the beach. It was so romantic and surprising. Looking down at the message spelled out with all the black rocks it read Be Mine Forever? I looked back at Avan with tears in my eyes, nodding as he grabbed me into a hug. We stayed that way until we made it back to the airport.

  “Okay, there’s one more place we have to go,” Avan said, looking accomplished.

  “Where is that?”

  “If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise now would it?”

  “I think you have given more than enough surprises today.”

  “Nope! I think there is still time for a few more.” />
  “You’re the driver!”

  “Yes I am. Next stop…I’ll never tell!” he said.

  Fifteen minutes later, we pulled into a parking spot in front of Spirits. Avan came around, letting me out of the car and taking my hand and escorting me to the front door. When we walked inside, the whole place seemed empty until all the lights came on. All of Avan’s friends and coworkers, who had become mine as well over the past month or so, yelled “Surprise!” at the top of their lungs as they jumped out of every unseen hiding spot in the place. I was in disbelief that anyone would think to have a party for me. For as long as I could remember, I had never had an actual party. I had to fight back the tears as I thought of all the wonderful things that Avan had done for me over the course of the day, making this my best birthday ever!

  Walking past the entryway, everyone there greeted me with happy birthday wishes. Avan had made his way to the stage and announced the food was on its way. It was being catered in from a private chef, which would be followed by cake and ice cream. As he put the microphone back on the stand, he turned on some music to fill the air in the room as we all talked. I had never had this many people tell me happy birthday or even acknowledge that it was my birthday. I was so distracted I failed to notice that Avan had slipped out of the room. Glancing around while smiling and greeting everyone, I saw that Dorian, Trev, Alex, and Declan were still wearing their tuxedoes, as though it were just an everyday thing.

  As I took a seat in the chair designated for the birthday girl with a paper sign taped to the back, I thought to myself that for the first time in my life I felt like I had real friends. Friends that were not just hanging around me because I wore the same types of clothes they did or because they knew who my dad had been, but friends who would go out of their way to do something nice for me because they truly cared. Money was not able to buy real friendship, and I knew it.

  I knew that mine and Lena’s friendship was a material friendship. It always revolved around her, and I was just there. The friends I had made since I got involved with Avan really cared about my feelings and making me feel like I was important enough to matter. I was so thankful and blessed to have these people in my life! Then the thought crept in that if I had been around people like this instead of Lena since my parents had died, I might have dealt with everything better than I had over the past few years. I knew it was very nice of her dad to let me stay with them, but if I had done things differently earlier in the game, maybe things could be different. I still did not have the slightest idea of how I was going to get out of there, but I refused to think about it anymore at my surprise party.

  About fifteen minutes later, Avan came through the back door, recruiting four other people to come help bring the food in and set it up along the bar, buffet style. At one end there were already disposable plates, silverware, and napkins out and ready to go, while the other end was full of cups with ice waiting to be filled with everyone’s choice of soft drink, tea, or water. One by one they came back through, carrying covered silver catering dishes that made my mouth water when I caught the scent of them. Altogether there were five different dishes, and I could tell by the spices that they were all Italian.

  Before Avan came in and closed the back door, I looked up to see Lorenzo holding a homemade strawberry cake with strawberry icing, as well as a package of trick candles peeking out of his shirt pocket. He barely had his hands off of the cake, which he put on the bar, when I flew right into his arms. I was so happy to see him that I started crying almost uncontrollably as I held onto him so tightly that his shirt gathered into my palms. I could hear him start to sniffle with his face by my ear as he hugged me just as hard. I could feel every eye in the room tear up as all attention was on us.

  I knew we needed to get the party going, but there was no forcing myself to break away from Lorenzo, as I felt like my second father had finally returned to me. He did not seem to want to let go either, whispering in my ear as he cried that he was so sorry he had to leave me without saying good-bye, but that he had no choice and someday soon I would understand. I was clueless to why he had left me by myself in the Montgomery house, and I was still hurt and angry, but not enough to replace how much I missed him. Before we let go of each other he whispered in my ear again that he loved me and nothing would ever change that I was his daughter. I could hear others in the room sniffing and see them blotting and blinking the tears from their eyes as we let go of each other, with Lorenzo kissing me on the cheek and wiping my tears away with one hand as he wiped his own away with the other.

  Without another second passing, Lorenzo asked what we were all waiting for as he told everyone to grab a plate before the food got cold. We all grabbed our plates and started filling them up. They were so full that we had to use another plate underneath it for support. The second the food hit my tongue I realized just how much I missed Lorenzo’s cooking! I ate out most of the time since he left, just stopping through drive-thru windows at fast food joints, so this was like having a celebration in my mouth. I ate slowly, savoring every bite, wishing I could get to enjoy this every day again. It was sad that I had taken his cooking for granted so much over the past few years. I wish there was something I could do to convince him to come back, but without knowing why he left, I knew it was hopeless.

  When everyone was done eating Avan told everyone it was time to sing “Happy Birthday” and cut the cake. Lorenzo brought the cake over to the table where I was sitting and placed it right in front of me before putting seventeen candles on it that I already knew couldn’t be blown out.

  After he lit each candle, everyone inside Spirits joined in singing “Happy Birthday” as they all harmonized, sounding as if someone had hired a choir to come sing the song. As it ended, I blew the candles repeatedly as they kept relighting over and over again while everyone erupted into laughter around me, making me smile as I became light headed from all the blowing. Lorenzo came to the table with a small glass of water and a hearty laugh as he began to help me remove the candles, extinguishing them in the water.

  Once everyone took their seat with a bowl of cake and ice cream, the house lights went off and I found myself illuminated by a spotlight. Feeling a little awkward and not being able to see very well due to how bright the light was shining, I heard Avan’s unmistakable voice reverberating through the microphone, asking me to make my way to the stage. Knowing that I now had the attention of everyone for the millionth time today I rose from my chair. It made a funny noise when the legs scraped against the hardwood floor as it scooted back. I slowly walked to the stage to join Avan, not knowing what to expect next. He had already done everything I could think of and more today, so it was unimaginable what else he could possibly have planned.

  Stepping on to the stage, I felt a little nervous as my feet moved across the black surface toward the center where Avan stood, smiling. Whatever he was about to do, I knew it would be big. The day was nearly over, and something told me he was going to make it go out with a bang.

  “Mattie, I know technically we’ve only been involved for a short time, but I want you to know that you have always been the most important thing in my life. I made you a promise earlier today, and I want to turn the tables and ask for a promise from you now. I know Lorenzo has been your dad for a few years now, so I got his permission before doing this,” Avan said, looking me straight in the eyes as my heart started fluttering.

  As I stood listening to the words Avan was saying, I had completely forgotten that we were standing in front of a room full of people.

  “Mattie, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I want to be with you from now and for all eternity, and I’ve already promised that I will never leave you. If you accept this gift I have for you, it will symbolize that you accept my promise and that you promise to be with me for all eternity as well. It’s a true promise ring, but you have to know that this promise is one that once made, it cannot be broken,” he said, opening a little black velvet box that had two golden rings inside.
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br />   I looked at the rings and then back at Avan. Was he proposing? It sounded similar to a proposal, but he called it a promise ring and not an engagement ring, so it couldn’t have been right? I was shocked! I loved Avan more than anything, but I wasn’t even legal age yet. I had to answer him when he finished what he was saying, and I knew it. Thinking things through from every angle considering my living situation, age, my past, and my unplanned future, I knew the answer I had to give.

  “Avan, with everything considered in my life, I want you to know that I love you with every fiber of my being,” I replied, choosing my words carefully so I did not give anyone the idea that I was just making a rash decision. “I promise you that I will never leave you and wish to be with you from now and for all eternity,” I ended with a smile, which was returned by Avan.

  Just as I said it, the golden rings inside the little box began glowing brighter than the lights that shown upon Avan and me. They seemed to float into the air on their own, sliding onto both mine and Avan’s ring fingers on our left hands. As it slid on my finger it tingled, leaving a cold trail down my finger as it glowed with a bright white light. Before the glow stopped, I watched in awe as the two words Angel’s Promise etched themselves into the tops of our rings, appearing as though it was hot with fire. So immersed in what was happening right in front of my eyes, I had not even wondered why more people did not rush toward us, gasping and finding the whole experience impossible!

  Once the glow had faded, the beautiful, shiny, ring rested on my finger as naturally as if I put it there myself. Looking over at Avan’s hand, I saw that his looked exactly like mine as he walked to me, embracing me in a hug, stroking the back of my hair with his hand. I breathed in deep, memorizing his scent as I did every time he came near me; I closed my eyes and wished I never had to leave his arms. Being right here made me feel safe and secure, like nothing in the world could get near me. I knew a feeling of love like the one I felt for Avan was the kind that could endure the worst of storms, the deepest of valleys, and whatever my unknown future might hold. As Avan gave me a squeeze, it reminded me that we were still on the stage at Spirits in front of all the people at my party. I separated from his hug as Bob told everyone there were a few other gifts to open.