by A. L. Parks
Abby placed her hand on the doorknob, and paused. The air felt heavy and stale in the hallway, nearly suffocating her as she pushed the door open and stepped through. The late afternoon sun sent odd shadows across the family room and kitchen, and was the only light in the apartment.
"Hey, baby! I didn't hear you come in," Bryce said, as he came out of the bedroom. With every step he took towards her, relief washed through her body, cleansing her, renewing her. By the time he reached her, she wanted nothing more than to be in his embrace, and feel his warmth envelope her. She dropped her purse and bags on the floor, stepped into his waiting arms, and placed her hands firmly on his back.
"So, bad news...I didn't get to the grocery store before getting here. So I thought I would make you a drink, get you settled, and run out real quick and get what I need while you unwind. Deal?"
"Mmm, just hold me for a little longer," she asked; a dreaminess to her voice. It felt so good to be in his arms, hear his voice so happy and full of excitement. Pulling her head back to look into his eyes, she grinned.
"Better?" he asked.
"Almost," she responded, firmly placing her lips on his. She slipped her tongue into his mouth; felt him relax against her, losing himself in the kiss, in her. "So much better now," she whispered. He let out a low, satisfied moan.
Leaving him standing there, wanting more, she sashayed toward the bedroom. Turning at the door, she leaned against the doorframe seductively, bringing her leg up to hug the wall. "Gin and tonic with lime, please," she purred, and continued into the bedroom. She heard the faint chuckle as she began striping out of her clothes, and rummaged for something comfortable to wear.
"Back in a few," Bryce called, and she heard the door close behind him. On the coffee table in the family room sat her gin and tonic, the TV remote, and a piece of paper torn from the pad on the refrigerator. Scribbled in Bryce's handwriting:
You make me smile
She sat on the couch, sipping her gin and tonic. The warmth of the alcohol mixed with the overwhelming joy of having Bryce back. She felt so at peace, so happy. She loved him; he loved her, and that's all that mattered right now.
Bryce returned loaded with bags in his arms. Abby jumped up from the couch when she heard the door handle rattle, and made it to the door as he came through. Closing it, she followed him into the kitchen. He placed the bags on the counter, turned, and pulled her against him. His lips were on hers before she knew what was happening. His tongue traced the outline of her lower lip, and a soft moan escaped from her.
“I’ve missed you, baby,” Bryce whispered in her ear.
“How long were you at the store?” she joked. Bryce snickered, and slapped her playfully on the ass. “Actions like that will not get you help with dinner.”
“You know that’s not actually a serious threat, right?” he asked, and swatted her again.
The chicken and summer vegetable risotto Bryce made was simple, yet delicious. Abby had two helpings before leaning back into the bar stool groaning. Bryce smiled, as he emptied the last of the Pinot Grigio into their glasses. "Good?"
"Oh, so much better than good," she groaned happily. "I am so glad you can cook. We would be really miserable if I had to cook for us." She got up, and cleared the dishes from the bar. Filling the sink with hot, soapy water, she scraped the remaining bits off the plates before soaking them in their bath.
Bryce came behind her, "Well, I'm glad you do the dishes, otherwise we would be eating off of paper plates every night." Abby giggled, and handed Bryce a towel before she stuck her hands in the suds. Simple. Easy. Wonderful. It summed up life with Bryce. It was worth holding on to, worth fighting for; and Abby was determined never to let it go.
***
Bryce’s cell phone had buzzed with text messages all morning, causing Abby to raise her eyebrows more than once at the constant interruptions. It was not like Bryce to get this many text messages, especially on a Saturday morning. "The new art exhibit opens today; they are making some last minute adjustments," he offered as an excuse.
Abby smiled, "So I'm not the only one who can't live without you?"
As soon as she entered the kitchen, Bryce moved toward the front door and opened it. "Ready?" he asked her, as she picked up her purse and made her way through the open doorway.
"Uh, yea, I guess I am," she answered, confused by his apparent anxiety at getting to the coffee shop. As far as Abby knew, there was no set time they needed to get there; no appointments they were trying to make. And this was not a new experience for them; they had done it nearly every Saturday morning since they had met. But Bryce was nervous, and acting strange, which only put Abby on edge. The normally cool, calm, laid-back Bryce was rarely this tense. Fear crept back into Abby, tightening her chest and spiking her heart rate.
Turning to close the door, Bryce patted all his pockets until he found whatever he was searching for, and pulled the door shut. Making his way to the top of the stairs, Abby turned to him, her
eyebrows bunched together. "You okay?"
"Yep, good, let's go," he answered with a smile on his face that did nothing to relieve Abby's tension. They walked hand-inhand to the coffee shop three blocks from the apartment, in total silence. Abby glanced at Bryce a couple of times, trying to read his expression, but unable to get past the sense that something was occupying his thoughts.
Finally, she pulled on his hand, "Hey, what's wrong?"
"Hmm?" he asked; his thoughts a million miles away. He leaned in and kissed her on her temple. "Nothing, baby, I’m just thinking about work. I'm sorry." He pulled the door to the coffee shop open, and let her walk in first. Their booth sat empty right inside the door. Bryce placed his hand on her elbow, and led her to the table to sit down. As they settled into their seats across from each other, Kelly approached them, coffee in hand.
"Umm, wow, that's service!" Abby stated, somewhat surprised. Kelly looked at Abby, then quickly at Bryce. Abby smiled at the girl, "We must be really predictable if you're able to guess when we’re coming in and have our coffee ready and waiting." Kelly sighed, and then giggled, before turning away. Abby looked at Bryce, and shook her head.
Taking a sip of the cappuccino, Abby watched as Bryce again patted down all his pockets, and then sighed in relief as his hand landed on the side pocket of his cargo shorts. Abby's eyes narrowed at the sudden obsessive-compulsiveness in Bryce. Setting her cup on the table, intent on questioning him about his odd behavior, he leaned forward and took both her hands in his.
"Do you remember the first time we were here together? The day we met?" he asked. His eyes sparkled as he gazed at her.
"Uh, yeah," Abby responded. "Devastatingly handsome stranger walks in and catches me gawking at him, then buys me
coffee? A girl tends to remember one of the best days in her life," Abby replied, as a wide smile crossed Bryce's face.
"There was something about you...I was so drawn to you," he murmured. "I mean aside from you being drop-dead gorgeous. I had not wanted to approach a woman in so long, but there was just something about you," he marveled, his eyes locked on hers, mesmerizing her. "I thought about you all day long, after we left here. I remember wanting to go with you to the cemetery, but knowing it was really inappropriate to suggest it. I didn't want you to be there alone." He looked down at his fingers as they playfully manipulated Abby's. Sighing, he raised his head, and the spark in his eyes lit up his entire face, and set Abby on fire.
"We became such good friends - best friends. I'm not sure when exactly I started feeling more. I do remember hanging up the phone after talking to you, when I was in North Carolina; and thinking how amazing and wonderful you were. You made me smile; you made me laugh - and not the usual half-hearted smiles, and simple chuckles. I mean really smile. The type of smile you feel in your whole body. And laugh so hard I nearly had tears. All on a day that usually sends me into a deep depression. After that, I started noticing how you made me smile all the time. Other people noticed it, too; people at
work would ask why I was so happy, and I would just shake my head. I was thinking about you. Even when you're not with me, you make me smile."
Her heart rate spiked. Her breathing became erratic, and Abby wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or cry. So many emotions were coursing through her. She felt so much love for this man. But at the moment, she physically felt the love he had for her. She remembered the first time he had really laughed in her presence. They were sitting in this booth, and Abby had relayed some story or another. He tossed his head back, and his whole face came alive. It had reawakened a part of Abby that had been lost to the darkness for so long. She not only wanted to make Bryce laugh and smile - she needed it just as much as he did.
"I love your smile, Bryce. It calms me, centers me."
Bryce sat and held her gaze, "I love you, Abby."
"I love you, too," she responded. Her eyes followed him as he slid across the seat, stood, and walked around to her. Bryce pulled a small box from the side pocket of his shorts, and dropped to one knee.
Abby's eyes widened, and goose bumps hit every part of her body. Bryce's beautiful gray eyes danced. "I want to spend the rest of my life making you as happy as you make me every minute of every day. Abby, please marry me?"
Her mind raced, and her heart swelled. It was suddenly very difficult to breathe or think or speak. She had allowed herself to daydream recently about a life with Bryce; trips around the world, buying a house, kids, and growing old together. An image lingered in her mind of her and Bryce, gray-haired, in their twilight, holding hands, sitting on their favorite park bench as they had for so many Saturdays already. The image, however, had never felt as if it was pure imagination. Something - someone - was telling her that it was a prophecy.
"Abby," Bryce's voice pulled her back to reality. "You're killing me here."
Abby searched his eyes. It suddenly dawned on her that she had not given him an answer. Leaning into him, she placed her hand under his chin and lifted it so that her lips were only inches away from his. "Of course I will marry you," she whispered, kissing him softly. He pulled her into an embrace, as he stood them both up and lifted her off her feet.
The cafe erupted in applause, and for the first time, Abby looked at the other patrons. Familiar faces caught her attention. Becca and Rob stood with their arms around each other, tears coming down Becca's face as she mouthed, "love you, Abby."
Glancing around, Abby soon spotted her brother and Courtney, clapping madly, while Clara and Davis cheered behind them. When Bryce finally put her down, the first person to greet her was her mother.
"Mom!" Abby cried in surprise. Charlotte placed an arm around Abby's shoulder, pulling Bryce into their awkward embrace.
"Oh, sweetheart, I’m so happy for you. I knew Bryce was the one for you. Ever since that first day - I told your father that you two would get married." Abby smiled, and let her mother's apparent need to play the "mother knows all" game pass without comment.
Moving away from her mother, she hugged Becca tightly. "I am so happy for you," Becca whispered into Abby’s ear. Rob leaned over and kissed Abby on the cheek as the women continued to embrace. Bryce came up behind Abby, and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Um, we seem to have forgotten an important part of this ritual," he stated. Abby turned, and tilted her head, until she saw the black velvet ring box in his hand. "Now, this is on loan, until we can find your perfect ring." Opening the small case, Abby gasped. Her grandmother's wedding ring sat in the black velvet cocoon. She had seen it so many times in the past, when she had sat in her mother's room, and watched her get ready to go out. Abby would go through the jewelry case, pull out the small black box, and place the ring on her finger. She told her mother that "it fits, so it must be mine," to which her mother would laugh, and remind Abby that she needed to find her Prince Charming first. At eleven years old, that seemed like a far off dream. Now, looking into the face of the man she loved as he placed this ring on her finger, she knew that her mother had been right. She needed to wait for her Prince Charming - and Abby had found him.
Lying in bed, her eyes fixed on Bryce's face as he slept. His black, wavy hair fell almost into his eyes, and a soft snore filled the air. He looked peaceful. They had spent most of the evening celebrating their engagement alone, in bed.
She rolled onto her back, placing her left hand above her and gazing at her grandmother's wedding ring. Bryce had asked her to marry him - it was not a dream. He had assured her two nights ago that he was committed to her, to moving their relationship forward together, to spending the rest of their lives with each other. He had been true to his word. And he had taken her by complete surprise.
The tension of the morning, the continuous text messages, the rush to get to the coffee shop; all of it made sense. Courtney told Abby, after uncharacteristically gushing about Bryce being "the most romantic man on earth," that he had called her to get everyone to the coffee shop. Tears filled Abby's eyes as Courtney relayed that Bryce had driven to her parent’s house the day before to talk to her father, and get his blessing. When Charlotte found out Bryce didn't have a ring to present to Abby, she quickly offered her grandmother's as a stand in.
"We were all afraid Charlotte would call you last night and spill the beans. So Jim and I took your parents out to dinner with the kids in tow. By the time we dropped them back at the house, they were both so wiped out, we were sure Charlotte would go straight to bed," Courtney giggled.
Fingers lightly brushed the hair from her face. Bryce snuggled into her, resting his head on her shoulder. Running his hand across her abdomen, he yawned, and asked, "What are thinking?"
"Whether it’s rude of me to have all the happiness in the world and not share it," Abby joked.
Bryce snorted softly and kissed her neck, "Sorry we didn't
find your ring today, baby." She let her arm drop, as he took her hand and kissed her fingertips. "We'll keep looking...it's out there somewhere."
"Maybe we should just have one custom made?" She said, and she rolled to face him.
"That's a good idea. Do you have something in mind?" he asked between kisses.
"I have an idea, but I need you to have an open-mind.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “Do you still have Emily's ring?" Abby held her breath.
Bryce froze, and stared at her. "You want Emily's ring?"
"Yes; but not like you're thinking. I want to use pieces of it." Abby paused, as Bryce stilled.
“I don’t know, Abby. It seems weird. That was the ring I picked for Emily. I want something that symbolizes our love – our life together.”
“Our life together first started because we understood each other, and accepted each other’s pasts. I don’t want Emily’s ring because I want to step into her role as your wife. I want to include parts of it, just like we include parts of Emily and Trevor into our lives. We recognize that we would not be able to love each other so deeply, if they had not first loved us wholly and unconditionally.”
Bryce shifted uncomfortably on the bed, but continued to look into her eyes.
"Hear me out. We cannot escape our pasts, and we shouldn't. Our pasts are what brought us together. I don't want to pretend Trevor never existed, that we weren't almost married. And Emily was part of your life for such a long time. We can't escape their place in our lives. If we believe that they want this for us, then we should want them to be a part of our future." Abby stopped, waiting for any type of reaction from Bryce, and praying that he understood what she wanted to do.
"Okay, so how does Emily's ring fit into this?" His eyes softened, and a hint of intrigue was in his voice.
"I thought I could use some of the stones. We could use the ring Trevor gave me, and integrate them into a design we both like."
“People are going to think we are crazy,” Bryce offered, but a smile crossed his face.
“No one has ever understood us, or our grief. I don’t care what other people think. This is about us – and how we chose to remember an
d incorporate Emily and Trevor into our lives. I only care that you are okay with it.”
Bryce peered into her eyes, and held her captivated. He resumed kissing her fingertips, but never released her from his gaze.
"I think that's a great idea. I think it's important to remember them, also. And I think this is a great way to remember them, and make them a part of our future. You’re right. Emily taught me how to love. I don’t know that I could love you as deeply as I do without having first learned from her."
A loud, heavy sigh escaped from Abby. The two lay together, gazing at each other. Bryce moved his hand along her hip, and pulled her leg around him. "Are you happy?"
"I'm not sure there is an adequate word to describe how happy I am." She ran her fingers through his hair, and a soft moan escaped his lips. "You pulled off quite the surprise party today, Mr. Holden. I had no idea you were even thinking about marriage."
"Well, I have known for a while that I want to marry you. But the other night, when we were talking, I knew I wanted it now. I told you I was committed to you, to us. I want you in my life, always. I want you to be my wife. I want to be married to you. I want that commitment between us. Now the only thing left to do is set a date for the wedding." He brushed the hair from her eyes.
"Wedding," she repeated, and a large, uncomfortable heaviness formed in the center of her chest, nearly taking her breath away. "How about we just fly to Vegas tonight and get married. Just the two of us; at one of those chapels with an Elvis impersonator?"
"Your mother would have a fit."
"Eww, please do not mention my mother when we are naked in bed," Abby kidded him, a mock shiver running through her.
Bryce chuckled while moving in close to her, "How about we find something to do other than talk?"
***
"I thought you two would never set a date," Charlotte's exasperated voice swirled around Abby's head as she closed the car door and turned toward the gothic cathedral. "Please try to look as though you are happy to be getting married when we are talking to Father Benson. Are you sure Bryce knows how to get here? You told him 2:30?" Charlotte rambled as she walked quickly through the church parking lot, in a hurry to start planning.