by Tia Siren
The island itself was a tropical paradise. With the town being built into the base of a small mountain, the temperature never dropped below eighty degrees, the beach was everywhere, the locals were friendly, and Kate and I had adapted to the local conditions like a glove. I was one of two doctors on the island, and Kate was the only writer that I knew of. There were only a handful of English speaking locals, and over the past three months, we had come to befriend all of them.
My reason for choosing Phi Phi was simple enough. Kate had told me that she wanted to live in a tropical paradise. When I decided to move, even though Kate wasn't coming originally, I decided to live up to that end of the bargain. I researched where doctors were needed the most, and Phi Phi was one of the first hits. From that point, it was only too simple. And then, when Kate decided that she did want to come with me, well, she couldn't have been more excited about the choice.
I rode my bike through the crowds of tourists, all the while thinking on the night and how I saw it going down. I had booked a restaurant on the main harbor for the two of us to have dinner. It had a beautiful view of the ocean, and as it was a full moon, the atmosphere was sure to be electric.
Our place was a small hut located less than 200 yards from the ocean. It was a single bedroom affair with a kitchen, bathroom, and living room. It wasn't large in size, but considering it was only the two of us living there, it was more than enough.
When I got home, Kate was exactly where I had left her. She had started work on a new novel and had spent the last week working non-stop.
"Hey hon," I shouted as I entered the house. "How's it coming along?"
"Okay," she said, pushing herself away from her laptop and crossing the room to greet me. "I didn't do as much today as I would have liked."
Upon reaching me, I pulled her into a warm embrace. Even after three months, I still hadn’t gotten sick of holding her in my arms. I was sure that I never would.
"Oh yeah, how come?"
"Oh, no reason," she said cryptically. "Just errands."
She turned back to her work. It was probably my imagination, and it was probably because I had so much on my mind, but she seemed to be acting a little odd. But no matter, I was sure that it was just me exaggerating things, especially considering the circumstances.
"You'll be ready to go in two hours?" I asked.
"Huh?" she said vaguely, keeping her eyes glued to the screen.
"Dinner. The reservation is in two hours."
"Oh yeah. Yeah, of course." Again, she seemed to be acting a little weird.
It was always hard to get her attention when she worked, but this time, she seemed to be purposefully avoiding my question.
But again, I decided that I was imagining things. And as such, I hurried into the bedroom, stripped into my bathing suit, and made my way to the beach. I almost always took a swim in the afternoon after work. The beach was so close and the weather was so delightful, how could I not?
--
The restaurant I had chosen was empty that night, which I was grateful for. As Phi Phi was a tropical party island, the tourists ranged from drunk English backpackers to slightly more civilized honeymooners. But these were rare.
That meant that for those willing to pay a little more for the finer dining experience, they were likely to find the restaurants quiet and peaceful. It also meant that the wait staff were far more attentive to one’s needs. I had actually stopped by the restaurant earlier that day to tell them what I was doing and ask for any assistance they could give me. They were only too happy to help.
"I've wanted to try here for a while," Kate said as I led her through the restaurant.
"I know," I said coyly.
I was aware of course. She had told me a month earlier that she wanted to try the place out. I stored the information in the back of my mind at the time, knowing that it would eventually come in handy. I wanted everything to be perfect.
The table was the best in the restaurant, too. It was nearest the open wall at the back, the one that faced the harbor. That meant that it had a clear view of both the ocean and the moon. As it was, at that moment, the moon was shining brightly in the sky, shimmering down on the placid water. It was picturesque, to say the least.
"Ooh, romantic," Kate joked as we pulled up a seat.
She may have been referring to either the setting or the pre-opened bottle of champagne that sat on the table. I had called ahead to make sure it was there.
"Is it?" I asked, feigning ignorance. "I hadn't really noticed."
The dinner went as well as it could have. We ordered our appetizers and entrees while enjoying the best bottle of champagne in the restaurant, and most likely the entire island. Well, I enjoyed it. Kate claimed that she was feeling a little queasy and wasn't in the mood for alcohol. She chose to have water instead.
It was that and other little indicators that continued to give me the distinct impression that Kate was acting oddly. It was as if she wanted to tell me something, but didn't know how. I continued to write it off as my imagination, but it was almost as if she knew that I was going to propose.
As we finished up our meals and waited for dessert, I decided it was time to strike. Our night had gone perfectly up until that point. The food was delicious, the service was impeccable, and they had even serenaded us half way through our meal with Kate’s favorite song. Again, organized in advance by me. The timing would never be better.
"I've told you how beautiful you look tonight, haven't I?" I asked, looking deeply into Kate's perfect eyes.
"Oh, only a few times. But it's always nice to hear."
"Well, you do. In fact, you always do. Since the first day I met you, right on through to this one. There hasn't been a day where you haven't looked perfect."
"Even after the car crash? I'll let you off the hook for saying I looked a little run down that day."
Usually, that would have gotten a laugh out of me, but not that night. I was too in the zone.
"And it's not just how beautiful you are. It's how perfect you are, in every way. I mean that. I look back at that year I wasn't with you, and I don't even want to think about it. You know what I mean?"
"I do," she said, smiling as she reached forward and took my hand. "Look, Liam. You may have noticed I've been acting a little odd."
"Wait," I said, cutting in. I didn't want her to interrupt. I was on a mission. Whatever she had to say could wait until after. "Me first."
"Okay," she agreed, taking another sip of water. She looked a little put off by it, but again, I ignored it.
"Like I was saying, I can't believe that there was a whole year that I wasn't with you. That I couldn't call you mine. I see it as a year wasted. Even the week I was out here was like that. Did I tell you how glad I am that you decided to come out here with me?"
"I haven't regretted it for a moment," she said smiling as she lifted my hand and kissed the back of it.
"Neither have I. And it's because of that, and because of everything really, that I have something I want to ask. It's something that I've been meaning to ask for a while now and, well, I was waiting for the right time. I kept putting it off and off. But then I realized that every time is the right time. Because every time, I will be with you and that is what makes it right. It's what makes it perfect. So, with that in mind. Kate will you—"
"Wait!" she nearly screamed as she cut me off. "Are you about to ask me to marry you?"
"Well, yeah, I am," I said sheepishly. The only thing that helped me keep my composure was the fact that she didn't sound totally put off or disgusted by the idea. Just surprised, which I guess canceled out the notion that she knew it was coming. "And despite the botched delivery, what do you say? Will you marry me?"
I had expected her to say yes straight away, leap across the table, and bury herself in my arms. Either that or for her to jump in the air with excitement and start dancing for joy. Really, I had expected a million different reactions except for the one that I got.
Sh
e looked at me for a long time, and I could see her mind working overtime. Every second that passed felt like minutes. I could feel the sweat forming on my brow. My knees began to bounce up and down. My jaw clenched. Why hadn't she said yes? What could she possibly be thinking?"
"Liam," she finally said. Her voice was hesitant as if she didn't quite know how to say what she was about to.
"Yes?" I asked, my ears perking up with anticipation.
"There's something I need to tell you."
EPILOGUE
KATE
I had never been inside Dr. Taylor's office before. I had never had a reason to. There were only two doctors on the island, and I happened to be dating the other one. But special circumstances called for special actions to be taken. And as far as offices went, his wasn't half bad. It was a little more relaxed than Liam's was, playing into the island vibe a little more. There was a surfboard hanging on the roof, photos of the ocean and pieces of coral peppering the walls, and The Beach Boys playing on the radio.
Dr. Taylor was of a slightly different ilk from Liam, too. He was older, in his mid-fifties, but he had been on the island so long that he had forgotten what most fifty-year olds acted like. He still played the role of a twenty-year old on an extended vacation. He had gray hair, tied back in a ponytail, and was constantly wearing Hawaiian shirts and sandals. But he was still a nice guy and a competent doctor, hence why I was at his office that morning.
"I have to say Kate, I was surprised to see you come in this morning," Dr. Taylor said as he hustled back into the room, a piece of paper clenched firmly in his grip.
"Is that so?" I asked in a very short manner. I wasn't much in the mood for chit chat, and I hoped that my tone would indicate that.
"Well, considering that your husband is a doctor."
"Boyfriend."
"Right, your boyfriend. Well, either way, considering he's the competition, I was more than a little shocked. But when you told me your reason for being here, well, let's just say that all was revealed."
"There are some things you can't go to your boyfriend for," I said in the same short manner.
My eyes were fixed on the piece of paper that I knew to be my test results. I assumed he was going to tell me what they said once he stopped dithering with small talk.
"Too true. I remember when I first moved out here. My girlfriend at the time, she was this fine little thing, too. A local. Found her in Phuket. Anyway, she got real sick one day."
"Ah, Doctor, I don't want to be rude, but I was hoping you could go ahead and give me my test results?"
"Oh right, sorry, sorry. Let me see." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a pair of glasses. Putting them on, he took a few moments to adjust to the new vision, staring down at the piece of paper and scrunching up his face. "Yep, just as you suspected. Positive."
"Ah," I said, nodding my head.
I was pretty sure that was going to be the case. I had thought it might be for a few weeks now, but I wasn't one hundred percent sure. Seeing the doctor was the final step. Well, actually telling Liam would be the final step. I just wondered how he was going to take it.
"Like I said, I know why you came to me," Doctor Taylor said, smiling down at me. "But not to fear, it's not the end of the world. Not by a long shot. In fact, most might even see it as a blessing. I know that when I was younger, I would have. Here’s some advice."
"That's okay," I said quickly when he paused to take a breath. I got to my feet. "I plan on telling him tonight."
"Ah good, good. Best to do it straight away."
"And thank you, Dr. Taylor, I'm sure I'll see you around," I said, heading for the door.
"Oh, definitely. And when you do tell Liam, or afterwards anyway, let him know I say ‘hi’ and that we should catch up again soon. Just because I'm the enemy doesn’t mean we can't be friends." He chuckled to himself as I exited the small office.
I knew I wouldn't be telling Liam that last part. Liam wasn't a fan of Dr. Taylor. It wasn't that he thought he was a bad doctor. He just felt that the man should have acted more his age and spend less time at the bars trying to pick up younger women.
But that wasn't really a concern for me at that moment. Dr. Taylor had just confirmed for me what I was pretty certain to be true before walking through his doors. But now that I knew it to be true, the next thing I had to do was tell Liam. The only issue with that was that I had no idea how he was going to take it.
--
I spent the majority of my days on Phi Phi working, or at least, I had of late. A few weeks earlier, I had finally nailed down my new novel idea. Since then, I had been working furiously.
As far as work places went, I thought I had gotten pretty lucky. My office was at mine and Liam's house, a small hut just off the beach. My desk there actually had a view of the water, and I could sit back, relax, and type while staring off at the calm blue waters. And then, when I needed a break, I would run down to the water’s edge, dive in, and hurry on home. It was paradise.
Since moving to Phi Phi, my life had taken a dramatic turn for the better. Not only was I living in paradise, but I was doing it with the man that I loved. I loved everything about Liam, and I was sure he felt the same about me. The two of us got along so well together. I was never bored of his company, and I often found myself staring at the clock, waiting for him to get home.
In the last three months, we had evolved so much as a couple, both agreeing that the move to the island was the best choice we ever made. However, now I had something pretty big to tell him, and I feared what it would do to our relationship.
I couldn't work that day. I just had too much on my mind. Instead, I opted to go for a walk along the beach and clear my head. What was meant to be a short, thirty-minute walk soon turned to an hour walk, and then a two-hour walk. Every time I meant to turn back, a new thought came to mind, and I just kept going. It wasn't until I lapped the entire island that I realized that I better at least sit at my laptop and try and get some work done.
But the words never came, and when 4:15 P.M. rolled around and Liam walked through the front door, I realized that I hadn't written so much as a word.
He had booked a restaurant for us to eat at that night for some odd reason. We very rarely ate out anymore. There was only so much Thai food a person can eat. But a few weeks ago, I had highlighted a particular spot I wanted to try, and I guessed that for some reason, he was in the mood. So, as he went out for his routine afternoon swim, I started getting ready. The whole time, I was in my own head again, trying to find the right words by which to tell him the news. I was actually glad that he had booked the restaurant to eat at that night. The romantic atmosphere might help soften his mood and make the news easier to swallow.
But then again, maybe that was just me being hopeful? It was a pretty big thing I had to tell him, and he would be right to not take it as leisurely as I would like. But there was no use fretting. It had to be done, and dinner would be the perfect occasion. Best prepare.
--
It was probably my imagination, but Liam seemed to be acting kind of odd. I kept telling myself that it was just me, and the fact that I had a secret I was keeping from him was what made it seem that way. But then, he would do or say something that really didn't sit right, leaving me both confused and a little concerned.
For example, when he picked the restaurant for us to eat at, I assumed it was just because I had mentioned that I wanted to eat there. But when we arrived, there was a bottle of champagne already open and waiting for us, as if he had called ahead and arranged it. And then, halfway through our meal, the waiters came over and sang us a song, one which just so happened to be one of my favorites.
He didn't even seem put out when I turned the champagne down. I couldn't drink anymore, for reasons that he didn't know about, and I thought he might have objected when I told him no as he started pouring my glass. But he barely blinked. It was as if he had something else on his mind and was only half paying attention to me.
But I continued to tell myself that I was imagining it. I mean, chances were that he thought I was acting strangely because in truth I was. I was only half in the conversation, barely paying him any attention as I kept on going over how I was going to spring my news on him. And then imagining what his reaction might be.
I decided that I would tell him after our main meal was over and we waited for dessert. This was the perfect time, as he would be a few drinks deep at that point and satisfied from a delicious meal. However, when we got to that point and I braced myself to begin telling him why I had been acting so odd, he beat me to the punch.
"I've told you how beautiful you look tonight, haven't I?" he said, looking into my eyes.
I smiled back and made some wise crack. I knew Liam, and I knew that he wasn't going to stop there. He had something he wanted to say and was about to launch into a speech. And sure enough, after a few more compliments, he began.
"And it's not just how beautiful you are. It's how perfect you are, in every way. I mean that. I look back at that year I wasn't with you, and I don't even want to think about it. You know what I mean?"
He was stalling, dancing around the subject as he tried to butter me up.
"I do," I said, smiling as I reached forward and took his hand. I didn't know what he was going to say, but I did know that I wanted to say my piece first. I didn't need him taking the wind from my sails. "Look, Liam. You may have noticed I've been acting a little odd."
"Wait," he cut me off. "Me first."
I was going to argue, but the way he looked at me told me that maybe I shouldn't. I couldn't imagine what was so important that he simply had to tell me right then and there. "Okay," I said.
"Like I was saying, I can't believe that there was a whole year that I wasn't with you. That I couldn't call you mine. I see it as a year wasted. Even the week I was out here felt like that. Did I tell you how glad I am that you decided to come out here with me?"
"I haven't regretted it for a moment," I said back, smiling as I lifted his hand and kissed the back of it. I didn't know where he was going, but his words had a comforting effect. If anything, they just reminded me that Liam loved me, and nothing I said or did would change that,