Reader in the Park

by Rachel Maldonado

  “Oh, right. Like today,” said Nikki still laughing. “Give me that shirt and cap. I'm going to wear it proudly. Where are yours?”

  “I made some for me, too. Here, look.” Anna reached into her backpack and pulled out another T-shirt and matching cap. Written across the front in the same bedazzled square studded lettering was the word BELAYER.

  Nikki smirked. “Oh, you get to the wear the right word and I have to wear the bedazzler outfit. I see how you are.”

  Anna laughed. “I'll put mine on so we match.” She placed her shirt over the one she had on, then put her picnic lunch inside her backpack. It was nothing more than a few sandwiches, some bottled water, and a few individual size bags of chips.

  After making their trek up the side of the hill, Anna sat down on the edge of a large boulder. “Come sit beside me,” she said, patting the area next to her.

  “What is it that we had to talk about on the top of this hill?” queried Nikki.

  Anna took a deep breath, then stood and began pacing in front of Nikki. She spoke excitedly, “I'm not sure how to ask you this. I made a very hasty decision this week. It's not one I necessarily regret, but I know it's going to change my life and I want you to be a part of it.”

  “What is it? You're scaring me.”

  “I want you to go into business with me.”

  “Business? Doing what? Advertising?”

  Anna shook her head. “No, it's something that's more me. Advertising is what I had to do to work a regular nine to five job. I'm talking about doing something that I actually love.”

  “Shark diving? Ziplining? Stunt man? I don't know. Don't keep me guessing, Anna. What is it?”

  “I bought a tandem jumping business. It comes with a couple of planes and all the equipment, and the guy that has the hangar where they're currently housed says he will give me the same deal as the previous owner.”

  “And that's what you want me to do on weekends or days off? Jump out of airplanes?”

  Anna was still pacing up and down. “No, not exactly. I mean, you can if you want to. But I was thinking more like you could show the safety videos or help people sign release forms, things like that.”

  “Is this something you expect me to give up my career for?” asked Nikki.

  “I don't know. That would depend on you. I know you worked hard, you spent so many years in school, you love your job...I'm rambling, aren't I?”

  “I'll have to think about it.” Nikki was almost sure that she was going to say no. Why would Anna buy a tandem jumping business. What about her career? Is she going to quit her job, too? She had started to think about a future with Anna, but now she wasn't so sure. Anna wouldn't have the stable career that she has in marketing if she just up and quits one day, then if they were to move in together or get married, Nikki knew that then she'd be stuck with the brunt of all the bills while Anna gets to jump out of airplanes all day.

  Anna almost felt as if her idea had spooked Nikki away just like in her dreams of her when she had hastily and prematurely asked her to move in with her when Nikki wasn't at all ready. She prayed that this didn't turn out the same way to where Nikki thought she would need space and wind up distancing herself.

  ********

  As it turns out, that's exactly what happened. Nikki was frightened. She had been thinking about a future, wedding bells, a white dress. She had no idea that Anna would be thinking about investing in something that could possibly drain her income. She really had to sit down and think about whether or not she could make a life with someone as unpredictable and spontaneous as Anna Kincade. A week turned into two, then three. She avoided her messages for as long as she could, but found herself always thinking about her, always dreaming of her. Anna had captured her heart like no other woman ever had and she was drawn to her. She couldn't keep away from her. They were like two ends of a magnet that were pulled together by some unseen force.

  After three long weeks of dodging her phone calls, texts, and messages. She finally answered the phone one day as she sat at the table eating a turkey sandwich. She had just finished playing catch with Sherlock in the back yard just moments before. Even her dog reminded her of Anna. After all, it was Anna that had taken her to Ocean Life Aquarium and Theme Park, and it was Anna she had seen the pet show with. It was also Anna that had caught Sherlock for her at the fruit stand. Anna, Anna, Anna.

  “Hello?” answered Nikki into the receiver.

  “Hello, Nikki?” Anna was surprised that Nikki had even answered the phone.

  “Yes, it's me.”

  “I would like to see you, Nikki. I feel like I made a mistake just like I made a mistake in my dreams. I want to make it up to you. But I want to do it right. And you don't have to give me a decision about anything right away. You can take more time if you need to, but please don't shut me out, Nikki. I love you.”

  Tears filled Nikki's eyes. She felt as though her heart wept. She wasn't sure quite what to say. But Anna could tell that she was crying. She wept softly into the phone as she listened to Anna.

  “When do you want to see me?” she finally asked.

  “Tomorrow. I will pick you up tomorrow bright and early. Eight A.M. Just like the last time I saw you. Okay?”

  “Okay,” said Nikki sniffling.

  The two women disconnected the call, and the date was set. It would be the date that would decide their fate once and for all.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Morning came quickly and Anna was at Nikki's door at exactly 7:58AM. It wasn't like all the other times they'd seen one another, however. It was different. The air was different, the tension was so thick it could be cut with a warm knife. There was also a sense of unfamiliarity about her. Nikki seemed different. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but then all at once she knew. Anna wasn't sure if Nikki felt the same way about her anymore. That's what it was. She sensed it, and inside of her, deep in her heart; it tore her to pieces.

  “Good to see you,” said Anna as she held Nikki's door.

  “Thank you,” said Nikki as she entered the Jeep. She hadn't run into her arms or given her a kiss. There was no warmth or tenderness like before.

  Anna drove on the freeway in silence. Nikki didn't seem like she had much to say although she wondered where they were going. She knew by now not to ask, however.

  When Anna finally exited onto the ramp for Somerset and into a large empty field, then drove toward a large airplane hangar, Nikki knew exactly where they were. Tears streamed down her face.

  “You brought me here? To the tandem jumping place?”

  “Yes, but because I wanted to show you that it wasn't a hair brained idea. I love you, Nikki. I haven't quit my job. I wasn't planning to. I didn't think you would want to quit yours either. But I wanted you to see the location, to see what I invested in, and to experience it for yourself before you jump in head first with me on this.”

  “I don't know,” said Nikki. “To be real honest. This all scares me. And I don't mean jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. I mean, the fact that you would run out and buy something like this without even talking to me. I was starting to think about us; you, me, a future, marriage.”

  “Just do the jump with me, Nikki, please. I beg of you. If you don't want me anymore after today or don't want to go into business with me, I'll completely understand and walk away. Just one jump--one giant leap together, and it will hopefully lead me right back into your heart.”

  Nikki couldn't imagine herself walking away. She loved Anna with all of her heart and with every bit of her soul. She watched the safety videos, she did the practice jumps on the ground, then sat on a plane while it climbed to almost ten thousand feet. The entire time she felt as if her whole life flashed before her eyes. She was about to jump out of an airplane where anything could happen. She could lose her life in an instant and then nothing would matter. All the things she bought, all the schooling she had, everything she ever accomplished wouldn't matter anymore. What mattered to her was who she
would spend her time with, who she would grow old with, who she loved enough to do anything for. At this very moment, now and forever, it was Anna. Always Anna. Even if Anna was foolish enough to quit her job and do this tandem jumping as a full-time career, she would stand by her, she would support her. It's what a loving partner does.

  The air was rushing so fast as they opened the side door of the airplane and prepared to jump. She never imagined that she would be taking this much of a leap in her life. But here she was strapped into a suit with Anna. Anna had completed so many hours of jumping already, so she was able to jump with beginners. It would be the first time, however, that she had ever jumped with a student. She refrained from telling Nikki that, of course. No sense in worrying her any more than she already was.

  When they reached the designated elevation level and were flying over the empty field, the pilots gave the go ahead.

  “This is it,” said Anna. “We're about to jump.” They scooted toward the door, and Nikki could see the world below. It was all so tiny. Tiny people, tiny animals, tiny houses.

  “Don't close your eyes!” shouted Anna as they jumped out of the airplane. They were free falling at a fast rate for nearly a minute, but it felt like an eternity. The air was rushing through their hair and jumpsuit and the skin on their faces felt loose and jiggly like a bowl of Jell-o.

  “I love you!” shouted Nikki. “I want a life with you. I don't care what it costs!”

  Anna pulled the parachute and up they went, almost stopping in mid-air for a second, then floating and descending slowly downward. Anna's face was inches away from the back of Nikki's head since both women are strapped together facing the same direction.

  “Look up,” said Anna whispering into Nikki's ear. She nudged at her arm, then pointed toward the parachute.

  Nikki looked upward to view the inside of the chute and inside it, spread from one end to the other, were the words Marry Me? in large white letters.

  Tears streamed down both of their cheeks. Nikki couldn't turn around to face her, so she waited the few minutes it took for them to land to respond. As soon as they landed and removed the tandem suit, Nikki jumped into Anna's arms. “Yes!” she shouted. “Yes, I will marry you!”

  “And you wouldn't care if I quit my job?” asked Anna.

  “No, I can take care of us if I have to,” said Nikki with confidence. “I have a 401k, and a savings, and I don't plan on retiring anytime soon.”

  “We don't need all that, Nikki Bateman. I've been dying to tell you that I won the state lottery! It was me! That's why the amount of money was unclaimed for so long!”

  “What? I didn't even think about the possibility that it could be someone that was in a coma. The thought never even crossed my mind!”

  “Me either! Even when you told me about the articles that kept being printed in the paper, I still hadn't realized that I could be the winner. But those dreams I kept having about the car accident, remember? I finally remembered the rest of it. I was searching for the lottery ticket! I knew I had the winning numbers because they were all numbers I had picked out myself, I just needed to find the ticket. That's what I was doing when I crashed!”

  “Of course. It all makes sense now!”

  “But you were going to marry me anyway even if I quit my job and would have the risk of my business not earning enough money?”

  “Yes, I love you, Anna Kincade. I will love you always.”

  In the end, Anna and Nikki found in one another what was far greater than wealth or material possessions. They discovered that when you love someone, you love them as much as you love yourself in that you'd do almost anything to make them happy, make any sacrifices or compromises if necessary, and either help them with choices or stand by their decisions whether they succeed or fail. They discovered the meaning of true love...Because true love wasn't about fancy dates or expensive jewelry. And it wasn't about wining and dining. It was about all the time they spent loving and supporting one another, and all the love and laughter that they shared...But that's not to say that the four million dollars they won in lottery winnings after taxes was bad either. Because, well, no one turns down that much money.

  Anna Kincade and Nicole Bateman, like a fairy tale or a beautiful dream, lived happily ever after.

  THE END

  Want More Great Rachel Maldonado Books?

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  Her Maiden Voyage

  Message Sent

  By the Water's Edge

  The Tracks

  The Death Room

  13 Urban Legends Volume 1

  13 Urban Legends Volume 2

  Bad Moon Rising: Wolf Within

  Touchdown Hero

  Light of My Life

  Holiday Homecoming

  Something Different

  Lassos N' Lace

  Down N' Dirty

  Rescue

  Rookie

  Touchdown Hero

  Burning Desire

  Christmas Short Stories Volume 1, 2, 3 (Each book contains three short stories!)

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  Christmas Shorts

  From Take Off to Landing

  A Country Christmas

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  A Christmas Wish

  Little Miracles Christmas Bake Shop

  Coffee Connection

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  Christmas Bear

  Knight Before Christmas

  Perfect Christmas

  Ho, Ho, Hoax?

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  Un Beso de Navidad

  Un Osito de Navidad

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