Forever, For Always

by Quinn, Sabrina

  Chapter Twelve

  “I can’t tell you Dominic. If I did, then it wouldn’t be a surprise!” I laugh as I pull him behind me, hand in hand, up the dark emergency stairwell to the top of the penthouse.

  “I just don’t understand why we would be going to the top of the building. I know how terrified of heights you are.”

  “Shush, you are going to ruin it. Just trust me okay,” I tell him as I swing the door open. The October air is crisp, but my adrenaline is pumping so much that it doesn’t bother me. I step in front of him, throwing my hands up in the air I yell, “Happy Birthday!”

  Behind me is a white and blue patchwork quilt laid out on the concrete roof. Sitting in the middle of it is a vanilla bean birthday cake with eighteen candles. Dangly Christmas lights sparkle as they hang from one wood post to another that I had strung earlier this evening. The Manhattan lights shine below giving off just enough light. This city never stops, not even for the night.

  “You never cease to amaze me, Adaline.” He yanks me into his arms making me giggle as he devours my mouth with his. My fingers entwine into his thick, black hair as he walks me backwards. He lays me down onto the quilt without our lips ever faulting on their aggressive desire. After a few minutes, I unexpectedly stop our heavy make out session so that I can tell him something.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I didn’t do this so we could fool around up here all night. We could do that in one of our rooms.” I laugh as I flip to my back and point up at the sky. Understanding floods his eyes as he flips to his own back and stares at the dark sky that is littered with tiny, bright, shining stars.

  “So, I hope this doesn’t sound corny, but, you know how you told me once that your mom always sang to you that you were her sunshine?”

  “Yeah,” he answers as he grabs my hand between us.

  “Well you’re my opposite. You’re like my shining star. My world has always been dark as the night. I never could find my way until you lit up in front of me and shown me the way. I guess you could say you’re my North Star. I know whenever I see you, I will always know how to make it home.”

  “Adaline, you can’t say something like that and expect me not to kiss you.”

  “Then don’t.” I challenge.

  In an instant he’s back on top of me, but this time gently taking my face into his hands as he slowly kisses me once. “Okay, let’s have cake now!” Dominic loves cake almost as much as he loves me I think.

  I take the lighter out of the pocket of my hooded sweatshirt and light all eighteen candles and then sing my best rendition of Marilyn Monroe’s version of Happy Birthday.

  Dominic might have a slight obsession with her.

  He twirls a piece of my auburn hair around his finger. “You know, I bet you would make a hot blonde.”

  I shove his shoulder playfully yet still hard enough to show it hurt my feelings a little, “I thought you loved my hair?” I whine.

  He bellows into laughter, “I do, I do! I’m just kidding!”

  I roll my eyes at him and hold up the cake closer to his face. “Just make a wish and blow out the candles.”

  He stops laughing and blows them all out with one puff.

  “You didn’t wish that I had blonde hair did you?” I ask a little self-conscious now.

  He sticks his finger into the icing and licks it off. “Of course not, Adaline. I love your hair the way it is. My wish was about you though.”

  “Well don’t tell me or it won’t come true.”

  “I think if I’ve learned anything in my eighteen years here on earth, it’s that to live in moment. So with that, I wished that I could always be your shining star. Even if I for some reason am no longer here on Earth, I want you to always be able to look above into the heavens and find me to guide your way back home.”

  Dang it, Dominic,” I cry. “I’m the one supposed to be giving you presents, not the other way around.” I swipe a tear that has begun to cascade down my cheek. “But now every time I see the North Star, I’ll always think of you, so thank you for that gift.”

  That night we fell asleep under the stars, intertwined into each other’s arms. That was probably the most peaceful night of my life.

  ***

  “Do you know anything about the constellations?” Isaac asks me, bringing me out of my daydream.

  “Not really,” I answer him.

  “That right there is the little dipper,” he says pointing to a cluster of stars. “It’s the easiest constellation to find because of Polaris at the end of its handle, which is the brightest star in the sky. It’s been used for centuries to navigate the Earth. Because it doesn’t move, it’s always dependable on knowing which way is North. That is why it is nicknamed the North Star.”

  I stare at the fiery ball up there in the heavens and can’t help but think it is Dominic himself, looking down at me.

  “Do you see that shooting star?” Isaac exclaims pointing just above where the North Star sits. The light flies through the air magically leaving a bright trail of light behind it. “You’re supposed to make a wish!”

  I can’t help but wonder about the coincidence of this very moment. In my head, I thank Dominic for always being my shining star. In my heart, I feel like this is my sign from him to finally live.

  “Isaac?”

  “Yeah, Vada?”

  “I have one condition if we do this, whatever it is that you think we are.”

  Isaac leans up on one elbow to look at me. “Okay.”

  I lean up on my own elbow to face him. “You can’t fall in love with me.” I pause for a moment, thinking about how rude this next part is going to sound. “And I won’t fall in love with you. My heart was taken a long time ago, and it’s broken beyond repair. I can’t promise you how long Benny and I will stay here either. But I can promise you that when it comes time for us to leave, that we’ll tell you goodbye. I can give you that.”

  “I think I can live with that.”

  “Really?” I ask. I’m so happy he agreed, yet feel guilty knowing how super selfish this is of me.

  “I don’t really have another choice, Vada. All I know is that I want to spend whatever time you have here in Miami, with you and Benny.”

  “Okay.”

  He turns over to return to lying on his back, pulling me close to him as he does. I hesitate, but inch over to lie my head on his chest. He wraps his left arm around me, pulling me even closer. I let out a deep breath that I didn’t even know I was holding as his chest rises up and down with the thump thump of his heart below me. Here I go making myself vulnerable again.

  It seems like a lifetime ago that I’ve felt this safe.

  We lay for almost an hour before either of us makes the move to speak. I’m first to break the silence as I run my hand over the random collage of pictures and words that are forever marked on his arm. “What’s the story with these? I’m sure there are many.” I begin to trace a beautiful red rose on the outside of his bicep that is wrapped in thorns. The thorns coil all the way down his arm, entrapping all of the other tattoos as is goes down to his wrist. I see a lock, a huge black tree that partly turns into flying sparrows, a key, some words that look like they might be in Latin, and the rest I can’t really make out in the dark.

  “I can’t help but notice the rose. You have a thing for roses, huh? But why a red rose? I know you said they all have meaning.”

  “A red rose is for love.”

  “And the thorns?” I ask as I stop tracing it.

  “The thorns represent protection.”

  “Hmm,” I say as I look up at him to see his response

  “Hmm?” he repeats but in question.

  “It’s just interesting. So, does that mean protection for love or protection against love?”

  “You’ve got such an inquiring mind tonight.” He laughs, trying to avoid the rest of this conversation. “It means protection against love. Love can be dangerous. It’s not something I’ve really had a desire to chase after
. In other words, I don’t do love.”

  “Well, at least I know you’ll keep up your end of the bargain on not falling in love with me.” I lay my head back down on his chest and close my eyes to take in the peaceful surroundings. “Have you ever slept out here on the beach?”

  “Can’t say that I have. I sleep with my windows open every night though. The sound of the ocean is what puts me to sleep.”

  “Let’s stay out here all night. I’ve never slept out by the ocean before.”

  “Anything you want, Vada,” he says as he wraps his other arm around me, interlocking it with the one that already was. The tightness of his embrace feels like he never wants to let go. At this moment, I don’t think I ever want him to, either.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Vada,” I hear someone whisper. “Wake up.”

  I feel someone tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear as I open my eyes.

  “I didn’t want you to miss this.”

  It’s still slightly dark out, but once I adjust my eyes as I sit up, I see the bright orange sphere peeking just over the water. I sit in silence as I watch it slowly make its way up in the sky with a trail of hot pink and orange hues following it. “Oh, that’s amazing. You’re right, that comes in a really close second.”

  Isaac stands and grabs both of my hands as he does, pulling me to my feet with him. He bends over to grab the quilt and shakes the sand off of it before throwing it over his arm.

  “Come on, I’ll make you coffee and breakfast before you have to head into the café.”

  “Oh no, my uniform is still soaked from the rain yesterday in your bathroom!”

  “No it’s not. I threw it in the dryer after I got out of the shower last night before coming outside. They should be good to go.”

  “Thank you. I wasn’t in my right mind yesterday.”

  “Why don’t you take a quick shower to wash off any of the sand that might have gotten on you over night while I make your breakfast? I’ll lay your clothes on my bed for you.”

  “Okay. You don’t have to make me breakfast though. Don’t you have to get ready for work, too?”

  “I’m not on duty today and I want to make you breakfast. How do you like your eggs?”

  I smile at his generosity. I would’ve never guessed the first day in the café that the cocky police officer would one day be making me breakfast. “Scrambled with cheese,” I tell him as I walk away to his room to shower.

  I check the clock on his nightstand after drying off and putting on my uniform. I have about half an hour before we need to leave. I’ll have to let my hair air dry. Wavy, natural hair it is today. I grab the mini bottle of contact solution from my purse and squirt some into each eye. I’m not used to sleeping in my contacts. I’m lucky to find a tube of mascara at the bottom of my purse when I drop the solution back in it. I put on two coats before making my way to the kitchen.

  I walk around the side of the breakfast bar and sit down on one of the two tall bar stools. Isaac is standing over the stove flipping pancakes and places them on a plate with scrambled eggs. He has changed his shorts and somehow lost the shirt he was wearing. His back is free from any markings, unlike his arms, except for the letters that splay across one shoulder blade to the other.

  to thine own self be true

  “I didn’t peg you as a Shakespeare reader.”

  Isaac turns around and slides my plate in front of me. "To be, or not to be: that is the question," he dramatically quotes while holding his right hand up into the air as if he is acting in a play. He drops his hand and gives me a lopsided grin. “Hamlet is a classic. I always enjoyed my college Lit classes. Shakespeare was a genius. His words and their meaning can be pretty powerful stuff.”

  I shake my head. “I always tried to tell,” I catch myself before exposing the next words. I was about to say I always tried to tell Dominic that he needed to pay more attention during our English lessons. He always got so bored during anything that involved literature. I literally put the phrase stick a fork in it to the test as I stab a big chunk of scrambled eggs with my fork and place them in my mouth. I chew up my food and swallow it before attempting to say anything else.

  “These are so good! Thank you.”

  Isaac narrows his eyes at me. He knows what I just did. I started to share a little piece of me with him and choked. Let’s hope I don’t put that phrase to the test next. I’m lucky enough that he doesn’t push me on what just happened. “I hope you like pancakes, too. I didn’t ask, but figured you probably did.”

  I reach for the syrup and squeeze out a little over the stack. I cut into them and take a bite and am pleasantly surprised. “Is that cinnamon I taste in them? And something else, but I can’t quite place is.”

  “They’re Cinnamon Vanilla, one of my specialties.” He laughs as he sits down beside me and digs into the pancakes that are on his plate.

  I point my fork at the remaining pancakes on my plate and with a mouth full say, “They’re good!”

  We finish up the rest of our breakfast sans conversation. I rinse off my plate and load it into the dishwasher as Isaac grabs his car keys off the key hook near his entryway.

  “You ready?”

  “Yeah, can we drive with the top down though? My hair needs to dry a little still.”

  “I’m sorry. I actually have a blow dryer if you wanted one,” he tells me as we both buckle and he starts to back out of his driveway.

  “Really?” I give him a look because I don’t believe him.

  He chuckles. “Really. My sister, Camila, left one at my house for whenever she stays in the guest room. She lives on Marco Island which isn’t too far but when she comes down to visit she usually stays for a few days.

  “That would have been nice to know.”

  “Sorry! If it’s any recourse, I think your hair looks nice the way it is right now.”

  “Thanks.”

  Isaac pulls into the back of the café to drop me off. He lets the car idle as he put it into park. “Here’s to a better day.” He grins, trying to be encouraging.

  “Thanks for the ride to work, and breakfast, and for letting me stay the night.”

  “You don’t need to thank me, Vada. That’s what friends, err, whatever it is we are, do.”

  I notice the way he is looking at me. I can tell he is gauging on if kissing me goodbye is too much. I break all the rules and quickly lean in to connect our lips. As if me making this big step encourages him, he slips me a quick tongue this time for a more passionate kiss which honestly takes me by surprise. “Sorry,” he apologizes with a huge smile. “I got a little carried away.”

  I’m still surprised at his braveness that I have no words. I shut the passenger door and give him a little finger wave goodbye as he pulls away with that big smile still on his face.

  “Did you just kiss my brother?” I hadn’t realized Carlos was standing outside the back door watching us.

  “Ummm.” I look down at the ground as I fidget with my purse. “It really wasn’t anything.”

  “Oh, that’s something all right. Isaac doesn’t do love. Everyone in the city of Miami knows that.”

  “Uh, there’s no love going on, Carlos. I promise. We are just friends,” I try to explain.

  “Isaac doesn’t have friends that are women. In fact, he isn’t really that nice to them. He is a cocky son-of-a-you-know-what who always lets them on, but never follows through. The women still love him though and try everything they can to change him. He doesn’t break his rules for anybody and he definitely doesn’t take the time out of his day to save girls who are lost walking around Miami, either. I love my brother, and he really is a lot of great things, but he steers clear from anything that could potentially devastate what he has worked hard for and, Vada,” he twirls his finger in a circular motion at me. “I’m seeing destruction written all over your face after the way he looked when he drove away.”

  I shake my head in disagreement. “Really, Carlos, it’s not a big deal. Okay? Plea
se don’t try to make it into something it’s not,” I beg as I follow him into the back of the café.

  “Okay. I’m sorry. Here I am telling you about what a selfish jerk my brother is when I haven’t even asked you how you are doing today. Who’s the jerk of the family now?”

  “I’m better, thank you. I need to also thank you for allowing Luca to stay the night at Gloria’s with Benny. I think they’ve become quick little buddies.”

  “Ah, they have indeed. I’m sorry for razzing you earlier, Vada. Do you having any siblings? That’s just what brothers do.”

  “I don’t actually.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  “Not a problem. I better unlock the front door. It’s a minute until we open.”

  “Have a good day, Vada.”

  ~

  It’s funny how quick a day can fly by when you are up in a cloud and feel as if you are walking on air. I’m finally walking home and can’t wait to see Benny. So many things feel like they are weighted off of my chest right now. If I go about this carefully, I think Benny and I can actually enjoy our time here in Miami and have the company of Isaac to go along with it.

  I walk around the main building and stop in my tracks when I see Benny, Luca, and Isaac out in the empty part of the apartment parking lot. Luca is riding a bicycle like a champ, but Benny seems scared on the one he is on, even with the training wheels. Isaac walks over to him and slowly pushes the bike while helping guide the handles. After a moment of riding this way, Benny finally gets it and begins pumping his legs on the pedals with determination. Isaac lets go and Benny rides off on his own. Benny boastfully smiles as he finally catches up to where Luca has ridden. Scenes like this; this is what fills my cup. A cup that I never thought could rise more than halfway.

  Isaac turns around just as I get near to where he is standing.

  “Hey. I got a phone call about an hour ago from these two,” he says while pointing his thumb in their direction. “They wanted me to stop by in the patrol car.”

  “That was nice of you to come by for them.”

  “Luca knows I won’t tell him no. I think Benny has caught on to that now, too.”