Page 72 of Death, Interrupted
Her face changed into surprise. “Two hours?”
I nodded. “Think you can be ready by then?”
“I’ll be ready in one.”
***
We had been at the campground for a full day, and since this morning where I told her what we’d do this weekend, I saw her smile without hesitation. At every red light we stopped, she kept telling me how excitedshe was to get away, even if it was for two days only.
I shared her excitement and never wanted to see her in any other mood. Although, I liked when she got all frustrated or annoyed with little things, like the stove not turning on at her finger’s touch, or the polaroid picture of us that kept falling off the fridge.
Luckily, she wouldn’t have to deal with those things this weekend, and all she had to do was relax and enjoy the time we had here.
The cabin was small but enough for two people. It was cozy, and the bed seemed comfortable enough to sleep on for two nights. When we arrived this morning, she dropped her bag and went straight outside, saying she wanted to “breathe the air.” I let her and watched from the small porch as she walked down to the water.
She had been lighter all day. We’d gone for a walk in the morning and stopped by a small café near the camp entrance for coffee and sandwiches. By the time the sun started to go down, we’d eaten dinner at a picnic table behind the cabin.
Now, we were walking along the lake without saying too much. The quiet around us seemed to settle her, and I made a mental note to bring her here more often. Maybe once a month we could spend a weekend out like this, here or somewhere else she liked. Gettingaway from home, even just for a couple of days, clearly helped her breathe again.
We came to a stop by a bench near the shore, and she turned to face me with a gentle smile. “You know, I haven’t felt this okay in a long time. Or ever. Not since we’ve met.”
“I’m glad,” I said, gently brushing my knuckles along her cheek. “You’ve been smiling a lot lately.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. It looks good on you.”
She gave a small laugh, then stepped forward into my arms. “Well, it’s all your doing. Thank you for bringing me here.”
“You don’t have to thank me,” I whispered into her hair while rubbing her back.
“I know, but I want to.” She squeezed me and rested her head against my chest. “You didn’t have to drive me away from home, make breakfast, or book a cabin by a lake. You did it anyway, and I still don’t know how I deserve any of this.”
“I think you do know,” I said, resting my chin on her head. “You just have to allow yourself to accept it. You’re a good person, and so, so strong. You only deserve the best. And besides…that’s what people do when they’re in love.”
The words slipped out before I could stop them, and I felt her whole body go still in my arms. Then she tooka step back and just stared up at me with her lips parted slightly.
I cleared my throat and tried to play it cool, rubbing the back of my neck. “Uh…you know, hypothetically speaking. Like, just an example of what peoplemightdo when they’rein love.”
“Sly.” Her lips twitched. “You literally just said you love me.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Did I? I feel like you’re hearing what youwantto hear.”
She laughed, giving my chest a playful slap. “Are you trying to gaslight me, asshole?”
“What? No, never. I’m just saying words. If you misinterpret some of those words, that’s on you. I don’t love you. What are we, teenagers?”
Her laughter got louder, with her head thrown into her neck, then it softened into a smile, and before I could come up with another lame excuse, she said, “Well, you better stop lying because I love you too.”
That shut me up real fast. I blinked at her, trying not to grin like an idiot. “Oh,” I said, faking being casual while my heart punched my ribs. “Cool. Good to know.”
She rolled her eyes, smiling wider now. “You’re impossible.”
I finally stopped acting like I hadn’t just heard exactly what I hoped to hear and pulled her back into my arms. “You know what this means now, right.”
“What?”
“You’re stuck with me now. Forever. Because I won’t let go of you. Not a chance.”