Page 114 of Together Again

“What? Nothing. I’m really tired; I think I’m going to sleep the entire flight.” I lied because there was no way I’d be able to catch a wink when the most important moment of my life was only a few hours away, but Isaac didn’t react to my statement.

It was the longest flight of my life. If I’d thought the flight to Lisbon had been painful, I was wrong. The flight back to New York was downright excruciating. Between pretending to sleep and pretending to have a headache, I went from worrying that Isaac would know what I was up to, to worrying that he was worried about me and my sudden indisposition.

As soon as I could, I turned my phone on at the airport and checked for messages. I asked Isaac to wait for me while I went to the bathroom so I could buy some time until I had the all-clear. For goodness sake, I would not cut it as a spy.

As soon as the text came in, I went back out and grabbed Isaac by the hand to lead him toward the arrivals area. Fortunately, we only had two small suitcases, so it was easy to navigate around the other travelers.

I looked around and picked the best spot. Isaac looked at me like I was growing an extra head, but I ignored him. I took the box from my suitcase and stood face-to-face with Isaac.

Everyone around us could hear my beating heart and knew what I was going to do, I was sure of it.

I was staring at the box like it contained all the answers and the courage I needed. Isaac put his hands on mine, his brows furrowed.

“Isaac, it’s been nearly a year since I let you go through the security doors of this airport on your way back to Lisbon. Our time together had been so short that, after a while, my brain started telling me it was all a fantasy, a dream, that it hadn’t really happened.”

Isaac’s eyes were shiny with unshed tears, and I wanted to kiss him so badly.

“Before you left I gave you a present.”

“TheMy First Christmas in New Yorktree decoration.”

“Do you remember what you said?”

His voice broke. “I… I said that the message would assume there would be a second Christmas.”

“I said it then and I’ll say it now. I wish for nothing more than for that to be true. So… I know it’s a little early, but I have a present for you.”

I pulled the box up to my chest and then gave it to Isaac. He cleared his tears before taking the box from my hands and opening the lid.

As soon as he opened the box, he knew what was inside, and his smile put the sun to shame. He leaned for a kiss.

“Wait,” I said. “Can you read what it says on it?”

Isaac carefully took the glass decoration from the box and turned it until he could see the message.

He gasped before he repeated aloud the words that had been engraved.