No One But You

“Willow knew where your stash was and she most definitely took advantage.”

“Clearly, she had no idea where we kept the good stuff because we would’ve noticed it go walkies.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the thorough roll of her eyes. “Whatever, it just made me feel sick.”

“Serves you all right for taking what wasn’t yours! Anyway, it was all a misunderstanding, and we ended up getting all the money back once Phillip, Richard and I threatened Trevor and Anthony with telling their parents they were trying to grow weed in their shed. But when we went to see the old boy back at the antique shop someone had already bought the book, luckily as it turns out, your doodling meant that no one else found it as desirable. And anyway, who doodles and highlights in a first edition classic?”

“I do.”

She kissed my lips lightly before she went back to the book. She leafed through it cautiously and carefully. Her delicate fingers roaming over the words she loved so dearly.

“It’s between the pages of your favourite chapter, right by your favourite quote.” I brushed her hair behind her shoulders as she went straight to chapter six, and like it couldn’t bear to remain undiscovered the thin gold bracelet fell onto her lap.

She closed the book and laid it back inside the velvet box. Her eyes meeting mine as she fingered the tiny gold beads and bars on the delicate chain.

“This is too much, Jamie.” She whispered as she looked down at the thin string of minuscule links connected by just as small dots and dashes.

I took the chain from her fingers and clasped it around her small wrist. “Ugh-ugh…it’s nowhere near enough,” I kissed the inside of her wrist and then the top of her head. “I have a lot of Christmases to make up for. A lot of things I’ve wanted to give you, but I never could because it wasn’t the right time. I can give you every single one now, and more.”

She nodded slowly, making the argument I’d already penned out in my mind unnecessary.

“I haven’t given you my gift yet. Still.”

“I thought that’s what earlier was.” I’d be more than happy with just her. In fact, that’s all I wanted. Her.

“Oh no, that was just a pre-morning good morning.”

“A what?”

“It can’t be a present or a gift because I want more of that all the time.” She smiled brightly up at me. Her teeth sinking into her bottom lip and the apples of her cheeks flushing a deep pink.

“Me too, which brings us to this.” I held my hand out to her with the smaller box on my palm.

“What’s this?” Her eyes widened as she looked at the box closer. Her fingers frantically tucking her long layered fringe behind her ears.

“Not what you’re thinking, but it’s our first step to that. I hope.”

“You don’t even know what I was thinking.” She repeated her words from earlier in a breathy whisper.

“I have a fair idea.”

She studied me intently before murmuring, “You don’t even know what fair is. You’ve always had the advantage. Always had the upper hand.”

“And what is that?”

She took the hand that rested on her thigh and brought it up to her chest. She laid it right over her heart as she took a deep breath. Her breaths came with the same beating rhythm of her heart.

“It’s always been yours, Jamie. It may be a little ragged and it might’ve seen better days. It’s not perfect, but it’s yours.”

I didn’t quite know what to do. I wanted to kiss her, but at the same time I didn’t want to take my eyes off hers.

“I don’t want perfect, sweetheart, I want this one. Every piece. Every cracked, broken, scarred and love filled piece is, has been and will only ever be yours. And all I want is you, so I think that sounds pretty fucking perfect to me.”

“It does.” Her lips stretched into a watery smile and as I took my hand from her bare chest and opened the box her eyes rounded.

“I will marry you someday. I don’t know when just yet, maybe when we’re old and wrinkly and our kids have their own kids. Maybe next month or the year after next. I don’t know when, but it doesn’t matter either way. A title and a ring are nothing when I get to have you. To have this.” A small tear ran down her cheek as I placed my hand back on her heart. “The only thing that matters is that you’re mine and I’m yours. Which is why I’m giving you this. I don’t like to be parted from what’s mine and since you’re selling your house anyway…”

“You’re giving me a key.”