The chirping birds and the sound of rushing water fill the air as we walk deep into the trees and then down some wooden stairs. She holds my hand tighter as we make our way down. The stairs become steep at one point and then the mist of water hits us. “Oh my God, we’re going to die,” she whispers. “I want to go back.” She walks back up the hill.
“I promise you that it will be okay,” I tell her, and she looks up at me. We walk across the rocks to where a fence keeps you in on one side. We finally come to the square enclosure that sits in the middle with a wooden bench on one side, and just past the pine trees is the most beautiful, peaceful sight I’ve ever seen. A waterfall cascading down between two rocky mountains.
“Oh, my.” She holds my hands by the tips now as she walks to the edge of the railing. “This is so pretty,” she says and takes out her phone and snaps a picture. Then she steps back. “Carter, get in there. I’m going to snap a couple of shots,” she says, and then she takes them. I motion with my hand for her to come to me. She does, and I put my hand around her shoulder and grab my phone from my pocket.
“Smile,” I tell her, taking a selfie of ourselves with the waterfall in the back. The sun is peeking just onto the water, making it even more breathtaking. “Jim,” I call him, and he comes forward. “Will you take a picture of us?” I hand him my phone, and he steps back. “Big smile. This is going on my Instagram,” I tell her, and she just shakes her head, wrapping her arms around my waist. It’s a pose that I’ve had with a million other women, but with her touch on me, I get goose bumps. “One more,” I say as I lean my head closer to hers. “Take off your glasses.” He snaps a couple more pictures, and then finally, I turn and sit down on the bench.
She comes over to me, putting her hand on my shoulder. “You did good.” She smiles, and I want to lean up and cup her cheek in my hand and just kiss her. Doesn’t even have to be a deep kiss. It doesn’t have to be a kiss to last for hours; it just has to be a peck. Just her lips on mine, and I would die a happy man. But I don’t do any of that. I chicken out and then get up, and instead, I hold her hand all the way to the bottom of the mountain, and then we make our way home.
“Today was so good,” she says, leaning her head back against the seat. “I can’t believe we were out hiking for six hours.”
“It’s my favorite thing to do,” I tell her as I drive back to the house. “I usually go by myself. It’s my solitude.”
She looks over at me. “I didn’t know. I wouldn’t have come if I had known.” Her voice goes soft, and again, she puts my needs in front of the fact that she loved what she just did.
“I wanted you there,” I say, and she looks out the window, sitting back, and when we pull up to the house, it’s dark outside, but the lights are lit up outside, and when she gets out of the car, I grab her hand and walk to the back of the house to enter. She walks up the steps and stops when she gets to the top of the stairs. The fireplace is already lit, and there is a chef in the kitchen. “I thought after all that walking outside, it would be great to come home and have dinner already done.”
“You did this?” she asks, looking around. “I was just thinking that I would have to cook since you took me to the waterfall.” She smiles. “But this is so much better.”
“Well, I’m happy I can assist you,” I tell her, and then she turns around.
“I’m going to shower. I’ll be back.” I watch her walk away, and then I walk to my own room, getting into the shower where, for the second time in one day, I take care of myself. Walking to the kitchen, I hear her laughter and then see she is sitting at the counter talking on the phone.
“I swear, Mom, I have Billy boots,” she says and then laughs again. “The next time I come home, I’m buying you a pair, and we are going to go hiking,” she says and then she looks up at me. “Okay, Mom, I have to go.” She looks at me. “Love you, too.” Disconnecting the phone, she puts it on the counter. “Hey.”