An Interesting Love

Love

Word Counter: 1,154

I haven't let go of Henry's hand. He hasn't loosened his grip on mine. The corners of our mouths have slowly raised, revealing our excitement at the prospect of knowing each other. We both know that we've met before, it's just that neither of us can remember it. I'm okay with that, enough weird things have happened in the last day. Henry seems okay with it too. He gently takes my other hand and raises it to the level of our others. I enjoy being able to see every bit of his skin, standing in the shade. There's just a little bit of light striking the very top of his hair, turning it a kind white. He looks so soft. I raise his right hand to my cheek, feeling callused fingertips until I turn them over to smooth knuckles. I notice that his nails are messily painted black, chipped and peeling. I close my eyes for a minute, breathing on his skin. It is as though every moment that passes brings back a stronger connection between us. I don't feel like it's possible for me to be taken from his hands now.

I open my eyes and look up at him. My pupils trace the small hairs lining his cheeks. They're all so evenly spaced. He sees me watching them and smiles. His eyes bend upwards at their corners. He's so cute. I don't need to wonder what he's thinking of me: You have awesome eyes; I like how your eyebrows bend like an owl's ears; I wonder what you're thinking about me.

"I'm just thinking that you're really cool and good-looking, honestly," I chuckle.

"Aww, right back at you, baby."

I don't even know what noise I let out after hearing him call me 'baby.'

"You can hear what I'm thinking?" He asks.

I nod.

I feel very close to you, Charlotte, and I know you feel just as close to me. Can I hold you?

I respond with a small grin and wrapping my arms around his waist. I pull Henry into me, holding his lower back in one hand and reaching my other hand behind his head to hold it at my shoulder. I can hear his breathing— the only other sound is a slight breeze in the foliage. I can feel his lips relax over my skin and I move my thumb slowly over his hair.

I like how you hold me.

"I like holding you like this," I say.

We stay like this for a long time. I think.

"Can you control time, Henry?"

"I can control it here. What do you want me to do?" he asks.

"I want you to make it so that we can be in here for as long as we want, but no time will pass out there," I say.

I can do that for you.

***

It feels like it's been ten years and ten seconds all at once. Henry and I have spent all our time walking and talking together, learning about one another. Even though we haven't experienced full lives of our own, we have a good sense of our characters. We are sitting in a bed of pale yellow flowers, with bumble bees buzzing around us. The sun hasn't set and our knees are touching under the shade of a shedding cherry blossom.

"Describe me in five words," Henry asks.

"Hm. Idyllic, comforting, understanding, reliable, and appreciative. Now me."

"Um, kind, comforting, intelligent, creative, and graceful. I love all those things," he says.

I laugh, "It's almost like you love me!"

There's a moment of silence as Henry leans in.

I do love you, Charlotte.

Henry holds up his right hand to my forehead as though he's taking my temperature and then slowly drags it down to my cheek.

"I do," he says.

I lift my hand to cover his.

"I love you too, Henry."

He lets out a quick breath and then a long sigh, looking away for a few moments. Then he looks back at me with concern. He sees that I'm tearing up. I reassure him that I'm okay, just very happy. My tears fall. Soon, when they hit my lap, they are glowing periwinkle.

I laugh, "are you making my tears glow?"

He laughs back, "yeah! They're so pretty, look!"

I close my lips and drop my head, falling into his lap. Henry holds onto my shoulders and caresses the hair on my head. I look up at him and he's looking out at the sky, smiling. Then he notices me looking at him. His chin disappears into his neck as he stretches to look directly below himself at my face. He's so happy. The sun shines behind him, creating a halo. I feel like I'm being graced by an angel.

I want to take care of you.

"I want to take care of you too," I say.

I pause.

"I'll take care of you if you ask me to," I say.

Henry takes me face in both of his hands as I lie on my back, looking up at him.

"Charlotte, I love you. I want you to take care of me, and I want to take care of you to."

I feel so much love. His mouth closes as he watches me. We just stare at each other for a while. I've completely forgotten the fact that we once knew each other and nearly forgot one another. We never could have forgotten one another.

"Could you have forgotten me?" I ask.

"No. There's a reason we wound up here. We weren't going to be apart for long."

"How long were we apart for, though? Out there, it's like I've lived a whole life with people I don't know— people I don't love. Out there, I live in an apartment, with a husband, and the place is littered with pictures of us on vacations together. Out there, you've lived a whole life— did you know that life?"

"I feel like I've lived that life before. I feel like the life I have out there is my life. It's not the same as what you are going through. I don't know how long we've been apart for, though. We could have lived the last twenty years apart, or it could've been minutes. I think it was at least a day, but I can't be sure," he says.

There ensues a long silence.

I break it by saying, "it doesn't matter, Henry. We are supposed to be together now, and we are. In each other's arms, at peace, away from the other world: we can be happy together for as long as we want to be. We can be happy together for as long as you'll have me. We don't need to worry."

"I'll have you for as long as you'll want me to, Charlotte. I don't want to leave you. I know it doesn't matter."