Float On

Part 6

"It's a park not too far from here, maybe about 5 blocks," he says, looking hopeful. "It's usually not too crowded."

My first instinct is to say no. Five blocks means five busy crosswalks to go through, not to mention an undetermined amount of people between here and the park. And once we get there, what if he's wrong and it's packed with bicycle riders and mobs of screaming kids. But then I picture something else. I can see Phil and I walking hand and hand through the park, laying on a blanket by the lake, and even kissing under one of those giant pink cherry blossom trees that bloom this time of year. I always secretly loved all of those pink flowers. I bite my bottom lip as I waver back and forth.

"I think I want to try," I finally answer. Seeing him perk up and smile convinces me I made the right decision. I would do pretty much anything if it meant he would keep smiling at me like that.

"I'm really proud of you for trying," he says softly by my ear right before he gives me a prolonged kiss on the cheek.

I contently try to snuggle back into him for another few hours of being lazy, but he's already scrambling out of bed. I frown and make grabby hands at him so he'll come back, but he just laughs and scoots just out of my reach.

"Come on, lazy! It's already 10:30. Let's grab some coffee and go."

I groan and pull the blankets up so just my eyes are peering out. I watch him as he changes out of his pajama pants and into a pair of jeans and pulls a clean shirt on over his head. He turns around suddenly and catches me looking at him.

"Did you just watch me change clothes?" he asks playfully.

"No. Maybe. I don't remember," I respond as my cheeks turn pink.

"There's a kiss waiting for you in the living room once you get up," he says coyly over his shoulder as he walks out of the bedroom.

I lay there for a minute before I scramble out of bed and start searching for clothes, not wanting to miss any opportunity to get a kiss from Phil.

--------------------------------------------

As we make our way into the park, his enthusiasm increases, pointing out things and tugging me along eagerly while he tells me random facts about all of the surrounding plants. There are a few people here and there, mostly joggers and bicycle riders, but he was right about it not being too crowded. We walk along the paths, our bodies close and bumping into each other, hand in hand. The further we go, the more I start to get a sense of déjà vu, but I'm not sure why. I can't even remember the last time I've been to a park, but it definitely hasn't been in the past 7 months.

"Dan," Phil says, tugging on my shirt with his free hand. "Are you listening to me?"

I feel sheepish when I realize that I hadn't been a hundred percent listening and totally missed a question he just asked me.

"Sorry," I say, embarrassed. "It's just been a while since I've been out like this. I'm just distracted taking it all in."

Seemingly satisfied with that answer, he asks his question again. "What's your favorite kind of plant?"

"The one you gave me," I immediately answer without even thinking, blushing when I realize how cheesy I sound. I immediately try to give another answer, but he stops and tugs me over so I'm facing him, and plants a long and lingering kiss on my lips. "I sort of have a thing for flowering trees too," I prattle on, left surprised and breathless by his kiss. I lean in for another, but he stops me.

"Wait right here. Don't move!" he says with a crooked grin.

I stop in the middle of the sidewalk and watch curiously as he jogs off of the path and around some trees where I lose sight of him. Standing alone, I realize that I've got the biggest smile on my face. How can one person make me this happy? And amazingly enough, I seem to make him happy also.