They Never Said It Would Be Easy

January 2020

I am awoken to someone roughly shaking my entire body. 

"Get up, G. Get up!" he shouts as he moves from my side to completely on top of me. "I need to get to the restaurant and you need to send in your completed masterpiece to your agent."

"But I just wanna stay here with you," I say as I open my eyes and lift my head to press my lips to his, but he moves his head back. 

"Nope, not until you get up." He's scrambling to get dressed and gathers all of the paperwork he needs for the interior designer at the restaurant. Today he is adding the finishing touches to the design and finalizing the menu. "Plus the sooner we get our work done the sooner we can get back to this bed."

He sends a wink my way and it's just enough to get me up and over to my closet to get dressed. I settle on some mom jeans and an oversized dark green sweater. I want to be somewhat comfortable as I finish the last touches on my book, but I want to look decent when I visit Brooks at his soon-to-be restaurant afterwards. 

I grab my laptop from the kitchen table, give Brooks a quick kiss, and walk to a coffee shop just a few blocks away from my apartment. I find a table near the window, order a hot tea, and open up my manuscript to the first page. I add an additional page before the first chapter starts and type.

Dedicated to...

You. Of course it's you, Brooks. I put you through hell and it is only right that I give you the credit you deserve. My life was crumbling on a fast decline and you were the one to help me find my feet, help pick me up again. Thinking back to our day trip in LA, on our time spent on the Queen Mary, on the Santa Monica Pier, in the karaoke bar, you were the one to push me out of my comfort zone and get me to start writing. None of this would have been possible without you.

I continue typing. 

you, Brooks. Street lights guided me to you. When my life was dark you showed me the light.

Done. My work is complete. For the first time in my life, I feel accomplished. This is something I have been dreaming of and I want nothing more than to share it with Brooks, who is simultaneously making his dream a reality. I close my laptop, finish my tea, and head out the door.

"Brooks!" I call out as I enter the building.

"Over here, G!" I hear from the back. I make my way towards him as he is standing with the designer and some workers.

"What do you think would look best? Black or white tables?" Brooks asks.

I look around the room and ruminate Brooks's question. I'm not really thinking about the table colors. I'm not really thinking about the restaurant design or even about sharing the completion of my book. I'm think about how us. How I can go to him to share my misfortunes and accomplishments. How he chooses to come to me for my honest opinion on important matters. How our lives are so intertwined. How we are together, and in love, at last.