Two weeks later.
Sand. Sea. Water: I love the sea. I love water. I love the calmness that it brings me
And most of all, I love experiencing this with the people I love and those that love me.
It's been hell for the past few weeks. We all went through hell and back.
I look at jace. He is sipping his feet in the water, his thoughts wondering. My eyes turn to look at the man beside me. The man is also looking at Jace. Carter.
A week ago I felt like I lost him. and the whole week that followed when he was getting treated. But now he is fine. Healing well. I hope he is healing well both emotionally and physically.
About a few meters away, I see a man who held us together. Who didn’t waver when all of us broke down and thought it could be the end.
I see Steve walking. A dog beside him. our dog.
A smile forms on my face. Then in my heart. this is everything.
“You love him.” carter says
“I do.” I say.
My phone rings and I pick it up. My mother on the other end. “Hi mom.”
“Why is he not here not here yet.?”
“mom come on,”
“Well what?”
“you will see him. I promise.” I say as Carter laughs beside me.
“hi mom,” carter shouts
“Hi son, I miss you.”
“hey, use your own phone.” I say and steal it back from carter. I stand and walk aside. Leaving Carter seated. He can't run after me. Not yet. His wound hasn’t healed yet.
I wave at Jace and he nods. But Carter smiles and shakes his head. Jace, who was coming to his side, stops then turns back.
And deep down, I wish for them.
“so tell me, how is Weston?” I told her about everything that happened. I needed to talk to her. I needed her to make everything better. And she did.
“He is healing. Still at the ICU. Not awake yet but alive.”
“That's all that matters.”
“That's all that matters.” I answer.
"So, what's next?" She asks. "You and Steve. What will you do?"
"I will stay with him. I will love him more each day. I will stand by him as he makes his dreams come true. One of his dreams died but he got up and found another. He found his calling. An architect who hasn't gone to school but knows what he is doing. Steve build homes, mom. Not empty houses, but homes. He puts his heart and. One by one, brick by brick. Wood by wood. He built our home. I could feel it, it felt home before it was complete. And when it was complete, it was our home.
I want to stay here mom and build homes with him. A kind of home that we can all run back to. The kind of home that you build for us. And if one day we are lucky to have kids, I will teach them to be humble. To be special but not to hurt others in the process. I will teach them what you taught me mom, that it's okay to find yourself, but not to forget yourself in the process. And I will teach them to always come home when things get hard, I wont chase them but welcome them with both hands. It's called home because It is home for all of us. I will keep them safe when they feel like they have nothing to offer and I will feed them when they feel like they don’t deserve to eat. Like what you did to me mother, I will do to my kids. Because they will be at home.
A home where all their wishes are coming true, even when they don’t see it yet.
And when things get hard, to them or to me. I will call you, their grandmother and you will snap some senses into me, and spoil them a little no matter how big they will be. Because you are a mother and what every mother wants is for her children to be happy. Someone told me that once.
And I will grow old with my Steve. Taking one day at a time. Wishing one day at a time. Appreciating one day at a time. Because now we both know how precious time is and we don’t want to lose any second.
And mom?”
“yes son,”
“I will always wish to be reborn and be your son. In every lifetime. Because you are the best thing ever to happen to me. And I know, I know that I met the man I love, because I was born by you. And I was raised by the best. I love you. Mom. I can't wait to live with you one day, and I hope you will like it here like I do.”
She stays silent. I don’t mind. I love her silence as I love her words.
“drayton,” she calls. “I am so proud of you. So proud of the man you've become. And I love you.”
“I know mom. I love you too.”
“Now, tell that man of yours, he will not marry you until I see him.” she laughs.
“Okay mom, I will tell him that.”
" shat do you love about him anyway?"
"His eyes. He has this eyes…"
"Oh! I know those eyes. They just speak to your soul and gets you." She hums. "Your father had those eyes."
"I know mom. I know."
She stays silent for a minute. Then
“I will call you later, then.” She doesn’t wait for my reply and ends the call. Well that’s just like her.
I go back to where Carter. “so, you are staying.” He says.
“if only he keeps me.”
“oh! He is keeping you alright.”
“I know. I just want to make sure its something he truly wants.” I say. I turn to face him, “ and you, will you keep him?” I gesture to jace. “ He can't keep his eyes off you.”
“no, we had our moments but that’s just it. It's like you and Weston. Yes you loved him but now you love Steve more.”
“I get it. But…” you guys are married.
“Nope Now go to your man before starts talking to invisible sea creatures.”
My eyes land on steve. “yup. I should better get him out of his misery. The invisible creature I mean.” I say and Carter ends up laughing out loud.
*****
I run to steve. Shouting his name. He turns. His eyes lock with mine.
He spread his arms. His lips curving into a smile. Dree, our dog watching us back and forth. waiting for me. The picture is so beautiful.
I jump. He catches me. Wrapping my legs around his waist, my hands around his neck, I kiss the hell out of him.
Dree barks. We laugh between kisses.
“how did you know I needed that?” Steve asks after the kiss ended.
“I needed that more than you did.” I say.
His smile is everything. Especially when I know it's for me.
“steve.”
“Yes baby.”
“You did good. I am so proud of you.”
Long silence settles between us. Me in his arms. He is just looking at me. Finally he speaks, “thank you for saying that. I wanted to hear that at least once."
He is vulnerable. Something I am not surprised about. He is not hiding his feelings. His fears. His wants.
“I will always remind you.” I say
“always?”
“yes.”
“What about the city?”
“I guess I am a small town kinda guy now.”
“What about your things? Your clothes and everything?”
“You will buy me new ones.”
“but I am broke.” He chuckles
“you will think of something.” I say.
“You are trouble.”
“and you are mine.” I kissed him again. this time I am not holding back.
We kiss like that for minutes. It feels heavenly. wishful.
Dree barks again. trying to jump and be in Steve's arms too. That's our que to stop kissing.
Steve puts me down and rubs his ears. She purrs in my hands and Steve laughs.
“Come, let's walk.” Steve takes my hand in his.
We start walking on sand. Overlooking the sea. This feels like walking in a dream. A wish.
“Tell me your dream.” Steve says.
“I have always dreamt of meeting someone like you. Have a family. Become whole.”
“That's not a dream. That’s a given.” He says
“To me, that was my only dream. My only wish. And now it has come true.”
Steve stops walking then stands in front of me. I smile at him. licking my lips. Flirting with him. He gets closer to me, closer to my lips and I hold my breath waiting for that kiss to come.
Instead
“tell me how you feel, now that your wish has come true.” He whispers. His lips finally touch mine.
And after a minute of heaven and back, I tell him.
“its like I am walking on air. And I won't fall because I know you will catch me.”
“always.” He answers
And this time, he kisses me out of my senses. Deep and passionate.
And I wish we can take this back to our bedroom.
But the weather is so good. So we keep walking. Enjoying every second of time.
"Tell me your favorite musician." I start.
He thinks for a minute. "Don Williams." He says.
"Oh, that's my favourite too. You have good taste."
He stops, turns to me."when will you stop flirting with me?" He asks.
"When I stop loving you."
"So that's means never?"
"When will you stop flirting with me." I ask him.
"When I stop loving you." He answers.
"So that means never." I say.
"Not in a million years." He says and kiss me. We smile in the kiss and kiss some more.