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Song: Lift Me Up by The Afters
I can see the dawn is breaking...I am feeling overtaken with your love.
I don't know what I can offer...in this moment, I surrender to your love.
The last few days with Henry felt like a dream. One that I never wanted to wake from. Even when he stood right in front of me, at an arm's length, gazing into each other's eyes, I still couldn't grasp onto the idea that Henry—my good, old Henry was really here with me.
Each morning, I was afraid that when I woke up, he would disappear from my sight. But when I opened my eyes, there he was, lying peacefully and sound asleep next my side. He was so perfect.
And every morning from now on, I'd wake him up by placing a gentle kiss on his forehead and running my fingers through his hair to make sure he was real.
Our time in this magical place was coming to an end and we'd be returning to Chicago soon. Bitter sweetness filled the air as the thought drifted into my mind while Henry drove us to Seattle—Tacoma International Airport late in the evening.
I didn't want to leave. Just not yet. This part was always the worst part about vacations. Returning back to reality.
When we arrived at the airport, Henry drove onto the exit towards the terminal. He didn't turn into the runways as we always had done. What was he up to? I tilted my head, furrowing my brows, silently asking him where he was taking us.
"I don't want to leave quite yet so I hope you're ready for one last surprise." Henry smiled genuinely before he climbed out of his car and ran over to my side.
"Don't you have projects to catch up on?" I asked, still sitting in my seat. He nodded.
"But that can wait. I have more important life matters to attend to," he grinned. I chuckled and shook my head in adoration.
I unbuckled my seatbelt just as he opened my door and held out his hand for mine.
"I hope you don't mind," he started to say as I placed my hand into his and stepped out of the car. "We're taking a commercial flight somewhere else instead."
"I don't mind that at all." I really didn't.
"Ally, I promise this is the last surprise, and it's something that we should have done a long time ago."
I looked up at him with a confused expression. "Done what a long time ago? Is there something we haven't done yet?"
"There are many things I still want to do together. But I remember you told me that you missed the ocean and I thought...why shouldn't we go?"
A smile crept onto my lips. "You mean ... that we're not going back home today?" Henry shook his head with a playful grin. "Why do you suddenly want to go to the ocean?"
"Because of you. I want to make you happy, Ally."
"I am happy already," I promised him.
"Let's go to the beach," he said. Before I could question--not that I wanted to--Henry led us inside the airport doors, swinging our hands back and forth lightly. We stopped at the end of the TSA line that was slowly getting longer with busy, annoyed travelers.
"Our honeymoon," Henry suddenly said. My attention flicked to him immediately as he spoke those two words.
"What?"
"Our honeymoon," he repeated for me. "That's what we should've done a long time ago."
My insides overcame with joy and excitement. My mind searched for words to reply, but I couldn't find any. So instead, I snatched his shirt gently, pulling him to me as we wrapped our arms around each other.
"Thank you, Henry," I mumbled into his chest as he tightened arms around me.
"I should be thanking you."
"Can you tell me where we are going?"
"Somewhere as beautiful as you."
"You're too cheesy, baby," I teased, and he chuckled before leaving a kiss on my forehead.
"I don't want to spoil it for you. I know you'll love it, but I can give you a clue. How about that?" Henry asked and I nodded cheerfully. He seemed too excited to contain the secret himself. "Alright, we're going to the Pacific Ocean."
We boarded the plane in business class and Henry offered me the window seat, but even if he didn't, I would have made him switched seats with me anyway. I sunk into the seat happily with my husband by side, awaiting the long hours to our destination. It doesn't matter how long this flight will be. With Henry by my side, time is irrelevant.
After a very late and light dinner was served a couple hours into the flight, I leaned my head onto Henry's shoulder who was sleeping already. He must have been tired, I thought.
I studied the flower ring Henry gave me the other day when we watched the sunset, admiring it on my ring finger. Even though the flowers wilted away a little, it was still as precious to me the moment Henry slipped it on hand.
As I thought about our time together the last few days, my eyes grew heavier and darkness clouded my mine.
It wasn't long before Henry woke me from nap, which appeared to be a very long one.
"Wake up, Ally, we're landing soon," I heard Henry whispered in my ears. "You need to look at this."
I yawned and lifted my head from his shoulders as my attention diverted towards the small window. I thought I seen all there is to this gorgeous world, but when I peered out through the glass, I was mistaken.
"Welcome to Bora Bora," Henry uttered from behind me as a huge beam grew on my face.
My breath was almost taken away at the enchanting beauty outside. The clear sky. The crystal blue-shaded waters. The lush greens of the islands below. The bungalows on the water.
Everything was just so beautifully-captivating to the naked eye.
Henry leaned over my shoulder as he rested his hand across my front, embracing me from behind. "Do you like it, honey?"
My hand moved up and rested over his arm. "I don't like it. I love it. Everything about it."
Several minutes later after the plane landed on the main island, Henry and I with a couple of other tourists boarded a small boat toward the resort.
A couple of wooden bungalows by a small mountain on the waters came into view, and my excitement soared through the roof.
Once we arrived at the resort, the island natives greeted everybody with a warm welcome by placing flower garlands, mainly plumerias, around our necks.
After orientation with the island natives and checking into Guests Services for our keys, Henry took my hand and led us out onto the hotel's grounds. We walked on the cemented pathways, smiling and passing the other tourists as we made our way to our room.
"Are you hungry, Ally? Let's go find something to eat," Henry suggested as we continued on.
I shook my head. "Not yet. I want to see what our place looks like first." I hoped we'd be staying in one of the water bungalows that I saw from the plane. I could imagine how fun it would be already.
"Are you sure?" he playfully teased.
"Yes, more than ever. Please, Henry?"
He beamed as he placed an arm around my neck, hauling me to him as we paced down the path. Not too far down, we arrived at a wooden platform leading out to the bungalows that stood over the clear baby blue body of water.
My pace picked up from my growing excitement as Henry held onto my hand from behind me. I hoped I wasn't dragging him, but when I peered back, he didn't seem to mind at all. Actually, he had his iPhone out recording down at our hands this whole time. When I gave him a mocking frown, he only laughed and continued filming.
I noticed people sunbathing by the sand or swimming in the water from where we were walking.
And it struck me—I didn't know how to swim. Nor float. All twenty-four years of my life, I never took the time to sign up a swimming class, and now I was regretting my decision.
But I wasn't going to let my inability to swim take away the fun from our honeymoon. I'd figured out something one way or another—I hoped.
As I thought about it, Henry immediately scooped me up off my feet into his arms.
"What are you thinking about?" He carried me down the platform towards the bungalows.
I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Can I ask you something?"
"Yes, anything."
"Well ... Remember I don't know how to swim. Could you ..."—I was a little reluctant and embarrassed about asking him—,"...teach me?"
He softly chuckled and then smiled. "Of course, anything for you. When would you like to start?"
"How about today? We could start after we find something to eat. Does that sound okay?"
Henry nodded. "Of course, we got all the time in the world here."
We came to the bungalow at the end of the platform. It was definitely bigger than the ones we passed on our way here.
"Here we are." Henry unlocked the door with the card key and opened it for me to enter first.
Right when we walked inside was the living room and a small comfy dining area. By the corner stood the wooden stairs to the top floor and pass the living room was an open area to relax.
I wandered around the place towards the balcony outside, admiring everything in my view. It definitely was paradise in heaven here.
I slid open the glass panel doors and stepped outside to look at the view of the ocean.
Henry circled his hands around my waist from behind and rested his chin on my right shoulder. "Why don't we go change upstairs and then we can grab something to eat?"
I twisted around to face him, snaking my hands around his neck. "Okay, I'll race you there."
I quickly brushed him off me as I darted back inside, but Henry was quick. He caught up to me in no time just before I stepped onto the stairs. He hailed me over his shoulders spiritedly with little effort and hoisted me up the staircase.
He dropped me gently onto the mattress and climbed over my body until his face hovered over mine. As he pressed his warm body against mine, his hands reached for both sides of my face, his thumbs caressing over my cheeks smoothly, the sensation causing my heart to waver as my list for him grew.
He slowly leaned down as he closed his eyes, and I closed mine as well. My arms circled around his shoulders, pulling in closer to me, and in a few seconds, our lips melted together in slow motions.
My hands pushed at his chest, and I rolled him onto his back without breaking our kiss. As he moved up from the bed, my legs straddled his hips, my arousal growing by the second being so close to him in this intimacy.
The moment was ruined by the growls of my stomach.
Henry lightly chuckled. "Okay, we have to go. I could hear your belly grumbling."
"Fine," I said with a pout.
He left a few soft pecks on my lips, his hands rested on my hips. "Your things are in the bathroom. Since we're going swimming afterwards, you should change into your swimsuit. I had a couple picked out, but choose one that you'd like."
"Thank you. You always have everything prepared for me."
"That's how a husband should be. It shouldn't be other way around."
"You're too cute."
"I know."
I softly giggled. "Okay, I'll be right out."
I moved off Henry and headed toward the bathroom. I located the royal purple luggage in the bathroom closet and scoured through the multiple types of swimsuits Henry had chosen for me.
I chose a black two-piece set—all of them were nice, but this one was my favorite by far. After viewing myself in the mirror, twisting left and right to check my front and back, I slipped on the white laced cover up that was hanging in the closet.
That felt more comfortable now.
I found Henry sitting on the king-sized mattresses, already changed into some light clothes, khaki white shorts—I had never seen him in shorts before—and a grey button up.
He eyed me up and down with a charming expression. "You look gorgeous."
I did a little curtsy. "Thank you."
We returned to the main island for a delicious lunch, a Polynesian and French infused cuisine, at the hotel's romantic waterside restaurant.
After a few cocktails, we headed out to the beautiful beach waiting by. We dropped our towels and outerwear off at the lounge chairs that stood on the grass and walked onto the warm sand.
I was a little nervous getting into the water. I didn't hate it. It was just that I couldn't control my surroundings if I went into the deep zone—that notion was terrifying.
The cocktails definitely helped out the anxiety.
As I slowly stepped into the shallow end, making my way towards the deeper part, somebody pushed me from behind. I belched out, falling straight into the water. When I regained my sight back and sat up on the shallow sand, I saw Henry laughing at me.
"Henry, I wasn't ready!"
"I know." He plastered on that usual smirk on his face, enjoying seeing me in this state. "Alright, I'm sorry, Ally. Here, let me help you up."
He held out his hand for me, and I grabbed it, but he didn't know I wasn't ready to get out of the water just yet.
I needed to teach him a lesson, and the only to do it was to play at his level.
Before he could see through my scheme, I pulled him with all my energy into the water.
I stood up onto my feet, the water at my thighs, chuckling as he plunged underneath the shallows. Once he came back up, he coughed water out from his mouth.
Trouble was headed my way so immediately I ran from him before he could make the next move.
It was hard running through the water for a person of my size. Henry caught me into his hands, and instead of pushing me under the water as I expected, he pulled me towards the deeper end.
I felt my heart leaping out of my chest by the seconds as the water level climbed up to my neck. The most frightening part was when both my feet lost contact with the sand.
I cling onto Henry's shoulders for dear life, my legs wrapping around his waist. "Honey ... I changed my mind. I don't want to learn anymore."
His arms secured around me. "Ally, it's okay. I'm here. There's no need to be afraid. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Do you trust me?"
"Y-yes." I nervously nodded. "Yes, I trust you."
"Okay." He smiled. "Now, I'm going to move you to my back. Okay? Keep your hands around my neck."
I did as Henry instructed. Once I was behind him, I placed my chin onto his shoulder and my arms wounded around his neck, but not too tight that I might suffocate him.
"Now, when I start moving around the water, let your lower body rise freely up freely into the water so you can paddle your feet," he advised.
"Okay," I reluctantly responded, unsure if this was a good idea after all.
Learning to swim wasn't the hardest thing to do, but it also wasn't the easiest either.
With Henry's patience and encouragement through the first lesson, I learned how to stay afloat in the deep end and swim under water by the end of the day—that was an achievement to be proud of, in terms of my level.
And like before, I found my trust in Henry again ... for the first time in a long while.