All real places, all places i've actually been, trying to put some of the best of seattle into one date. AND i went to the gum wall and actually, with my amazing boyfriend, did the L+A heart. picture on the side :)
We all make mistakes,
have struggles
and even regret things in our past.
But you are not your mistakes,
you are not your struggles
and you are here NOW
with the power to shape your day and your future
-Steve Maraboli
Chapter Forty - Liam
I didn't know what to think after we left that court room, we were all just thrown for a loop and I wasn't quite sure what the hell was going on after that. Addie was quiet as ever as we went back home and I was a little un-nerved by her questioning him. You could feel something between them and for a minute I could feel the love she had for him and it unsettled me and I admit, made me jealous.
We would have the next couple days off from trial and I would have them off from work so I was taking Addie out on a date, I can't even remember the last time we went out and I think it would be a good distraction.
Well by me taking her out I mean have her take me out since I don't know anything about what to do around here, she was going to bring me to some places and show me Seattle, though I'm already not a fan of it, too many people and chaos and stop lights and buildings.
But first we were all taking time off to spend time at home the next day and no one really talked about what just happened, it was clear that Addie didn't want to and it was a great day, I was happy to see her smiling again and interacting with people. She's been so closed off since she's been here I just want to see my baby happy again.
She was with me and we hugged and cuddled and kissed but it was more like she was just going through the motions right now and I wanted to see the fire back in her again so as soon as it was a reasonable time to be up, I had her up and nearly placed her into the shower myself to get ready for the day, we were spending the whole time in the city and I didn't care how much it would cost or the weird places we would go, but we were doing it.
"What first?" I asked and her arms were crossed in slight irritation, well maybe more than slight.
"Well since you pulled me out of bed, tossed me in the shower and dragged me from my home without feeding me, I would suggest food." Way more than slightly. I was afraid if I didn't get her out immediately than she wouldn't have come, that she would have found a way out of it and I wanted to take her out and make her smile.
"Where do you want to go?" I asked and a ghost smile appeared for about two seconds before it was gone.
"There's a café in Wallingford I'd love to go back to, Essential Baking Company." She said and I just went with it as I drove where she told me to go. It was easy to tell that this place was home to her, she knew it so well and had no trouble where as I would have ended up in Canada by now.
What do I have to say about the city? People such at driving and I hate stop lights. I think I hit them all and got more aggravated with each one much to Addie's amusement, at least she was smiling.
When we pulled up we parked in back and I grabbed her hand as we walked up in. It was a cute little place but it was also pretty busy. She walked up and grabbed me a menu and she didn't even seem to need one as she looked around the place.
It was a comfortable place and everyone in here, including the staff seemed happy. We ordered come crepes and found a little sofa to sit on while we waited and I just watched her, enjoying seeing her smiling, it was a nice change from either depressed or emotionless.
"Thank you." she said softly and I looked over at her
"For what?" I asked and she shrugged
"Everything. Just for everything, you've stood by me and you've been amazing and thank you or getting me out of the house." She leaned against me and I wrapped my arm around her, this felt more like the us from back home and I liked it.
I wasn't ever going to let her go again.
When the food got here my mouth was watering looking at the caramel apple creation in front of me. and she looked at the strawberry one in front of her and I couldn't wait to dig into it and once I did it was like heaven, I have never tasted crepes so delicious.
It took me only a couple minutes it seemed to have them finished and washed down with milk and Addie was about half through watching me and she looked pretty amused.
"Don't look at me like that, they're delicious." I defended and I heard the sweet sound of her laugh, I missed her laugh. I smiled at her as she came down to a little giggle and I couldn't help the urge to touch her cheek. Her laughter stopped and she gazed back at me intently.
"I love you." she whispered and I smiled as I leaned in to kiss her gently.
"I love you too." It was a sweet moment, a moment I missed a lot.
After we ate we went to the park, it was a little chilly which was weird, I was used to it being a lot warmer by now, but we stayed warm as we walked around the park and took in the beautiful view of the city, I bet this would be even more amazing at night.
She didn't know it, but I already had the evening planned, I just needed a little help with the day planning.
"What else is there around here?" I asked and she grinned mischievously.
"I have an idea and you're going to love it." and that was all she would tell me as she navigated me back to the city and around the streets until we found a parking spot.
"Addie where are we?" I asked confused, there was construction and it didn't look like anything great could be around here.
"Come on!" she said excitedly as she pulled on my hand, bringing me to a set of elevators and once we got out I was still confused once we hit a walk way but she continued to pull me through.
"What's pikes place market?" I asked her and she just smiled as she continued to pull me
"You'll love it." was all she said again, we walked through people and a little inside walk way with shops all around us and it smelt a little weird, which I understood once we got to an opening.
"Watch." She said and we didn't have to wait long before they started a little mini show of them tossing fish around from one person to another, it was so weird but kind of cool at the same time. Addie smiled as she watched them and once it was done she was pulling me somewhere else.
"That was cool." I said
"That's not it." she told me as she pulled me down a set of stairs
"What is it then?" I asked warily, I was completely out of my element here and I wasn't sure what to expect but when we turned the corner and I looked at the alley we were in I was both fascinated and disgusted at the same time.
"Welcome to the gum wall!" she said happily and I turned around to see the alley walls all the way up covered in pieces of gum
"What the hell kind of idea is this?" I asked and she chuckled
"I don't know, but it's kind of fun." She said as we walked up and down the alley looking at all the different gun patterns on the wall, it was really freaking weird to say the least. It was just walk after wall covered in strangers, probably from all over the worlds, chewed gum.
"This is so weird." I said not being able to take my eyes off of anything and she smiled as she handed me a stick of gum.
"Want to mark the wall with me?" she asked and it was kind of weird but I also couldn't say no to that smile she had on her face at the thought of us doing this together.
"Okay." I said and she handed me a few pieces.
"I want to make a heart with our initials." She popped a piece in as she started scanning the walls for a place, settling at the very top of the alley. You could hear people around us visiting for the first time sharing my reaction while locals laughed. This was their place and weird as it was, they loved it.
We stood there chewing gum until our jaws hurt so we could make a heart, half pink and half green with 'L+A' in the middle of it, colors switched around. It was admittedly cute and cheesy. We walked around the market and got some lunch at the hard rock café before we headed over to the space needle.
On the way over we bought a lock and clipped it onto this walkway with all these other ones and then we threw away the key, you put it on together and make a wish and as I looked at her I knew exactly what I was wishing for.
I knew it was insanely expensive but I didn't care right now, I wanted to spoil her and I would, despite the protests I knew I would hear from her. I held her hand and paid the price to even go up in the elevator and once we got to the top we were half hour early so we went to the observation area to look out over the city.
"Liam, this is entirely too much." She said looking a little uncomfortable at the money I was spending but I shook my head and lead her out, it was cold and she clung to me as soon as we got to the edge.
"You alright?" I asked and she nodded as she clung onto my waist and I liked having her there.
"It's just high." She said shakily and I kissed her head as I wrapped my arms around her and held her tight to me.
"I'll always protect you." I rested my head on top of her head, I love how short she was and she sighed as she leaned into me and we looked over the city
"I know, you always do." she whispered
"Do you like today?" I asked and she nodded
"It helps to have even a day of happy memories in a city that was nothing but hell. Thank you." she looked up at me and I looked down at her. She went up on her tip toes to give me a quick peck on the lips and then she settled back where she was with her head resting on my chest.
We stayed like this out here until it was time or dinner and she seemed a little lighter and in a bit of a better mood which made me happy. Every penny rom today was worth it.
She actually ate a full meal and she laughed and joked with me as she did it and with the sun setting and how the colors glowed across her skin, she couldn't have been more beautiful to me and I think that was the moment I knew, I just knew that I wanted to be with her always and not just in the way we say to say, I want to marry her.
I wanted her to be my wife and the only woman I will ever be with, I wanted her to be everything to me officially because she already was but I also knew I had to be patient, I couldn't tell her that for a very long time, it would completely freak her out, but it didn't stop me from having a smile on my face.
One day she was going to be my wife. Maybe not this year or the next or one after that, but she was well worth waiting for.
"What?" she asked me curiously and I just smiled and shook my head
"Nothing." She looked at me curiously but didn't say anything as we continued to eat dinner and then shared dessert in pleasant conversation. The case wasn't brought up, just plans we would have for the summer or Nina. Addie really liked Nina and she wanted her to come stay the summer with us.
It seemed like every summer our group was getting bigger, in a good way of course. She linked her arm through mine as we walked from the elevator and to down town where there was this shop I just had to go to, after the gum wall I was a little scared because she just kept assuring me I would love it.
I let her vent about Nina the whole walk down and when we got to this shop she pulled me into it and I think I was right to be skeptical
"Welcome to the Ye Olde Curiosity Shop" She said with another big smile, this place was packed full of just random things like two headed goat and chicken and the strangest signs and books. I eyes the place warily and we only spent a short time in here since they were closing before we left.
As she started to head to the truck I grabbed her hand and pulled her the opposite direction
"Where are we going?" she asked
"Last place." I told her and we walked until we came across the huge wheel on the pier.
"I don't know about this." she looked way up to the top of the huge Ferris wheel
"I'll protect you, come on baby." I tugged her hand gently and she sighed and followed me while I paid for the tickets and we waited in a short line to get into the bubbles. She was stiff as we sat and I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her against my side.
"It's so high." She complained and I smiled
"Then cuddle up to me." I told her and she smacked my chest before gripping onto me for dear life as soon as the thing started moving.
"Oh god, I'm going to die." She squeezed her eyes shut tight and I chuckled, she let out a low scream when I moved slightly and rocked the bubble thing.
"Calm down and open your eyes." I told her and she shook her head
"No." she closed them tighter and I ran my hand under her shirt and rubbed her bare lower back making her take a deep breath and relax slightly. The city was amazing from this, you could look back and see the dark Puget sound and look forward to see the lit up buildings.
"Come on baby." I whispered and she slowly cracked them open and I held her tight as we went around and around, we stopped at the top and she nearly had a heart attack until I kissed her to keep her mind off of it, I knew she was afraid but I was so proud of her for doing this.
"I love you." I whispered against her lips
"And you suck." She pouted and I smiled at her cute face.
"You love me too." I said and she smiled and buried her face in my chest to hide it.
"I do." she admitted and she stayed glued to my side but looked out as we went around and around until it was our turn to get off.
"Tired?" I asked and she nodded as she leaned into my side as we walked back to the car and as soon as we got into it she was out like a light, it was a good thing I knew how to get home from here.
I carried her into her room and left to change while Lalan and Kalila got her changed as well and then I headed into bed to sleep with her. Nina was with Kalila and I just wanted to spend the night with my girl, no group slumber party, just us.
She was barley awake when I got into bed with her and she cuddled up to me.
"You're so perfect that sometimes I can't believe you're real." She told me and it warmed my heart as I looked down at her.
"That's exactly how I feel about you." I kissed her forehead again.
"I can't wait to be home with you, I miss my babies and I miss home." She sighed and it pained me a little because we wouldn't be sleeping together much after we got back, she needed to adjust to it on her own and I would miss her and that huge thing she called a puppy, it's not a puppy, it's a large dog and it's not cute anymore when he lays on my stomach.
"Soon love, soon." I said and she nodded before drifting back off to sleep.
"I'm going to make you my wife." I said to her sleeping form and I kissed her forehead one last time before letting myself get some sleep too.
** I'll be posting more photos of like pikes place and stuff later... need to figure out how to be able to post more than one or something.. **
** Last chapter about the case next, verdict will be heard soon.. what's going to happen and who's excited? **