But here, now, I began to wonder if that wasn’t a mistake. After mini golf, which was pretty fun, Sam took my hand, led me to the truck and drove us here. To the lake. In the dark. With woods all around. Every step into the night we took, I became a little more afraid.
“Why did you bring me here?” I asked, hesitating to go further.
He stopped and turned back to face me. His head tilted to the side as he studied me. I squirmed beneath the scrutiny. “You’re scared?”
I shook my head quickly, not wanting to admit such a thing. I mean, I trusted him, right? “It’s just really dark and…”
Suddenly mere inches separated us, and I was staring at his chest. I never really noticed how very broad it actually was. I titled my head back and looked up. The golden highlights in his eyes were magnificent, making it possible that even in the dark I could see his expressions so clearly. I never imagined anyone could ever look at me that way. He cupped his hands around my cheek, the heat of him searing me to my very soul.
“I swear to you that you are safe,” he whispered, “nothing or no one will ever touch you.”
The only coherent thought that drifted through my head was ‘I hope not,’ because I sincerely wanted him to touch me more.
Then a bomb went off. Loud banging rumbled the dark and vibrated the ground.
I jumped, reaching out and grabbing handfuls of his shirt and while I buried my face in his chest. Close to my ear he whispered, “It’s your surprise.” I looked up and he caught my chin in his hand, “I hope you like fireworks.”
I looked up. “You brought me to see fireworks?”
“If you don’t like them…” he seemed worried.
“No!” I yelled over the loud booming. “I love them.”
He smiled and walked forward, carrying me with ease. The lights were beautiful. Fireworks of every color exploded against the black backdrop of the sky. Their shimmering brilliance was extended because it shimmered on the water creating twice the beauty.
I kept my eyes above until nothing more burst through the sky. I sighed, laying my head against his chest. “Beautiful,” I said.
“They aren’t over.”
We were near the water’s edge in a private little clearing that I can’t imagine anyone knew about, except someone had to because of the swing. It was wooden, old-fashioned looking and hanging from a large tree by two wide ropes. Sam sat me on it, moving behind me to push.
“I think they’re over.” I told him, disappointed.
Just then a line of gold shot through the sky and burst into a million golden stars. I stared transfixed as they shimmered and dimmed, leaving me feeling a little empty. It was a shame for such perfect beauty to last for such a short time. But then another streaked by, and I became mesmerized by color. We watched the show for a long time, Sam coming to sit next to me on the swing.
It was perfect.
It felt like a secret.
Like we were the only two people in the world who knew about this place, and the fireworks were lighting up the night just for us. I leaned my cheek on his shoulder as he swayed the swing to and fro. When what I assumed was the grand finale began, he casually looped and arm around my waist and pulled me just a little closer, his body buffering some of the extreme booming. The very last firework to erupt into the sky was red and shaped like a gigantic heart. Just below my rib cage, butterflies danced.
“Thank you for bringing me,” I told him when everything around us fell silent.
“You liked it?”
“Truly.” I sat up to look him in the eyes.
His knuckles brushed over my cheek. “I wish I could give you more.”
“I already have everything.” I longed to reach out and touch him, but insecurities and nerves held me back.
“I got you something.” He dug into the pocket of his jeans.
“But you already gave me this.” I held up the cord that held the whistle.
He made a face. “In case you needed it to scare something away. It’s not exactly something that shows you how I feel, or something that makes you think of me.
“I think about you all the time.” Again the truth behind my words made me feel vulnerable. But I didn’t care, the way he was looking at me tonight, I didn’t mind being vulnerable in that moment.
His smile was quick and devastating. “Then this will just show you how I feel.” He pushed back the sleeve of the cardigan I was wearing to expose my wrist and clasped something silver around it. Immediately I felt a strange feeling of rightness, as if a long lost piece of me was finally found. “Okay,” he said, moving his large hands to give me a view of the gift.
“Oh my,” I whispered. “It’s beautiful.” It was a silver chain that wove together like a rope and was so polished that it sparkled. Hanging from the chain were many charms in varying small sizes. Each charm was a key. They all looked like the old-time skeleton keys, some with rounded bottoms, while others were more ornately shaped. “I love it.”
I placed my other hand around it and hugged it to my chest. “I’ll never take it off.” As I said the words I reached for him, forgetting all my vulnerabilities. But when I moved my hand away from my wrist the bracelet came with it, sliding toward the dark ground. I gasped, reaching to catch the precious treasure.
I missed.
Sam didn’t.
“I’m so sorry! I’ll be more careful.”
“It’s not your fault,” Sam spoke quietly while reattaching the gift where it belonged. “But you do need to be careful. The clasp is broken.”
I gasped. The thought of the bracelet being damaged was heartbreaking.
“Don’t worry.” His mouth tilted up. “I can fix it; I just didn’t have time before I came to pick you up.”
“Oh, good.” I went back to studying the keys, trying to learn every shape and curve of each one. The largest key was slightly tarnished and seemed to be older than the rest.
He grew quiet and when I looked up he was smiling. “What?” I asked.
“You really do like it.”
“Oh yes!” I rushed to say, then I frowned. “Why wouldn’t I?”
He shrugged. “There was a woman near where I work renting paddle boats today selling jewelry. I wanted to buy you this necklace, a locket.” He cleared his throat. “But…I didn’t have enough money.” My heart dropped into my belly at the thought of him spending any of the money he worked so hard for to support himself on me. I opened my mouth to protest, but he held up a hand and continued. “She told me that she was trying to sell a broken piece, and I was the perfect person to buy it. When she showed it to me…”