Page 5 of July
4
Charity
Once Garrett and I are settled in his large, black SUV, he turns to ask me, “What would you like to do tonight? Are you hungry?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe a movie? My stomach is churning too much to handle food right now,” I answer, going for complete honesty.
“Mine is too,” he admits. Brightening with an idea, he asks, “Do you trust me?”
I think over my answer for longer than he probably prefers. As many times as I’ve been hurt by him, I shouldn’t trust him––at all. Even though it isn’t wise to believe in him, I can’t seem to help myself. Eventually, I answer, “Yes.”
“Good.” He breathes out a sigh of relief as if he’d been worried that my answer might go the other way. He starts his vehicle before saying, “I have the perfect place in mind for where to take you.”
“Where?” I ask as my mind whirs with curiosity over what his plan is.
“You’ll see,” he answers mysteriously.
I’ve always loved surprises. He proves that he remembers this by turning to the side to give me a knowing grin before backing out of the parking space.
“Give me a hint,” I badger him as he drives.
“You’re going to love it,” he answers almost immediately.
His hint only serves to make me even more curious about our destination. There is no denying that I’ll be happy wherever he takes me, simply because he is there, but I’m still curious.
When he makes the turn onto the small road by the river that leads to our favorite park, I beam at his handsome profile as he watches the road. “You’re right. This is absolutely perfect.”
His scruffy cheeks puff out with a proud grin, but he keeps his gaze on the road as he turns into the empty parking lot. He centers the SUV between the painted yellow lines of a parking spot, even though there aren’t any other cars here.
After he turns off the engine, I reach for my door handle. He stops me by saying, “I’m coming around to get that for you.”
I had almost forgotten how wonderful it is to be with a true gentleman. Even though opening my door is a simple gesture that I could easily do myself, I appreciate his thoughtfulness. Not many men bother with such niceties these days.
Once my door is open, he holds his hand out to help me stand. We lock arms as we walk. By silent agreement, we head toward the playground area that was such a huge part of our courtship.
“I haven’t been here in ages––not since…”
Garrett interrupts me by saying, “Me neither.”
It’s obvious that he doesn’t want to talk about our breakup any more than I do. He had been my first boyfriend, and we had dated throughout middle school and for half of high school.
My parents had arranged for me to move to an exclusive, private school during my last two years of high school, while Garrett was staying behind at the public school we had always attended. I’d been convinced that we would be able to stay together and make it work, but Garrett had blindsided me by breaking up with me at this very park.
I see now that he had been right. Our high school romance likely wouldn’t have survived the distance forced on us by attending different schools, but I had wanted to believe that we could make it work. I had been convinced that we were soulmates, but he had dumped me and shattered my heart.
He purposefully guides me in the opposite direction of the monkey bars where the big breakup occurred. Instead, we head toward the swings where we enjoyed our first kiss––and many more after that.
My voice sounds far away and dreamy when I say, “You used to push me for hours on these swings.”
“And I loved every second of it,” he assures me in the voice that is so familiar, yet deeper and sexier than I remember.
When he indicates one of the wooden seats with his hand, I sit down on it and hold onto the bulky metal chains. Even though it’s been years since I’ve been on a swing, the free feeling of flying through the air as he pushes me high into the sky is as familiar as if we had been here yesterday.
I tip my head back to look at the clear, summer night sky. Stars twinkle down at me.
Garrett’s voice is tinged with emotion when he says, “Your strawberry-blonde hair flowing out behind you and glowing in the moonlight is just as lovely as I remember.”
The happy giggle bursts out of my chest as I let myself truly relax for the first time in longer than I can remember. Having Garrett push me higher and higher on the swing is achingly familiar, yet invigorating and fun.
