Page 75 of Ten Years and Then…
“Are we staying for the whole thing?” It shouldn’t be much longer. They were calling people up alphabetically, how many graduates could there be left? But it would be awkward to go up to her afterwards with her family there, wouldn’t it? How would he even introduce himself? “Hi, I’m Valerie’s computer guru and proofreader and boyfriend for about six weeks earlier this year?”
He’d gotten to see her graduate, and she’d seen him. That was good enough. “No, let’s go. My parents are probably getting restless.” He and Bianca were already at the very back of the crowd; it was easy to slip away without causing any commotion.
A little later, on the taxi ride back to the Albion campus, Bianca turned to him and said, “Someday you’re going to meet a girl where the timing is right, and everything is right. And she’s going to be the luckiest girl on Earth.”
“What are you talking about, Bee?”
“You dated one girl for a few weeks, and after you break up, you still go to her graduation—and you didn’t even know if she’d see you there. You dated another girl for six months, and two years after you break up, you buy her a $700 gift just so she’ll remember you. I can’t even imagine what you’ll do for the right girl when she comes along.”
Daniel sighed. He didn’t say the words that came immediately to mind, but he didn’t have to. Bianca said them for him. “I know. You think you already did meet the right girl, and you’ll never have anything like what you had with Nora.” She put her arm around him. “Danny, I hope to God you’re wrong. Because if anyone deserves for things to be right, it’s you.”
Nora, later that day
Nora sat on her bed, staring at the little velvet box. She had been going back and forth on when to give it to Daniel. He was probably with his family right now—his parents must be here for his graduation—but he’d be in his dorm room tonight. The last night he’d ever be on this campus.
But this gift shouldn’t be opened in shadows, in a mostly packed up room. It really ought to be given in the daylight, under the open sky, with the sun shining brightly on it—on them. She knew for sure where he’d be tomorrow at eleven o’clock. And he’d be there early, because he always arrived early for anything important. She’d learned that about him the first week they were together, and she was sure he hadn’t changed.
Tomorrow was better. She’d find him on the quad, waiting for everyone to start lining up for the ceremony, and she’d give him the necklace and—if she could hold her nerve—make her promise. And ask for one in return.
Daniel, around nine o’clock at night
He hadn’t wanted to lie to his parents—and he’d really wanted the Raspberry-Chocolate Torte—but Daniel had complained that he was too full as an excuse to finish dinner and get back to the dorm.
His mother had asked, “Since when do you say no to dessert, Daniel?”
“Since never, Mom. But I have to fit into my graduation robes tomorrow.”
Everyone had accepted that—well, except Bianca; she knew why he was really cutting the evening short, and she winked at him when nobody else was looking. And now here he was back in his room, holding the gift in his hands. It felt heavy, as though it was weighed down by all his memories.
He hadn’t spoken to Nora in two years, almost to the day. What would he say to her when she opened her door?
Maybe he should have thought more about that before spending $700 on a gift he had no idea how she’d react to.
No. It didn’t matter how she reacted. He hadn’t bought it for that. He bought it because she deserved something beautiful—because she’d given him something beautiful. And maybe it was selfish, but he needed her to know: he still loved her.
And also for her to know that even if they never saw each other again, if they never got closer than a thousand miles to each other after tonight, he’d always be rooting for her.
The night wasn’t getting any younger. If he was going to do it, now was the time.
Nora, fifteen minutes later
She might as well go to bed early. She’d packed up all her books, so there wasn’t anything to read; most of her friends were already gone for the semester, so there wasn’t anyone to talk to; and going downstairs and sitting on the filthy old sofa to watch late-night reruns by herself seemed pathetic.
She was about to get undressed when there was a knock at the door. Who would be coming to see her now?
She wondered for a moment if she should just ignore it, and call campus security if they kept knocking. But that was paranoid thinking. Silly thinking.
She went over, opened the door.
It was him.
She didn’t think. She didn’t hesitate. It was all instinct, as though the last two years hadn’t happened.
She grabbed Daniel, pulled herself to him and kissed him.
Daniel, thirty seconds later
She’d kissed him, he’d kissed her back, and now they were somehow sitting on her bed, breathless. Their faces were only inches apart, and her arms were still wrapped tightly around him. He held her with one hand, the other awkwardly dangling behind her back clutching her gift.
