AS THE STORY GOES

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Both Lourdes and Justin were surprised with just how upsetting it was to see January creep up on them so quickly. Of course, Justin would be home on the weekends, but that felt like no time at all after they had found themselves spending each moment they had free in each other's presence.

"Look what I finally got," Justin said gently to his weeping girlfriend as they stood near the door of their small home. He had one arm around her neck and the other in his pocket, not wanting to let her go until he had to.

"What?" she mumbled, feeling miserably sad.

"Look, babe." He held the small box in his hand out for her to take. She gasped a little as she took it from him and opened it to reveal the gold and diamond band he bought her in lieu of a more traditional engagement ring. She hadn't asked for that in particular, but he felt like it was more of her style to have a band over a solitaire.

"Did Sati pick this out?" She looked up at him in surprised.

He looked a little confused as he shook his head. "No, why?"

"It's exactly the style of ring I had been looking at." She turned to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, trying to pull herself together unsuccessfully.

He had no words as he engulfed her in his own arms and kissed the top of her head. "I love you. I'm already ready for these months to be over so we can just live real life," he said in the quiet of their home on that Monday, in the wee hours of the early morning. "See if it fits." He took a step back to see her slide on the ring he had ordered a few weeks earlier.

"Papa, it's perfect," she said as she wiped her eyes and tilted her chin up to kiss him. "I love you so much."

He took her hand in his to admire the slim, sparkly band on her soft, manicured hand. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her gently. "It's crazy to think we only met in September," he sighed into her neck as he brought her close and nuzzled her. "I don't want to be away from you for just these days. I can't imagine my world without you in it. You make me so happy, Lourdes."

She cried a little harder. "You have to go, papa. I don't want you to be late. Call me tonight, even if it's just for a minute."

He kissed her for a long, lingering moment before finally stepping away from her and leaning down to grab his bag. "You know what I look forward to in all this, though?" He smiled.

"What's what?" She wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her robe.

"Working on making our baby every weekend when I come home." He leaned back in to kiss her neck seductively and she giggled.

"I'm down," she tried to sound peppy.

Justin took a deep breath and dabbed at his own eyes. He had kept it together the entire time he was getting ready, but now he really felt the fact that he would be away from his home, despite it only being a week at a time. "Babe," his naturally deep, but quiet voice cracked in the dim light of the lamp on the front table in the entryway of the door. "I don't think we're supposed to feel like this after only knowing each other for such a short amount of time. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me—hands down. You make me feel like nothing bad has ever happened or ever could happen in my world. You make me feel...safe. I know that's how you should feel with me, but I feel that in you, Lourdes. You make me feel like I'm at home. I'm so endlessly thankful to God, or the Creator, or the Universe, or whatever we want to call it, that I found you." His voice was so unsteady and he spoke until he couldn't say anymore. She held him with her arms around his broad shoulders for the longest moment until he truly had no time left. They kissed longingly before he opened the door and disappeared, when no more words were left between the two of them. She watched him in his old Maxima until he had pulled off and disappeared from their block.