Dear Heart, You May Speak Now.

Chapter 29

It's evening time when I get back to my hotel room. I had an interview today in Lisbon, and I'm beyond relieved.

Caleb had a flight today, back to Toronto. I have about a two hour flight straight to Barcelona tomorrow morning to see Chloe.

It's been over a year now since me and Chloe met again, and since we've been dating. I had thought it over at least a hundred times in my mind. I had spent too many sleepless nights rehearsing how I'd do it.

I had bothered My Mom, My Dad, Leon and Cora with questions until they weren't pushed to start teasing me.

I was going to propose to Chloe tomorrow afternoon.

I had bought the ring in Calgary, in a Michael Hill store. I knew Chloe's ring finger's size was a nine since we were seventeen.

I was especially careful the last few weeks to not lose the milky purple coloured box the ring was in.

I had two flights booked for about two days from now, to go back home. I'd tell Chloe to put whatever she needed to, in two suitcases and if she needed anything else brought back, I'd have it delivered to my house.

And I'd take care of everything with the landlord, and whatever cleaning out the apartment issues that would occur.

Right now, I was getting ready to go out and walk around Lisbon.

An interviewer at my small book reading told me there was a lot of great restaurants around my hotel. I wanted to go have dinner somewhere.

I had the hotel's address memorized, so even if I get lost. I could grab a taxi, and say the hotels name.

I don't want to take my phone, so I send Chloe an email before I leave my room.

(I wish you were here and we were drinking wine, and eating cheese on the balcony. Looking at the view together.)

I'm walking down a street thats quite noisy and filled with so much life. I feel full of life too.

I notice two restaurants that seem to entice me but I keep walking. I walk for another five minutes till I see a restaurant where there's not as much people as the other two.

They offer me a table outside,under shade. I take it. I order a dish that looks something like spaghetti. And I order a bottle of red wine for myself.

I just sit there thinking until my bottle of wine and dish gets brought to me. I gobble down the food quickly, and drink my wine slowly.

Once I'm done, I sit there for a minute or two trying to clear my head. Suddenly I start feeling tired, like I want to sleep. I do want to see more of Lisbon before I leave but i can't find the energy within myself.

After I pay at the front. I walk back to my hotel slowly. When I get to my hotel room, I decide to hang my suit that I'm gonna wear tomorrow morning.

I change out of the dress shirt and jeans I'm wearing, into just a pair of boxers. There's an outdoor chaise lounge chair on the balcony. I grab the complimentary bottle of wine thats on the table, and I open the doors.

I sit down on the chair and take a few sips from the bottle.

I feel all sorts of emotions about tomorrow. Mostly related to being happy.

I get up and go back inside, leaving the balcony doors open. I get in the bed, pull the blanket over me, and fall asleep five minutes after I close my eyes.

The next day I'm standing in front of Chloe's apartment door around noon. She opens the door and jumps up to hug me. I put my free arm around her and inhale her perfume that she always wears that I love.