Love Anchored

Chapter 22 - Taliah - Dinner with a view

I jolt awake as the golden hour hits my face, the soft glow filters through the curtains. The rain has subsided, leaving behind glistening streets with vibrant nightlife. Peter stretches and yawns, looking around the room."Ready for some dinner?" he asks, I nod, and I decide to try a local restaurant that Sarah and James recommended just before I left.

Exiting the apartment, we head downstairs and step out into the cool evening air. The city has transformed into a magical landscape, with neon signs casting colourful reflections on wet pavement. We stroll through the lively streets, taking in the diverse mix of shops, cafes and restaurants.

The restaurant Sarah and James suggested is nestled in a quiet lane way, its warm lights inviting us in. We're greeted by the aroma of homemade pasta sauce with hints of garlic. We were seated next to the window, with views of a quaint park with tall city buildings peeking over the top. Over dinner, we share stories and laughter, savouring Italian cuisine. The restaurant buzzes with energy, and we soak in the vibrant atmosphere. After a satisfying meal we head back to the apartment.

Entering the apartment I glance at the clock; it's still early, James and Sarah sprawled out on the couch commentating to each other about the drama on the reality TV show they are watching. Peter and I make ourselves comfortable with what space is left on the couch. " Should we have dinner at the pub tomorrow?" I say out loud. wanting Peter to meet my college friend group before he has to leave. James' interest was peaked "Should I see if we are all free for dinner tomorrow?" Sarah buts in, I took a moment " Yeah, Why not? I haven't seen everyone in over two months." James and Sarah sent a message to the group chat to see who was going available.

With plans set for tomorrow, we decided to call it a night. The fatigue from the day's adventures catches up with us, and we retreat to our bedroom. As we settle into bed, Peter wraps his arm around me, and we reminisce about the journey that brought us to this. Peter brings up the surprise visit he had planned. He tells me about the original arrangement to come straight here after his deployment. It's heartwarming to know that he had intended to surprise me, but my unexpected appearance made him shuffle his plans around. I can't help but smile at the thought of the effort he put into making our meeting special.

As we talk, the conversation naturally shifts to the time he booked the tickets and how he orchestrated the whole surprise. Peter shares the challenges he faced in keeping it a secret and the joy he felt when he walked through the door to find me. "Wait are you saying Sarah and most likely James knew about you coming to see me prior to you going on deployment? " he nods "They were all aware." I thought about my own plans to suprise Peter. " Did you know about me coming over to see you?", " No, Not at all. " I question how this all went off without a hitch. "James and Sarah are the biggest blubber mouths I have ever met and we never knew about eachothers plans." I scoffed.

The soft hum of the city outside and the soft breeze from the open window lull us into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning arrives with a gentle nudge from the sunlight creeping through the curtains from the reflection from the opposite building. Peter is still peacefully asleep beside me, and I take a moment to appreciate the serenity of the moment. Me rolling over makes Peter rouse, "Good morning," I say with a smile, "Do you want to go to the cafe for breakfast? " Peter's eyes squint at me as he processes the words. " Yeah, give me a few to wake up and get dressed."

We head down to the café, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and pastries greets us. The friendly barista recognizes me as we wave from across the cafe at each other. I show two fingers at her as we take a seat. she knows my order and places it on my tab I top up every fortnight. She brings over two lattes and two breakfast sandwiches without me having to say a word. "Thank you." I say as she places them on the table.