How He Saved Her

Epilogue

Aurora

My boyfriend wouldn't tell us where we were going. He hadn't even let me check our tickets, instead hiding it for his own. It was hard for him to hide it from me when we got to the airport though. He started leading us toward the gate and when I looked up at the screen, I saw the location we were headed. 

South Carolina to Italy

With my mouth obviously hung open, I turned to him. He had a cheshire grin on his face, his hands in his pockets. I looked back on the screen and blinked a few times to make sure that I was seeing correctly. There it was, my home country looking back at me. I hadn't been there in almost a decade, and the longing of going back makes my eyes water. 

But I will not cry, I didn't need to. Instead, I took the remaining steps between us and placed both of my hands on either side of his face. He brought his face down and placed a kiss on his lip. This kiss was short but I was thanking him through it. I was grinning hard when I leaned back, my hands still on his jaw. "Oliver, amore mio, how did you...", I trail off the idea of it being so surreal for me. 

"I've had the money for a while. I just didn't have the time. But with the sports team recruiting me and winter break falling perfectly on time, I thought I'd take my girl out to celebrate", he says as if the idea of him being so incredibly nice was just a causal after thought. 

"Oli, what?", I say giggling. Oliver and I were on our last years of University. He had been studying business as well as playing for the college basketball team. I was studying real estate as well as social work. I didn't know which career field I was going into, so I'm doing a few more years of school to get degree in both. Oliver's mom and dad, Victoria and Simon, wanted to pay for my tuition but I hadn't let them. 

Not one more dollar. 

They had done enough for me: taking me in a quarter into senior year and taking care of me without even a single after thought. His parents didn't even let me clean the house as a gift to them, but I secretly woke up ealier on Sundays to beat Victoria to it. On Saturday, Oliver makes me stay in bed with him all day where we lazily watch modern family and, well, you can imagine the rest. 

I worked at the campus stores, which wasn't much. On the weekends, Oliver and I drove down to his parents house where I picked up shifts at my old workplace. Jude had also transferred to Davidson University, claiming that it was for the better studies, but we all knew it was because of her boyfriend, Austin. Austin had also gotten recruited by the same pro basketball team and I couldn't smile more at the concidence. The two men were not going to get separated, and the universe would make sure of it. 

"It's for you, Aurora", he says and I feel my smile widen. Throwing my arm around his shoulder, he crouches down and I giggle into his chest. I feel him chuckle underneath me and I savor the feeling. I savor every feeling with Oliver. 

"Oliver, I love you so much", I shouted, wanting to hug him again. But we hear our flight being called, and in a hasty movement, Oliver grabs my hand and pulls us toward boarding area. I looked toward him and my heart clenched in my chest. I couldn't believe we were heading to Italy. 

♡•♡•♡•♡♡•

I watch as the snow falls down the big open window. It is dark but the snow lights up the whole apartment. I love the snow, it reminds of the two family members I have loved and lost. I wish to everything that they could be here with me. 

Oliver's hand traces the shape of my left breast and I turn to him. He is staring at me openly, his eyes full of lust. I've known Oliver for a long time to know that it doubles as love. I slap his hand away,"Hungry for more?"