A Gaze to Remember

Chapter 17 - Forever Young

TUESDAY 28 AUGUST 2024

Vivienne and Reid had decided to spend the day outdoors, away from the noise of the city. It was a warm afternoon, the sun soft in the sky as they found a quiet spot in the park. It was a different park, not the one they usually went to. They laid down a checkered picnic blanket under a large, shady tree. Vivienne unpacked the basket filled with sandwiches, fruit, and pastries while Reid kicked off his shoes and flopped down on the grass beside her, arms behind his head.

"You went all out for this," Reid remarked, watching as she neatly arranged everything on the blanket. "I feel like I should've at least brought something."

"Your charming company is enough," Vivienne teased, handing him a sandwich. "Plus, you're hopeless at packing anything. Remember the last time? All you brought was a bottle of wine."

Reid laughed, taking a bite of the sandwich. "Hey, it was a great bottle of wine."

Vivienne rolled her eyes playfully. "Bare minimum, Reid. Bare minimum."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, enjoying the soft breeze. Reid picked up a strawberry from the basket, holding it out in front of her.

"Strawberry for your thoughts?" he asked with a grin.

Vivienne smirked, leaning forward to take a bite. "Well, right now, I'm thinking this might be the best picnic I've ever had."

"That's only because I'm here," he said, nudging her shoulder lightly.

"Obviously," she replied with a playful smile. "Although, you forgot one very important picnic item."

Reid raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"Music," Vivienne said, pulling out her phone and playing a soft playlist. The soothing sound of acoustic guitar filled the air. "There, now it's perfect."

Reid smiled, leaning back on his elbows. "You always know how to make things better."

Vivienne looked at him fondly. "I try."

As they continued eating, Reid started making little jokes, pointing at the clouds. "That one looks like a rabbit," he said, gesturing upwards. "A really lumpy one, but still."

Vivienne giggled, looking up. "More like a misshaped potato, but sure."

They both laughed, and for a while, all their worries seemed to disappear.

After a bit, Vivienne grabbed a book she'd packed, one of her favorites. Reid raised an eyebrow.

"Are you seriously going to read?" he asked, amused.

"No," Vivienne said, leaning back with a smile. "I was actually thinking... I could read to you."

Reid chuckled, settling in more comfortably. "Alright, Shakespeare. Let's hear it."

She opened the book and began reading aloud, her voice soft and melodic. Reid closed his eyes, listening to her words. Every now and then, she'd glance over at him, and he'd give her an approving nod, though she couldn't tell if he was really paying attention or just enjoying the sound of her voice.

After a while, she paused and looked at him. "Still awake?"

"Barely," he teased, then opened one eye and smirked. "But that's not your fault. It's actually relaxing."

"Good," Vivienne said, closing the book and leaning back. "This was nice."

"Yeah," Reid agreed softly, glancing over at her. "It was."

There was a peaceful quiet between them, the kind of silence that felt easy, comforting.

Vivienne turned her head to look at him, her eyes soft. "We should do this more often."