Dear Nick

I Promise

Demi lifted the lid of the box that contained her gift & she pulled out the silver, heart shaped locket & looked at it, in awe. "Nick..." She said in a breath. "It's beautiful." She said as she caressed it in her hand. "It's a locket?" She asked, looking up at me, smiling & I nodded, feeling my heart beat hard against my ribs. "It's too much... I mean it, Nick. You have been spoiling me... I can't accept this." She kept smiling, though, so I knew she didn't mean it & really loved the necklace.

I went along with her. "If you don't, I won't be happy. You have to, Demi. This gift is from my heart. Open the locket."

She bit her lip, then opened the locket & a gasp came out before she covered her mouth with her free hand. "Oh my God... this picture... where did you get it? How did you get it?" She looked up & I saw tears in her eyes.

"That doesn't matter right now. Read the back & I can explain it all."

Demi's forehead wrinkled, then she looked down at the locket & flipped it over. "Dear Demi, From day one, you saved me. You're my hero. You're my past. You're my future. You're the love of my life." Demi's voice turned into a whisper as her eyes met mine. "What?" She whispered, clearly confused by the engraving on her necklace.

Now it was my turn. I took a breath before I spoke. "I'm hoping that you want to put a current picture of us in the other half of the locket. I meant everything that was written in that inscription. You're the love of my life, Demi. I've loved you for so long & that picture is evidence of our connection from the first day we met. I fell in love with you at some point, maybe even before I realized or maybe I just realized it, while I was in Iraq, fighting for my life. In any case, I'm in love with you. I've never stopped being in love with you, even when I was with Beth. What's funny is that for the last few months, people have thought my melancholy mood was because of Beth's death, but actually it was from struggling with my feelings for you & not thinking I could have you as mine. You make me happy. You give me purpose & a reason to live. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Demi. I want to have a family with you. I want you by my side every step of the way, as I go on in my life." It felt so amazing to get it all off my chest, so I let out a breath as Demi stared at me, tears in her eyes.

It seemed like she was silent for a while, then she finally said something. "I need to sit down." She said, in a shaky voice, as she turned to look for somewhere to sit. She walked to her couch a few feet away & sat on the arm, looking like she was in shock.

"Denny said you told him you had fallen out of love with me, but he thinks you lied to him. Did you lie to him?"

Demi stared straight ahead, still holding the locket in her hand. "Do you remember what I said about not wanting something to come between us again?" Demi asked, in a montone.

I walked to her, quickly. "Yes & this isn't going to come between us. I promise. We're both in a different place than we were last time... now we both are in love with each other & we can admit it. We're going to live happily ever after, Demi, I just know it." I smiled down at her, wanting to touch her, but not wanting to freak her out. "Unless you're not still in love with me & your brother was wr..."

Demi jumped up & kissed me, hard, startling me & cutting off my sentence. By the time I could react, she pulled away from me & started to shake her head. "Yes, I lied to my brother, but Nick, Oh my God... we can't do this. I don't feel right about this. Beth was my friend." She pushed past me & went to put the necklace back in the box.

"Have you ever had someone you love pass away, then visit you in your dreams?" I asked, leaning on the corner of the couch.

Demi turned around, her fingers touching her lips, slightly. "Not personally, but I've heard people say it's happened to them." Her voice was quiet & she was barely looking at me.