An Exchange

Chapter Twenty-Three - A Christmas Gift From Ryan

Ryan

"Where are we going?" Penny asked for what felt like the hundredth time.

"I'm not going to tell you, so stop asking," I said with a smile. I loved her excitment. We turned off the freeway and I made my way through the streets to a parking lot near a light rail station. I grabbed her hand and we ran over as a train pulling up. I purchased two tickets and we climbed on.

She sat by the window and watched the city go by. "Tell me about everything."

"It looks like normal shops and things to me." I shrugged.

"Well, if you see something interesting, tell me about it."

"I'll try, but I don't know how helpful I'll be." I rested my arm around the back of the chair and watched her as she gazed at the city passing by outside. The train grew more and more crowded the closer we came to our destination, and when it came time for us to get out, half of the people emptied out as well. I held tightly to her hand so we wouldn't get separated. I wanted badly to see her face when she first saw where we were.

We walked a few feet down the street before she looked ahead to see the lights. She gasped. "No!"

I laughed. "Oh yes."

"You brought me to the Salt Lake Temple?"

"You wanted to see it, and at Christmas time too."

Her face lit up. She kissed me, then pulled me onward. As we entered the grounds, I found myself in awe, which shocked me. I looked at her face and knew I had given her the best gift possible. Her gaze darted everywhere, taking in every inch of it, every tree, every bush, and every light post. She wrapped her arm around mine and grasped onto my hand. "Oh Ryan, this is wonderful!"

I couldn't argue that either. I had never gone to see it, I didn't even bother going to the Temple close to us, but the whole atmosphere was incredible. Lights wrapped around everything, carols drifted in the air, and the people all over the square seemed so happy. The whole place truly felt like Christmas. I had to hand it to them, the Mormons knew how to celebrate that holiday.

We walked along behind the Temple, as she watched everything. Meanwhile, I tried to avoid the missionaries. Having to talk to them would make the evening go from magical to uncomfortable in a heartbeat. She noticed me avoiding them, and when they approached us, she would talk to them and divert their attention away from me before quickly moving on. We made our way to the front of the Temple to a large pool. Confused, I wondered if maybe it was supposed to be a fountain but it wasn't working, when she pulled at my arm.

"Ryan, this way." She led me over to a grassy area in front of the pool and pointed at the water. "Look."

In the water, a perfect reflection of the Temple lit up the surface. The Temple itself was not draped in Christmas lights, but simply lit the same way it always was by bright lights pointing up its walls. In the pool though, the glittering lights from the fences and bushed nearby seemed to frame it like stars. "Wow, Penny. That's pretty awesome."

"Isn't it?" She beamed up at me. "This temple took forty years to build, and now it’s the temple everyone thinks of first. Prophets have seen Christ here, and thousands have come here to..." She stopped and flushed. "I'm sorry, you probably don't care at all."

She was right, I didn't, but I touched her hand reassuringly. "It's beautiful, and you're beautiful." I pulled her in and kissed her. Her fingers brushed my face as she kissed me back affectionately. She then broke away from me, our eyes locking as she stroked my cheek.

“So very beautiful,” I whispered.

She beamed up at me again and wrapped her arm around my waist. "Come on, there's so much I want to see."