Through The Dark COMPLETED

Chapter 65

After dinner, Julie took a glass of wine to Harry and sat down with him. "Ok, I know we don't drink much but just one glass should be ok. It's been kind of a crazy time." After she handed him his glass, she sat down on the floor next to him. They had spread out on a blanket, they had eaten on the floor just like in Paris. She went between his legs and leaned back against him.

Harry took the glass of wine from her and then wrapped his free arm around her waist when she leaned back against him. He took a drink and then kissed her temple. "Yeah, it has been. But this, right here, makes me forget about it. You and I alone together is exactly how it should be."

"Oh, yeah. You think so, huh?" Julie asked taking a drink of her wine. "I don't drive you crazy at all, huh?"

"Oh, all the time." Harry said laughing into his glass as he took a drink. "But, it's something I would never change." He set the wine glass on the table and took Julie's putting hers on the table as well. "As much as I love sitting here with you, I can't wait any longer."

Julie groaned. "Always on your mind."

"Not that." Harry laughed at her and pulled her up after he stood. "Ok, well yes, that. But not that right now. I have something for you. I was going to wait to give it to you, but I can't anymore."

"Harry, you didn't have to get me anything. Geez." Julie said walking with him to the room. She watched him go to the desk and pull out a legal sized envelope and brought it back to her.

"Oh, stop. I wanted to, so just let me." He handed her the envelope. He hoped she liked it. He watched her face to see her reaction as she opened it.

Julie took a breath and then opened the envelope. He really didn't have to get her anything. And what would he be giving her in an envelope like this she wondered. She pulled out the papers and read through them, turning through a few pages. She sniffled and looked through them again. "Harry." She said looking up at him.

"Yes, baby. It's yours. Well, you adopted it. I tried to get you the baby hippo, but I couldn't, so that's your baby elephant. When you're ready, you fill out the paperwork, and we send it in. You get to name her and you sponsor her care. As she grows, they send you pictures and updates on her. And we can even go visit her. She lives in a natural habitat where they are treated like elephants in the wild; they are just taken care of as they have special needs." He filled her in as she just kept looking through the papers.

"Seriously?" She glanced up at him. "Harry, I mean...." She said to him. She didn't know what to say. It was amazing. "You know I was just kidding, right?" She asked him sliding the papers back into the envelope.

"Yes, I did." He took her hand and kissed it. "But, I also saw how happy it made you to be there and to see those animals in their habitat. And that made me happy. You know, you've never asked me for anything. And maybe this was a joke. But I wanted to make it happen. I want to make you happy."

"It's...just..." she fought back her tears and bit her lip. She didn't want to cry, but he overwhelmed her. "It's just, so, thoughtful, and amazing, and I'm totally surprised. And I don't know how you do it."

He put his hand on the side of her neck running his thumb over her jawline. "I just saw what made you happy, and did what I could to continue that." He kissed her forehead and kept his lips there for a minute closing his eyes.

"Thank you, Harry. Thank you so much." She whispered closing her eyes as well. He was standing so close to her. She could smell him. She loved that. She could recognize him. It wasn't his cologne or his shampoo, or his laundry detergent. It was him. It was familiar and comfortable. It was safe and secure. She pulled back and looked up at him. "Thank you so, so, much."