Survive You

Chapter 5.

The food had been amazing, the champagne exquisite but Lizzy hadn't noticed. She and Jordan were finally alone, finally on a date where they didn't have to worry about him having to sign autographs or run from a hoard of girls. Finally she could stare into his eyes, and hold his hand in public without worrying about paparazzi. The club they were in took its patrons privacy seriously.
As she glanced around the terrace that housed the dining tables, towards the sunken dance floor in the centre of the room Lizzy realised that Jordan wasn't even the most famous person here.

Jordan squeezed her hand, bringing her attention back to him. "You ok baby?" He asked.
Lizzy nodded, "enjoying the chance to be a normal couple for the night." She replied honestly.
Jordan nodded in agreement. "I know it's not easy, having to hide it and stuff, and to get time alone is almost impossible" he began, as he reached out for her other hand. Once he held both of her hands in his he looked deep into her eyes before continuing, "but it's totally worth it to be your guy." Lizzy simply nodded in agreement, not having any words better than his to convey that she felt the same way. He rubbed his thumbs over hers and said "I got you something." As he reached into his pocket.

Lizzy protested that he hadn't had to, that he had bought her enough. He had given her the most precious gift she had ever received from anyone that day. A gold heart shaped locket, with two small diamonds, engraved with the number 18, into which he had put an old photograph of them both from the summer of 1986, and a recent picture of them taken just a few weeks earlier. It was the only jewellery that she had worn tonight.

Jordan silenced her protests, saying "it's not a birthday present" as he placed a ring box on the table. Lizzy's face must have shown the momentary panic that because he opened the box, telling her "don't panic, I know it's too soon for that. It's a promise ring. Right now it's too crazy for us to be together publicly, this ring is just a way for us to show each other and anyone we choose to tell that one day, when the time is right... " he allowed the words to drift off as he raised his eyebrows in question at the same time as raising her right hand.

She nodded and he slipped the ring onto the ring finger. When he released her hand she turned it to get a better look at it. The gold band had a twist design that curled around two stones, one an emerald, the other an opal. She looked to him questioningly and he explained "our birthstones. The jeweller looked it up for me. Mines emerald, yours is the opal." Lizzy smiled then quickly frowned.
"I need to get something for you." She said. Jordan smiled sheepishly.
"I knew you'd say that," he told her, looking at her sheepishly from under hooded eyelids "or, at least, I'd hoped you would, so I kinda took care of that too." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a leather and gold thong bracelet. In the middle of the band was a piece of gold that coiled in the same way as her ring, and had matching stones.

"Miss Rhys, I promise that I will love you forever, that I will keep you in my heart always, even when you are going home for Christmas and will be thousands of miles away from me." Lizzy grimaced at the reminder. It had been the one argument they had ever had. He'd wanted her to spend Christmas with him in Boston, but before leaving England after the London concert Lizzy had promised her parents she would be home for Christmas. She opened her mouth to tell him she was only going home because she promised, but he shushed her by placing a finger on her lips. "It's ok babe," he told her. "It's just for a few days, I know." Lizzy had already cut the trip shorter than originally planned, staying two weeks, just into the new year now instead of the 5 weeks that her parents had hoped for. Jordan dangled the bracelet in front of her. "Do you want me to wear your band baby?" He asked.

She nodded and he held out his left wrist. Once it was on tight enough not to slip, Jordan moved his seat next to her, and leaned in close. "I love you baby," he whispered, and he kissed her deeply. His words bought memories of her earlier conversation with Maria, which then bought forth the memories of the contents of her purse. Heat surged through her at the thought that tonight could be the night. Decision made she returned the kiss with a fervour that seemed to leave Jordan stunned. He broke the kiss and stared at her, his eyes searching her face and for a moment he seemed as lost as she felt, suddenly asking "do you want to dance?"
Lizzy had chuckled "Yeah, coz we've never done that before!!" She had laughed and he had joined in. With a quick "come on" he led her to the dance floor just as the slower songs began with The Stylistics You Make Me Feel Brand New.