About two years passed. Every waking moment was a decision- would she like this or that better? Would this or that impress her more? It all bottled down to one decision- is it too soon? No, not sex. That hadn't been done yet, though it often crossed my mind. Her touch drove me insane, it burned long after her fingers had moved to grab her coffee. I wanted to feel her touch every day for the rest of my life, and that's the decision I had to make. We had been dating for a bit over a year when we passed by a jewelry store and it hit me... I wanted her forever.
Valerie's journalism career really took off, she wrote an intense article about some restaurant, and they had begun making a documentary about it. She shined like never before.
I met with her on a Wednesday morning, a box stinging holes through my pocket to my thigh. She sat down with "good news", but I was hoping mine was better. She told me to go first, I told her I was saving the best for last..
"Okay, well..." she paused and tried to contain her excitement. "They're flying me out to California! They want me to meet with other producers!"
I paused for a minute, both conflicting feelings of agony and exciting surging through my pulse. "That's awesome, Valerie. That's really great I'm so happy for you." I stood up and embraced her in a tight hug, trying not to notice the box in my calling her name.
"I know! I can't believe it. Alright, alright. Go ahead. Tell me your good news." She said, propping her head upon her hands.
I wanted to go with her so badly. Being apart from her was the worst feeling, but I knew that she'd been waiting for this opportunity, and I couldn't ruin it by giving her a reason to stay.
"It can wait," I said, patting my pocket slightly "let's talk more about California! When are you going?"
The conversation continued on for about an hour and a half or so. Valerie was leaving at the beginning of next week, and she didn't know how long she'd be gone for. "Maybe a few months" she had said. "I have no idea how long planning a movie takes." I spoke a minimal amount, but the words poured out of Valerie's mouth and she gushed about all the plans she had. I loved her enthusiasm.
On a scorching July morning, there was a knock on my door. I stood up slowly, wiping the sweat from my forehead. I slowly opened my door, seeing Valerie standing outside with numerous amounts of bags. She smiled. "I may have overdone it with the packing."
We laughed for a few minutes, before she got serious and looked at me. "What happens if I'm gone for a really long time?"
"Then you're gone for a really long time." I leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"I'm serious Greg! What will happen to us? What if I come back and things are changed?"
I thought about time for a minute. How it alters things, how it changes reality. I thought about the navy blue box sitting in my sock drawer, the box that promised something.
"I'll be right back." I let go of her hands, and retrieved the box. "Valerie Young, we've known each other for about two years now, and I've loved you since. I knew that every moment with you was a good one. I don't know if I'm crazy, or if this is too soon, or if I'm being horribly selfish but I wanted you for the rest of my life. I want to fall asleep next to you and wake up the same way. I need you, Valerie Young. I hope you want me." I got down on one knee and opened the box.
She sunk to her knees and a tear slipped out of each eye. She nodded so much that I was worried her head would fly right off her neck. "I love you Greg Porter." And then we were kissing. "I need you there." She said, resting her forehead against mine. "I want you to come with me."
I pulled away and cradled her face in my hands. "I'll come." Times are hard, and money is short, but she is everything and if she wanted me there I was there.
\\•••••//
We arrived in California at about seven at night. I got off the plane and my breath was taken away by an unbearable wave of heat. I wanted to take Valerie's hand and lace her fingers through mine, feeling the ring on my skin but I feared the sweat that was quickly appearing on my hands. "Hopefully the hotel has AC" I mumbled to her. She just looked at me and smiled. Her eyes glowed as she looked around the airport.
"We're in California, Greg. We're really here. I never thought I'd get to be here."
I turned her face towards mine with my index finger. "Never doubt yourself. You deserve to be here."
She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me, hard. "I'm glad it's with you."
