You Will Be Okay Here: Christian Novelli

Chapter Sixty One

Anna POV:

Once showered, dressed and sorted it was touching late afternoon. As it was Valentines Day, Christian decided to treat me to something special. It was our first 14th February together so he wanted to do something. Usually, I wouldn't celebrate this, birthdays or Christmas but today was a special occasion.

Hand in hand strolling through the mystical forest that held so many memories from the beginning of our relationship. Since the last time we were here, so much has happened in so little time on the grand scale of things. With it being beginning of the second month, snow still covered the wonderland. Wandering, I evaluated the surroundings in more detail; what we once knew to be luscious green canopy letting the bright sunlight filter through in a greenish light, is now a frozen silence of a winter's dawn with matted brown pine needles peaking out of a powdery white carpet, as well as, frosted trees sagging from the weight of last night's snowfall. The skies were glistening with the bright white stars which looked down on the frostbitten trees.

Although born and raised in sunny southern America, where I loved the sun and hated the cold, winter (especially in the UK) seemed even more magical and majestic.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Reflected Christian, placing a thick blanket onto a fallen tree trunk for the pair of us to perch on. In fact, it's exactly the same spot we stopped at last time. I nodded in agreement to his rhetorical question. "There is nobody else I want to share this location nor this moment with expect you, my love". Picking up my hand gracefully, he planted a soft kiss. Tears threatening to fall, I smiled as I kissed his cheek. There was no words spoken to that, it would spoil the compliment and mood. "Do you remember what we said when we were last sat here?" Christian questioned after a few minutes of comfortable silence as we breathed in the fresh, crisp air.

"No?" I contemplated it but nothing of significance returned to memory.

"We said and i quote: 'shoutout to Mother Nature'" he quoted with his hands, "because this place is so magnificent."

"Wow!" I giggled, throwing my hand -that was mostly covered by my jumper sleeve under my bodywamer - over my mouth.

"I know right!" He exclaimed, "then we walked off in that direction" he pointed diagonal to us, "singing the Adventure Time theme music".

"I remember now!" I recalled, "then we found that abandoned house". He nodded. "Can we go back there? I want to see if it's changed"

"An if there is homeless living there" added Christian chuckling.

Christian POV:

The light was fading by the time we rediscovered it, creating new shadows and dark patches around me as well as dancing across our skin. The prevailing wind wailed between distorted trunks that stood utterly still - statues in a living museum where no leaf dared to fall.

With an unkempt undergrowth remaining to still secure the house, the building was almost exactly how we last visited it apart from it's slightly more overgrowth. On the other hand, the green moss that before possessed the roof was now overtaken by a blanket of fresh snow. Inside was practically the same as before; large spaces, fractures of light, dust bunnies. On top of all of that though, somehow it manages stay delightfully homely and breathtaking, regardless of the dirty windows and mucky floorboards.

"Do you remember this spot?" Anna bounced in the middle of the open-plan room. I contemplated the ask. "It's where you came from behind me and made me shit myself" she exclaimed, half-laughing.

"Oh yeah, you screamed. I'm sorry but it was awfully funny" I confessed, biting my bottom lip a little.

"You needn't laugh, I haven't got revenge on you yet!" She playfully winked before stepping away to look at something. "Awh a candle" she whispered, searching for a match in the drawer underneath the table were she found the wax light. Striking a match, a flame was created, lighting the candle which possessed some heat in this chilly construction.

"Wouldn't this place look lovely completely candlelit?" She thought out loud.

"Yes".

This sparked a wonderful idea in my mind. One that nobody would think of, not even Anna. Was it possible in such a short period of time?

Why not give it a go?