Not Alone

Six

*2003*

It was a couple of days later when Eden and I were able to hang out again.  Much like before, we stayed in contact daily and consistently through text message but there had been one night where we Skyped.  When my doorbell rang in the afternoon on a Thursday morning, I knew who it was immediately.  Out of everyone I knew, Eden seemed to be the only one who would ring the doorbell rather than just knocking and entering my house.  Clearly I needed to form some boundaries with my friends and, at times, my parents.

"Hey," I said opening the door to my house with a smile.  The woman on the other side returned my smile while signing her 'hello'.  In her right hand was a plastic bag from a grocery store that I took into my own while wrapping my arm around her waist.  "I'm happy you're here."

A soft hum was heard from the woman I held close to my body.  "So am I," Eden replied placing her hands at my neck bringing our lips together in a lingering kiss.  My arm held her firmly to me as I ran my tongue along her lips asking for it to be deepened.  Eden responded almost immediately allowing our tongues to glide against one another's for the first time in days.  "'Hmmm, I've missed you and how perfect you kiss.'"

I rubbed her back gently with a small smile on my face.  "I've missed you too, Garden. You look beautiful."

"'And you look very handsome,'" She told me while signing.  One last kiss was placed to her lips prior to us releasing one another and walking further into my house.  "Are you ready for rosemary chicken?"

"'I am,'" I said while signing as well.  "Are you sure your parents are okay with watching Jude late?"

"'He's with my sister and his cousins actually.  They are having some sort of superhero sleepover.  I don't know what it means, but he was excited,'" Eden replied with a laugh.  "'He packed his Batman costume.  Again, not sure what that meant.'"

I shrugged.  "'Maybe he's going to play as Batman.'"

"'True,'" She nodded.  "'So rosemary chicken for lunch or dinner?'"

"Dinner.  We can get subs for lunch and then have a romantic dinner."

"''Romantic dinner'?  How are we making our dinner romantic?'" Eden asked intrigued.

My hand reached for hers bringing our bodies close together again now that we were away from my front door and both my hands were free.  My right hand came to the side of her face allowing my thumb to graze her cheek softly.  "I'm thinking maybe some candles and a little bit of wine.  Even if we are eating in we can still make our dinner romantic in atmosphere."

A low hum was heard once more from the woman in front of me.  I've come to realize she does this whenever she's happy and because of that, it always brought a smile to my face.  "Trying to woo me?" She asked teasingly.

"I'm just trying to give you the romance you deserve."  Eden's hazel eyes gazed up at me.  Today they were definitely a more greenish color with specs of gold scattered about which was just as beautiful in contrast to her dark hair.  I could literally spend hours getting lost into her eyes.  "You're so amazing and beautiful."

"I believe you've said that already today."

"I can't help it. Every time you're around me I'm just blown away by you," I told her honestly.  Eden smiled lifting up onto the balls of her feet pressing our lips together firmly.  "I feel like you do that whenever you don't know what to say."

Eden shrugged playing with the fabric of my shirt briefly.  "'Maybe.  I guess you'll just have to keep paying attention to figure that out for sure.'"