“Nick.” She mumbles into her pillow. One thing I learned about Aubrey since being here is that she does not like the cold. At all. Not even in the cute winter jacket my mom picked up for her. I suppose I should’ve warned her before we got married, but honestly the thought never crossed my mind.
I flip her over and attack her lips. This is as far as we can go and it sucks. Falling in love with her in Africa was hard enough, but to have already had her and not be able to touch her, it’s going to be the death of me.
“What do you want to do today?” I trail my lips over her collarbone.
“Don’t you have to work?”
“Doctors don’t work on the weekends.”
Aubrey adjusts under my weight causing more problems. I groan and bury my face in her neck.
“I want to look for an apartment or a house. Something for us to live in as husband and wife because I’m getting really needy.”
I sigh. “I know, me too.” I rise up and look at my wife. I can’t believe that just over a year ago I was arriving in Africa with my tail between my legs and my heart broken. I knew I’d return home, but I didn’t bank on a wife coming back with me. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” she pulls me close and kisses me deeply, making me pull away all too soon.
“House hunting it is.” I jump up and get out of bed with my mind set on a cold shower.
“I want to go to that little café on Main Street for lunch. Can we do that?”
It’s a good thing my back is turned because the expression on my face will tell her exactly what my brain is saying. Hell no.
“Sure, babe.” I exit the room as quickly as I can.
I love our Sunday afternoons. Noah goes to the Preston’s and we get to just relax. Today, Josie has a surprise for me. I’ve tried to figure it out, but she’s kept it a secret. Even Katelyn wouldn’t tell me.
Josie drives us to the park. I look at her questioningly; she just shrugs playfully as she gets out of the car. I follow and jog to catch up with her. I reach for her hand, bringing it to my lips. I place a lingering kiss and wish my ring were gracing her finger.
I can’t help but think this is the right moment. The one I’ve been waiting for, but I can’t take any more rejection. I’ve resigned myself to living as her partner and not her husband. It’s not going to be enough, but I’ll find a way to make it work.
Josie leads us to the park bench that faces Main Street. About two years ago the city officials decided to revitalize this area. Wrought iron light poles were installed, a nice fence put up around the park and park benches were added. Across from the park, businesses started rebuilding and redoing their façades, bringing back the old hometown feel. The only problem with it is some couldn’t afford to upgrade and their businesses folded, leaving empty storefronts.
We sit down, her hand in my lap. I love this. I love that we are a couple, raising our son and living a fulfilling life. I don’t need her to have my last name to make us a family. We already are.
“What are we doing here?” I look around and wonder why of all the benches she chose the one facing the dilapidated building.
“What do you see when you look at that building?”
“Ruins.”
“No, Nick, really look at it. What do you see?”
I do as she asks and study the building. It was once a toy store. Mr. Preston told me that he worked there when he was a youngster and that he learned to carve a wooden train from the owner, Mr. W. He said no one knew what the W stood for and no one ever bothered to ask. He died a few years back and didn’t have a family to run the store for him. It’s been empty and falling apart since.
“I see the toy store in its heyday. Kids running to the shop after school to see what new toys Mr. W made.”
“My dad would’ve done that.”
“I know that’s how I can picture it. He tells Noah about what it was like all the time. Tell me, Josie, what do you see?”
Her expression is what I want to see when I ask her to marry me. Her face lights up, her eyes go wide and her grin is from ear to ear. It breaks my heart to know that an empty, broken down store can get the reaction that I so desperately need.
“I see my dream.”
“Your dream?” I don’t mean to sound like an insensitive boyfriend, but this is the first time I’ve heard of a dream.
“I want to open a flower shop in the old toy store and call it Whimsicality.”