We arrived back at Nick’s house a few hours later. We were both laughing and smiling as he opened the front door. We walked in and I took off my heels as he went to the kitchen to get us some dessert. I stood in the front hall and looked around. There was a picture of us from our first date hanging on a wall near the staircase and he had the picture I had painted hanging in the living room over the fireplace. In our bedroom, there were framed lyrics from our favorite songs. Over the past two months, we had made his house into our home.
“Denia, sweetie,” called Nick. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing, baby. Just looking around at the home we share,” I said as I took a bowl of ice cream from him.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? And to think, all it needed was the perfect woman’s touch,” he said as he wrapped his left arm around my waist.
“You’re too kind. It’s beautiful because of the love we share in it.”
“Speaking of love,” said Nick as he began to kiss me down my neck and towards my chest. “How about making some?”
“You know I can’t resist you,” I said smiling as we raced up the stairs with our bowls in hand.
I woke up the next day with the sun peeking through our long satin green curtains. I opened my eyes a little and felt Nick’s arm around me. I turned over a little to look at the time, when I felt his arms tighten. He didn’t wake up though. It was ten in the morning on Saturday. I turned back over to see his face. His hair was slightly disheveled, and his eyes were peacefully closed. I felt the gentleness of his lips as I gently traced my fingers over them. I saw him open his eyes a little.
“Good morning, baby,” I said as I lightly ran my hand through his hair.
“Hey cutie. Good morning,” he said smiling.
“I love you,” I whispered as I snuggled against his chest.
“I love you too,” he whispered back as he brought his other hand over me.
“You know, I never imagined I’d be with you. When I woke up this morning to see you sleeping beside me, I couldn’t believe it wasn’t a dream. I don’t want this to be a dream, Nick.”
“Denia, believe me when I tell you. It’s not a dream. We’re real,” he said. “We’ll always be together. I promise you. Oh, that’s what I forgot,” he said as he reached underneath his pillow.
“What’d you forget?” I asked.
“This,” said Nick as he pulled out a black jewelry case. “It’s for you. Open it,” he said as his eyes lit up. I took it from him and slowly opened it.
“Oh my gosh!” I exclaimed taken a back by the diamond staring me in the eye.
“Do you like it?”
“I love it,” I said as I kissed him.
“Well, I know you don’t like jewelry that much and that the only kind you wear is necklaces. So I decided to get you a promise necklace instead of a promise ring.”
“Nick, you shouldn’t have though. It must of cost a fortune.”
“It’s not like I can’t afford it, baby. Besides, you deserve it,” he said as he placed his hand out. “Let me help you with that.”
“Thank you so much, Nick,” I said as he placed it around my neck. “That reminds me, I got something for you too.”
“Denia, you know you didn’t have to get me anything.”
“Oh, honey. It’s our sixth month anniversary. Did you actually think I wouldn’t get you a gift?” I said as I went to my dresser to go get it. “I’ve got to tell you it’s not worth nearly as much as the gift you got me, but it’s from the heart,” I said as I handed it to him.
I watched as he opened the envelope first. I smiled as I saw his eyes widen at the Bulls tickets I had gotten him.
“Denia, how’d you get these? They’re the best seats in the whole place.”
“Let’s just say, I spent a lot of time on the phone with Ticketmaster. Well, go on. Open the box.”
He slowly brought the lid off the box to pull out a framed poem that I had written especially for him. I watched as he slowly read it to himself.
“I love you, Denia.”
“I love you too. However, you still have one more item to take out,” I said urging him on. He slowly put his hand in the box and took out the last gift, a chain with a ring on it.
“Denia. I…I don’t know what to say.”
“I know it’s not worth nearly as much as the one you got me, but I want you to have it.”
“Denia, you’re wrong. It’s worth even more than the one I got you. It’s your class ring. I can’t accept it. You love it.”
“Nick, I want to give you it, because I love it and I want to give it to someone I love, and that’s you.” He stared into my eyes and we kissed.
