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“Ick, give me a bucket,” Eleanor complains, but with a big smile on her face, as she places our breakfast down in front of us. Eli and I exchange smiles as we thank her.
“I will leave you two lovebirds to it.”
Eleanor takes off her apron, placing it on a hook before retreating. Eli and I eat, occasionally exchanging small talk. He’s eager to know where we’re going, but for now, I’m keeping a lid on it.
When we’re finished, I ask Craig to take us to the secret destination. He knows where I mean as I told him a few days ago of my plan. Excitement and nervousness build as we eventually turn into the airport at Taft.
“What on earth are you up to?” Eli asks, his suspicion growing. I guess the game is already up, so I may as well tell him.
“I know it’s been one of your dreams to skydive, and although I’m scared to death, I figured I should at least try it with you. And you never know, I might enjoy it. We can pop our skydiving cherries together.”
Eli laughs heartily at my analogy, but his eyes are lighting up with excitement. This is precisely why I’m doing this. I want to see that animation in his face… to make him smile with a joyous wonder. I’m wrapped up so intently in witnessing this that it momentarily takes my mind from what we’re about to do. I must admit, I almost scrapped this idea and instead planned for a hike, but then I thought it would be too easy a choice. Carpe diem, as they say. Well, this is me seizing the moment. I guess it’s healthy to sometimes push the boundaries and do something we’re a little afraid of. It builds character. And lord knows it seems I need to build mine after learning of the shallowness that once lived within me.
“I can’t believe you’ve done this… for me.”
Grabbing his hand, I squeeze it tightly. “Are you happy to do this with me?”
“Of course I am,” he answers back. “It’s something I have always wanted to do, but never got around to.”
“Well, that changes here and now,” I reply, happy that I made the right choice.
When I rang Michelle up and told her my plans, she laughed at me, but when I asked her for her help, she eagerly jumped in, making sure we had the privacy we needed for our date today, without too much press or fans breathing down our neck. I sometimes forget we’re this power couple that everyone wants to have a peek of, take pictures of, hoping to catch that million dollar shot that all journalists are desperate for. Not to mention the stalkers who are either obsessed with me or Eli. I was blissfully ignorant of this fact before Michelle reminded me. Apparently, there are some crazy fanatics out there who either do not believe I am right for Eli, or vice-versa. It scared me to death when left to think on that. It’s certainly made me more vigilant since.
With what seems to be a million people fussing around us, we get a quick safety course before heading for the plane. Eli is bouncing on the balls of his feet, whereas I’m simply nauseous with nerves. Once we’re up a few hundred feet and climbing, I make time to glance out of the window, taking in the beautiful landscape ahead. Eli is conversing animatedly with the instructor, and I watch with interest, simply taking him in like these are the very last few moments I will ever have with him. Sadness consumes me at the thought, and yet, I have no idea why. The doubtful inner voice is murmuring quietly in the background.
You don’t have much time left.
You don’t have much time left.
And why? As far as I know, I’m not sick. I certainly feel healthy enough. However, I’m listening to that inner voice, taking heed of the advice, and relishing in these moments with Eli.
With an instructor strapped behind me, and another behind Eli, we are ushered, Eli first, towards the edge of the plane, my heart skipping a step with each passing second.
As if sensing my anxiety, my instructor, Kris, asks me if I’m okay. I put my thumb up, the roaring of the engine and the wind outside ringing through my ears. And then, quick as a flash, Eli is snapped out of the plane, my heart racing further when I remember that we’re going to be next. My instructor acts quickly, taking us to the edge of the plane, and when I see the tiny dots of the trees three thousand feet below, my eyes grip shut, not wanting to see what I know will happen next.
It’s like all my organs drop as we hurtle out of the plane. Unable to help myself, I scream as we’re falling, but the scream is muffled through the roaring in my ears. I hear my name being called, so I open my eyes to discover Eli staring back at me. The wind is rushing past us, and we’re falling at speed, but right now, I don’t care. He reaches out his hands, so I grab them, holding on tightly as we freefall, Eli’s smile as bright as the sunny skies. All my anxiety is gone in that moment. It’s just him and I against the world.
But all too soon, we have to pull away from each other as my instructor pulls the parachute, yanking us suddenly up in the air. My instructor veers us off one way as I notice the other instructor has pulled the chute. And then we’re both gently gliding through the air. I feel a sense of total calm all over me in those few precious minutes. I gaze upon the fields and the trees ahead, the beautiful city of LA in the distance waving at me.
“Wow, this is beautiful from up here,” I say, hoping my instructor heard me.
“Yep. Best job in the world,” he answers.
I keep that calm up until the moment I realize that the ground is coming up fast. I tense and my instructor feels it.
“Don’t worry. I got you.”
His confidence in allaying my fears calms me again as we hit the ground where I gently land on my bottom. A few seconds later Eli lands too, some twenty feet away. The moment we’re unhooked, Eli runs to me, a huge beaming grin on his face.
“Oh my God, that was amazing!” he shouts, making my heart soar.
“It was, wasn’t it?” I agree.
Before I realize what’s happening, Eli takes me into his arms, and when the initial shock wears off, I snuggle my head into the crook of his neck, his masculine, citrusy smell greeting me as I inhale sharply, taking him in.
“Thank you for this.”
Pulling away from him, I gaze into his sparkling green eyes. The excitement certainly hasn’t waned any. It’s like looking at a child who’s received a long-awaited gift, or is seeing a close relative they haven’t seen in a while, all wrapped up in one little, very cute package.
