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“Well, since that can’t happen right now, tell me everything you’ve been doing. I want to feel like I’m there with you.”
I started pouring out the details of our wild adventure, but then I stopped mid-story when I got to the part about seeing the lions in the wild.
“You know what,” I said after my long pause. “I’ll tell you everything that happened, but first I want to tell you something else.”
“What is it, Cariño?”
“That I choose you. Every day. Every second. I choose you. There is nothing and no one I want more than you. Ever. Even though you were unexpected, I can’t imagine my life without you.”
“Nor I without you, my love.”
“I just want you to know what you mean to me. I want you to truly understand the depth of my love for you ... love I never knew could exist before your lips pressed into mine. That first kiss that changed everything. My last first kiss.”
“It was my last first kiss as well,” he said. “The most important kiss of my life. And I do know that you love me, even if you fought it so hard at first.”
I chuckled. “Yeah. I did. But not because my feelings for you weren’t there. They were. Oh, God, they were. I was just scared. Scared of losing myself, I guess. Of being tamed and caged. But I’m not scared of that now. If being in love with you is a cage, then someone throw away the key.”
“Our love is not a cage, my love. Our love let us out of a cage ... a cage where we spent our lives alone. The minute you let down your walls, the door unlocked, and now we are free. Together. Knowing how much you fought, how hard it was for you to let down your guard, it only makes me love you more. You are a strong, beautiful woman who knows her mind and who needs only herself. So, the fact that you allowed me into your heart is the greatest honor of my lifetime. I will never try to tame you or cage you, my little wild cat. But I thank you for the honor of allowing me to be at your side. I will remain here always.”
A tear slipped down my cheek as I realized he knew me so well. I had picked the perfect man to tether my soul to. He accepted me, flaws and all, and loved me regardless of any of them. And he would never, ever try to cage me.
“I love you, Alejandro. I just wanted you to know that.”
“And I love you, Cariño. Now, tell me more about these lions.”
I continued telling him about our riveting adventure, then when we finished up our conversation, we ended with a few more “I love you’s” before kissing into the phone goodbye. I hung up, and that longing for him returned instantly, but this time I didn’t begrudge it. This time I embraced it and appreciated how lucky I was to have someone in my life to miss the way I missed him.
My true love.
My lion.
After a hot shower and a nap, I called the girls in their rooms and told them to put on their suits and meet me at the hot tub. We all hurried out to enjoy another African sunset over the river while we climbed into the hot tub right beside it.
“Pass me the margarita pitcher,” Sylvie said while she soaked in the hot, bubbling water.
“Incoming,” Marge answered, passing the pitcher after she topped off her glass.
Doris folded her arms behind her head and leaned back. “This is heavenly. My body is so sore from all the hiking and dancing yesterday.”
“Same,” I agreed. “I haven’t danced that much in a very long time. And my body has never moved the way it did last night.”
“Mine either,” Sylvie agreed. “It’s incredible to just go crazy though, isn’t it? It felt therapeutic.”
“This whole trip has been therapeutic,” I said. “And I can’t thank you girls enough for helping me stop mourning a past that didn’t deserve the eternal funeral procession I was giving it.”
“We’re so glad you finally said something,” Doris answered. “It’s not good to keep that stuff bottled up to yourself.”
With a sigh, I leaned back against the hot tub. “I know. I’m getting better about opening up to you girls, but it’s still not natural for me. It was seven decades of fending for myself and not trusting anyone with my emotions. It still doesn’t come naturally for me, so sometimes I need a little probing to get the truth out.”
“It’s a damn good thing we’re nosey and relentless then.” Sylvie grinned.
“That you are.” I laughed. “And I’m grateful for it. I think I’m going to have an even better life with Alejandro now that I’m not living with one foot in the past anymore. Now my feet are fixated firmly on the future. A future with Alejandro. A future with you all.”
They grinned as they stared back at me.
“You’re stuck with us always, Alice.” Marge pointed a finger at me. “In this life, and in the next, because whichever one of us dies first is going to haunt the other. So, I’m glad to hear you really enjoy our company, because you’re gonna be in it for a loooooong time.”
I lifted my margarita glass up. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I look forward to the late-night hauntings.”
