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I wanted it to be him.
“I guess I don’t, but he’s the one that I choose to be with. Long story short, I spent the last handful of months having the best time of my life with him, and I can’t imagine sharing those memories with anyone else. I would rather live in a world without color than in a world without him.”
“That is so sweet! He’s a lucky guy.”
“No,” I shook my head. “I’m the one that’s lucky.”
She put her hand over mine and gave me a reassuring pat. I blinked several times before I realized what was happening. The kind smile across her lips gradually became colorful in front of me. The color that once was just another shade of grey was now vibrant. Powerful. A hint of warning accompanied by passion. It highlighted how white her teeth were.
“I’m sorry, are you wearing lipstick?”
“Yeah, I am,” she questioned me with her eyes and brought her fingers to her lips. “Why?”
“What color is it?”
“Red…Oh my goodness! OMG! You can see it.”
“I can see it,” I whispered. “I can see red.”
“Can you see this too? They usually go together!” she rummaged through the pocket in the seat in front of her and held up the brochure to the airline.
The cover was a different shade than her lips. It was lighter and more of a subtle shade. It was almost a mixture of red and something else. It was an optimistic color.
I nodded.
“This is orange!” she smiled at me.
I returned her smile and looked around, taking in the new things that were now colorful. The seat in front of me had little speckles of orange spread through the fuzzy fabric. Gabby had done my nails in red a few days ago.
When we were about to land, I took a deep breath and opened the window. Seeing the tiny world below us gradually get closer made me nervous, but today was a day for facing my fears. I closed my eyes and walked myself through some deep breathing. When I opened them again, more of the world was alive in front of me.
The tops of the growing trees were vibrant. The greens of the world brightened, and I realized how much nature there was in the city.
The world was becoming more beautiful as the minutes went on, and I hoped to be able to appreciate it all one day. But what I said remained true. I would rather live in a world where Parker makes me smile every day than in one that’s full of color without him.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Saturday afternoon.
Two hours left.
The air outside was heavy with moisture and heat. The sun was out, and I was sure you could fry an egg on the sidewalk. Tons of cars were waiting in the airport's arrivals parking lot. Amelia told me that Kate would be in a white truck waiting for me as soon as I walked out. My subsequent text was from Kate telling me to look up.
“Blake!” she called from across the street. I nodded and ran toward her. She pulled me into a hug as I finished climbing into the truck. “Amelia is so excited that you came. I want it on record that I thought it would be Parker who broke and rushed back to you. When we saw him at the airport this morning, we knew it hadn’t ended well after he went to your apartment. Outside of, you know, what happened at the pool.”
“Yeah, that was embarrassing,” I felt my cheeks redden.
“I don’t know. The idea of the person I love knocking down someone insulting me with one punch is romantic, don’t you think?”
“I guess,” I laughed as we drove out of the confusing airport. “It’s just embarrassing when it happens in front of your coworkers and people that you have to face on Monday.”
“Well, in the decade that I’ve known Parker, I’ve never seen him as much as threaten to hit someone. It’s not something he typically lets himself do, but Richard really got under his skin.”
Almost an hour later, Kate pulled up in front of a plantation-style red brick house surrounded by trees. I had no idea where I was, but the landscape formed a beautiful picture.
The house was nestled in through tall trees that rustled in the hot, hairdryer-like wind. They had red flowers lining the sidewalk to their opaque glass front door. The white window trims contrasted against the brick. I could see Amelia and Kate’s personalities on full display.
I grabbed my backpack from the back seat and took a deep breath before entering their house. It was beautiful.
