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I try to close my eyes and sleep for the majority of the flight, but I’m too amped up. I’m in and out of consciousness, and by the end of the flight, I feel stiff and grumpy. My neck hurts, my eyes feel heavy and gritty, and I really need a shower.
After making it off the plane, I rush to find a bathroom so I can at least brush my teeth and splash some water on my face. It’s not much, but it helps a little. I sniff my armpits and decide some deodorant wouldn’t hurt either.
The line for customs is a mile long by the time I make itthere. I’m dead last, so I take out my phone so I can read a book to kill the time. It’s got five whole percent of its battery life, so it looks like the book won’t be happening, since I need to keep the phone from dying before I find Ellis. The line inches forward at a snail’s pace, but I finally make it through and get my stamp in my passport.
By the time I make it to the baggage claim, they already have the bags out on the conveyor belt. Mine is one of the last ones left, so it’s easy to spot. I grab it and make my way to the doors. There are people milling around, greeting each other with hugs and huge smiles on their faces. And right there in the center of them all is Ellis, pacing and gesturing wildly with her hands while she mutters under her breath. She looks crazy…and adorable. She looks like mine.
Ellis
My heart is racing as I pace the entrance of the airport. Josiah’s plane landed forty-five minutes ago, so he should be coming out any minute now. I have no idea what to say to him when I see him, despite the fact that I’ve been rehearsing different speeches since last night. Nothing feels right. All I know is that I can’t wait to see his face, hug his neck, and kiss his cheeks, his forehead, his lips. Everything. I want to kiss everything!
People are starting to stare at me, and I get the sense that I’m making them nervous. I force myself to sit in one of the wide leather chairs that every airport seems to have. My leg starts bouncing, trying to release the nervous energy from my body. A lady sitting a few seats down clears her throat, catching my attention. I glance over at her, and she gestures tomy fidgety leg that is apparently shaking the entire row of seats.
“Sorry,” I mutter as I stand back up and resume my pacing.
A moment later, people begin walking out of the exit. Excited people all around me stand and watch as more and more people file out. There are smiles and hugs. Squeals and kisses. I almost get teary eyed as I watch a couple hold onto each other for what feels like minutes. That could be me right now if Josiah would hurry up and get out here!
The stream of people slows down. I wait and wait and wait to see Josiah walk out, but he’s nowhere to be found. Maybe that was a different flight. It’s a decent-sized airport, so that’s probably it.
I resume my pacing and continue to rehearse what I’ll say in my head. I close my eyes and picture his face while I think of the perfect words.Josiah, I’m sorry it took me so long and running away to a foreign country to know that you’re exactly what I’ve always wanted. You’re everything a girl could dream of…
My thoughts are cut off, and a scream escapes my lungs when someone grabs me from behind. I jab my elbow into the ribs of whoever is trying to kidnap me. It’s broad daylight, and there are plenty of witnesses standing around me. What are they thinking?
I hear a grunt and then a deep laugh right before two burly hands clamp onto my shoulders and spin me around to face my would-be kidnapper. I’m ready to keep fighting. I’ve been told I have a mean karate chop, and I’m not afraid to use it.
But no karate chops are necessary because when I turn around, I’m greeted with the face I’ve been missing since the second I left him. Josiah is smiling down at me and rubbing his wounded stomach.
“Oh no!” I cry, reaching a hand out to his stomach. I can feel his stomach tighten when he laughs at me. “This is nothow it was supposed go. I’ve been rehearsing the perfect greeting, and it did not include beating you up!”
He smiles down at me as he drops his bags to the floor beside him. I can feel every ounce of love in his eyes. He puts both his hands on either side of my face, and we just look at each other. It’s the most intimate moment I’ve ever experienced in my life. We look into each other’s eyes, and we look at each other’s mouths, cheeks, noses…everything. We study each other like we’re about to be quizzed on it.
“I was going to give you this grand speech and apology, but I can’t seem to remember any of it now,” I confess. My voice is breathy, which is a little embarrassing. I don’t want to reveal too much about what that smile is doing to my insides, but I’m sure he’s well aware those dimples kill me every single time he flashes them.
“I don’t need a speech, Ellis. You asking me to come here told me everything I need to know,” he says, and thankfully, his voice is every bit as breathy and raspy as mine. “I love you. There’s nothing you could do that would change that. I know you aren’t ready…”
“I love you, Josiah,” I blurt out, cutting him off. I’m not afraid to say it anymore, and he has to know how I feel. I’m not scared to be in love with him and give him my heart. Starting now, I am diving in headfirst, giving him everything, and trusting him to take care of it. He’s not perfect, but he’s the perfect man for me. He always has been. It has always been him.
“Are you ready to show me Scotland?” he asks.
“Definitely! You should put your coat on, though. It’s freezing outside,” I say as I wrap myself up tighter in my coat.
“Oh, that reminds me,” he says as he picks up his carry-on bag and begins digging around in it. After a moment, he pulls out a scarf of every shade of pink and purple you can imagine.My mouth hangs open when I realize it’s the scarf I started last month. He wraps it around my neck and says, “I thought you might want that.” Next, he pulls out the scarf he made for himself.
“You finished my scarf for me?” I ask as my eyes fill up with tears. I hold the ends up for inspection. It’s so pretty. Even prettier than I imagined it would be. Probably because he’s the one who made it, instead of me. “And you put tassels on it?” I ask, waving the tassels in front of his face. He laughs and pushes my hand away.
“Yeah, the tassels were surprisingly easy. You just seemed really excited about it. It would’ve been a shame not to finish it for you,” he says. “But why are you crying? Is it horrible? Do you hate it?” His voice is panicked. I swipe at the tears falling down my cheeks.
“No! I love it. It’s the best gift I’ve ever received!” I say.
“Oh, good.” He looks relieved as he pulls me into him. He kisses me soft and slow. I wish it could last forever, but there are people all around us.
“If I didn’t already love you, I do now,” I say.
He takes my hand, and we walk out of the airport together, ready to take on whatever this world and the future has in store for us.
epilogue
Ellis
