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“Look,” she said when she spotted them. “Those are our resident swans.”
Steven followed her finger and smiled. “They’re quite beautiful.”
“Aren’t they, though?”
The swans glided through the water, seemingly without a care in the world. Rose couldn’t help envying them. How simple their lives must be in comparison to hers. Find a mate, raise a brood of cygnets, and live in such a peaceful place.
“Did you know there’s an ancient belief that swans sing before they die?” Steven asked.
Rose frowned. “Really? Why?”
He shrugged. “No idea, but that’s where the term ‘swan’s song’ comes from. The idea is they’re mute most of their lives, but right before they die, they sing a sweet, mournful song.”
That didn’t sound right to her. “They aren’t mute. I can hear them grunting from here.”
“I’m sure it’s just some old folklore,” Steven said with a laugh.
Like Lanie’s cardinal. A smile tugged at her lips. She liked having her own legend, especially since she could share it with Steven.
“Did you know swans have their own mating dance?” Rose asked, remembering the man she had seen fishing the last time she was at the pond.
“Most animals do.” Steven winked at her. “But I’d rather not sit around waiting to see if they start going at it.”
A laugh bubbled up in her throat. “Too true. We should get back anyway. I need to start dinner if we want to eat before midnight.”
He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. “I wouldn’t mind if it meant I got to spend more time with you.”
Her heart melted. She missed moments like that. Sometimes she worried they got too caught up in the day-to-day of life and didn’t take time to really enjoy each other’s company. With the accident, there had been even less opportunity.
Impulsively, she leaned forward and cupped his cheek before pressing her lips softly against his. He wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her into his lap, almost tipping over his chair in the process.
Her laughter echoed off the buildings, and she kissed him once more before standing and brushing off her clothes. “Come on. Let’s go home.”
As she pushed his wheelchair to her condo, the sweet scent of honeysuckle filled her nostrils. She closed her eyes and breathed it in, allowing her mind to be transported back to a special evening two summers ago.
Steven had made reservations at an upscale Irish restaurant overlooking the Inner Harbor. They’d been there plenty of times before, but something felt different about that evening. After a delicious meal of boxtys and fish and chips, Steven had ordered a couple of glasses of champagne.
“What are we celebrating?” Rose had asked as she accepted her glass from the server.
“This,” Steven said before sliding off his chair and dropping to one knee in front of her.
Her heart had leapt into her throat as he produced a small black-velvet box and opened it to reveal the most beautiful ring she’d ever seen, a pear-shaped diamond bracketed by a ruby on one side and an amethyst on the other.
“Will you marry me?” His eyes had searched hers as if he didn’t already know the answer.
“Of course!” she exclaimed.
He stood, and she jumped into his arms. The rest of the evening was a blur, as she’d spent more time than she cared to admit staring at the ring on her finger. She’d loved that he added their birthstones. It was the perfect representation of their love.
Rose blinked herself back to the present as they reached her door. After unlocking it, she maneuvered the wheelchair into the condo and parked it in the living room.
“Did you want to watch television while I get dinner started?”
He shook his head. “I’d rather sit in the kitchen and talk to you, if you don’t mind.”
While her kitchen was too small for the chair to fit, she moved it over to the doorway so they could talk without yelling. She grabbed ingredients for stir-fry, one of Steven’s favorite meals.
“Any news on the head nurse position?” he asked as he watched her work.
