Losing It - After a Day at the Beach

by Rebeka Rose

  I spent three days and nights at Jason's house. We didn't surprise his mother with a visit. We hardly even left the house.

  We made up for lost time by sleeping wrapped up in each other's arms.

  We made up for the distance between his home and mine by showering together, dressing and undressing each other, and relentlessly flirting with each other every minute we weren't making love.

  On the fourth day, he drove me to the airport and begged me in the car to change to a later flight.

  “The ticket was a seat sale,” I said. “I can't change anything, and besides, I have to work tomorrow. At my job. I know it's not as fancy as yours, but I'm expected to show up.”

  He parked the car and walked me into the airport, not saying a word.

  I expected him to ask me again to change the flight, but he didn't.

  This was in July, and the way I figured it, with my vacation days, I'd be able to fly out again by October. I'd have to work overtime to get things under control at the office, but that could work, and I was already looking forward to my next visit.

  I knew Jason and I were meant to be together, but he hadn't figured it out yet. I'd always felt it, which was why I'd chosen to lose my virginity to him.

  We'd talked a lot during my three-day visit, and we still had all the right things in common, from personal philosophies (though I was a little more slack with the rules) to life goals, to what kind of family we wanted to have. There was no reason for us to be apart, except for the distance, and his stubbornness.

  Of course, I was as patient as he was stubborn.

  I got in line to check my baggage, and he excused himself, saying he had to visit the washroom.

  As he walked away, the space between us grew. Six feet, then ten feet, then twenty. I hadn't been that far from him the whole time I'd been there, and it hurt. I missed him already, the sadness heavy in my chest. He disappeared from sight, and I pinched my arm to keep myself from crying.

  Wait until you're on the plane, I told myself. Jason hates emotional goodbyes.

  I was nearly at the counter when he returned.

  His face was flushed, and he seemed giddy, breathing heavily.

  “I understand,” he said.

  I shook my head. “What?” I waved the people behind me to go ahead in the line.

  “The first time, I left you. And now you're leaving me.” He held his hands over his heart. “And now I understand how you felt. It's making me crazy that I don't have any control in this situation.”

  “It's life, Jason. Nobody has control.”

  “We can do small things.” He stepped back and got down on one knee, with one foot on the tile floor.

  Some old ladies behind me gasped and muttered, “Proposal! He's going to propose.”

  I turned around and gave them a dirty look. “No, he isn't. We were high school sweethearts, and we just had a little reunion. He's not ...”

  The ladies were jumping up and down, telling me to turn around.

  And there he was. Jason.

  My Jason.

  Holding up the tackiest-looking ring I'd ever seen.

  “We're not too young anymore,” he said. “I've always wanted to marry you. Since the first time we kissed. You drive me crazy in a good way.”

  “You're just doing this to make me cancel my flight.”

  “Duh!”

  The women behind me muttered to each other that he seemed awfully rude.

  I rubbed my forehead, trying to prompt my brain to tell me what to do. My brain came up empty. Zero.

  But my heart had an answer.

  I grabbed my suitcase and wheeled myself out of the line.

  “I guess I could just quit my job and move here.” I glanced over at the check-in counter, then back to Jason. He was still there, on one knee, holding up that awful ring.

  “Where did you get that?” I said.

  “I can get you a better one. They didn't have a lot of options at the gift shop.”

  I started to say something else about the ring, but my voice caught in my throat. I closed my eyes, squeezing out hot tears. They were happy tears.

  He said, “Will you marry me?”

  “Yes,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “Yes, I think I will.”

  I reached down to help him up, and we kissed.

  The people around us clapped, and it sounded like a million birds taking flight.

  Thank you for reading my story!

  If you'd like to show some support and encouragement, please leave a review. I hope you'll check out my other stories, too.

  Rebeka Rose

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  Losing It After a Day at the Beach