The Rock in My Storm

The beach seemed to stretch on for miles. It was their get-away, their time to be together. It had been such a stressful past couple of months, especially with Kyle's father passing away so suddenly. Kyle had been so close to his father. I sat on a stone that overlooked the ocean, the gentle waves caressing the beach as it came in.

Kyle still seemed preoccupied, but I couldn't find it in myself to be mad at him. I know he's not doing it on purpose, to hurt me. It was his idea that we both take a trip to the beach, to be alone together. It was his idea that we meet here, tonight, to talk.

I try not to worry about what it is that he wants to talk about. We've been together almost five years and they've been the happiest five years of my life. He practically saved me from myself. Having a father who left my mother when I was only six years old, and my mother who became emotionally detached and then eventually fell into alcoholism and even taking pills to make herself forget who she is or what happened to her. It took a toll on me, a heavy one. I didn't know what to do or where to go. I had delved in college, but I had felt so overwhelmed. That was where I met him. He made everything so simple, so easy to grasp. He made my life so much better by just being in it.

It took me a long time to tell him about my family and when I did, he was so supportive and understanding that I remember crying for a whole ten minutes because it just felt so nice to have someone to share it with.

Now, it's my turn to be there for him and yet I feel clumsy and awkward. I'm hoping that I can tell him the right things. I pick up some of the sand and let it fall through my fingers, repeating this as I wonder what the night will bring. The sun has almost touched the ocean. The sky is ablaze of oranges, yellows and muted reds. There are hints of deep blues and purples at the edges, but they seem so far away.

The wind catches my hair and lifts it from my shoulders. I sigh as I wait, wondering if Kyle is okay, wondering if I should go find him and hold him. To tell him it will be okay and that I'm here for him as long as he wants me. That his father will always be there for him, in his heart. Everything he has ever told him is there, deep inside. I hope that these words will be there when he gets here. I'm so afraid everything I think of will vanish and I'll be left with nothing.

There's an unexplainable feeling in my chest and I immediately turn to my right and my breath catches as I see him walking down the beach from the hotel we rented. The grin that spreads to my face is instantaneous and I feel silly, especially knowing everything that surrounds us. I stand up and walk to him. The sand flowing over my flip flops and it lightly tickles the underneath of my feet.

“Hi.” I say, feeling a flutter in my belly. How is it that there's still a flutter in my belly after five years?

“Hey Gabby.” He takes my hand and we walk for a little while, past the stone I sat on. The ocean is aflame from the setting sun, with colors of melon and apricot mixed in with the sapphire and violet hues.

“How are you doing, Ky? Is this break helping you?” I ask, trying to be gentle with my asking.

He's quiet for a moment. “It's getting better.” He looks at me and smiles. “Thanks to you.”

I stop, surprised. “Really?”

“You're the most supportive person in my life, Gab. It means a lot to me that you're with me, that we're here.” He's quiet again, we start walking again. The wind grabs my hair again. “I'm sorry I haven't been more attentive. I've been doing a lot of thinking.”

“I know. I've been wanting to give you your space. As much as I know this trip was meant for us to be together, I know it's important for you to be able to breathe too. It was so stuffy at home, I'm surprised you didn't scream.” I look at him as we walk. Feeling my heart swell from this conversation. Man, I love him so much.

One side of his mouth quirks up. “I did, just on the inside. I figured it wouldn't do me much good if I screamed out loud. You know how my mother can be.”

I smirk in return. Boy, I do know how mother can be. I do love her, she's been a second mother to me. More of a mother than my own, but she can get really intense. She is a fixer and so therefore she'll hover and check on you every five minutes if she thinks there's something wrong. Hence, the reason we went on this trip. Both of us needed a chance to breathe.

Losing Kyle's dad had hurt for me too. Again, he was as close to a father as I've ever had in my life. I can't even remember my own father, and Kyle's dad was always there for me. Even so, Kyle's dad was with him his whole life, since the day he was born. The pain I felt was a dull ache compared to the loss Kyle felt.

“I'm glad we came here. I'm glad we're doing this. I love being here, especially with you. To share this.” I smile, letting the wind run its fingers through my hair.

“Me too.”

We walk in silence for a little while, just watching the water and the sun. There are more purples, more blues in the sky now. The sky seems even more beautiful than before, and I wonder how it's possible. I really am glad we came here. Somehow, I feel more in love with Kyle than I did when we arrived here. I'm not sure how that is possible either. My heart feels heavy in my chest and I wonder if it'll burst.

“I want to share with you what I was thinking.” Kyle says suddenly. I turn to look at him and we stop. I feel proud, the things I planned on saying are still there. They haven't left me. I wait.

He smiles softly and then looks at me. “I was thinking of you.”

I stare at him and I feel my eyes widen. He was thinking of me? I mean, I know he thinks of me, but... I can't find anything to say.

He tugs on my hand and smiles. “Like I said, you've been here for me. You were by my side during my darkest couple of days. You never let me be alone. You've been my absolute best friend.”

I feel myself blush. He's never been this direct about my side of the relationship before. I feel my heart swell some more.

"I really don't know what I'd do without you, Gab. I could go on for hours about all the things that I love about you. Physical and not. I love your smile and your laugh. I love that you listen to everything I say and you always offer true advice. I trust you more than anyone else in this world."

I'm truly stunned. I really want to say something beautiful, but my mouth forgot how to work. Or maybe my brain forgot how to make it move? Instead, I reach up and touch his cheek. I rub my thumb across it and I smile. It's the best my shocked system will allow.

"I feel like I've known you my whole life. I can't remember my life before I met you. I guess it just goes to show how insignificant it was compared to the moment you stepped into it. I love you very much."

He looks at me and his eyes are so bright. There's this love I see in them and I suddenly realize how lucky I am to have this man in my life. To feel so loved and cherished by him. "I love you so much." My throat goes so dry. I think all the moisture went to my eyes. I feel tears beginning to bud there.

"My dad..." He trails off, looking past me for a moment. "My dad, the day before he died. He told me how much he liked you. He said that if you were really special to me, that I should show you."

I'm slightly confused. What does he have to show me? He already showed me. "What do you need to—"

I'm totally cut off from my thought, from any thoughts, as Kyle goes down to one knee. My heart thuds in my chest.

"Gabriel Louise Hampton, please complete me. Be with me for the rest of our days. Make my life complete." He looks up at me, his eyes shining so brightly. I think my heart as gone up to my throat. The tears that had formed in my eyes are free falling, running as fast as they can down my cheeks.

I try to breathe and it turns into a sob. I'm trying to say yes, I want to scream it and yet, I'm so overwhelmed by this showcase of love by him, my brain won't function like I want it to. I don't want him for a second to believe that I'm hesitant, that I could even for one second, not think that this man is the only person I'd ever want to be with. He completes me too.

I finally notice that he's holding out a ring. Both of our birthstones, with a triad of diamonds on either side. It's beautiful. It's perfect.

I reach out and I touch his cheek. I think I can finally make myself speak. "Kyle Anthony Willard, you complete me in such a perfect way that I feel as though you were made only for me. You've made my life so beautiful, so precious. I was always trying to run from it, to be ashamed of who I was and try to be someone I wasn't. You made me realize that I shouldn't be ashamed of who I am. My heart is about to burst and it's all because of you. I love you so so much. Yes, Kyle. I have never made an easier decision in my whole life. I will marry you."

He lets out a breath and he stands. He puts the ring on my finger and I wrap my arms around him. The tears flow so easily now. His mouth finds mine and kisses me so sweetly.

The sun has almost set completely. The blues and purples almost completely taking over the sky. One of the high points of my life, made by one of the most special people in my life. I let go of Kyle's hand for just a moment, so I can draw a heart in the sand. I take his hand and he looks at it, then at me. "It won't be there for long." He says.

I smile. "It's kind of like life, Ky. We aren't here for very long, but the important thing is, we were here." I look at the heart and I feel my own swell. Yeah, our life together is just beginning.




An entry into the "Invalid Item"