Author: Tameka Norris
Source: articleage.com
The day had come, Michael and I had spent four fun, but exhausting days in Manhattan and it was time to pack our bags and leave. We still had several other adventures ahead of us. However, our plan for that day was to hop in a rent-a-car and head off to Niagara Falls.
Once we were in the car on our way, we finally had the luxury of an air conditioner. Something that was much appreciated after the four hot days we'd spent walking around the city.
We were on our way and it was just us and several hours of road travel ahead. It was a nice change from the humidity, congestion, and bad odor of New York.
After finally getting us out of New York, I settled back in the driver's seat, getting comfortable and relaxed. We were heading in the right direction.
We took the time to speak about one another and our personal thoughts. How we expected one another to be in comparison to what we actually turned out to be like.
I also spoke about the things that I would like to improve about myself, and the dislike I had that my father had left and started a new life with a new family, and seemed to care nothing about the children he'd left behind.
How he treated us as if we didn't exist anymore.
Alas, I'd grown used to the fact... since it had happened at an early age. But I was bitter about it, though I honestly couldn't see things a different way. I couldn't see where he would fit in my life since his departure so long ago.
Finally when we'd made it to Niagara, it was a little later than we anticipated, but alas we made it. We still had enough time to visit the park and head back to my place in Ohio by one in the morning.
He thanked me for driving us there, and was very grateful and tender, as I'd gotten highly annoyed at getting lost along the way. He had been very patient with me... very sweet.
We walked around, enjoying the view. Neither of us thought it was quite as we had expected it to be. At least not the park on the US side. It was quite small and in some way, very common. Nothing extraordinary or all that amazing.
Just a small park with a few breathtaking elements and some concession stands.
In some fashion it appeared to be a long forgotten landmark. But my guess was it was just the time that we had arrived that made it appear to be so—most of the crowd had already left.
We explored the park and cut through a path where we could hold hands and enjoy the intimacy and beauty of it as we further made our way through it.
He made sure I was happy in the process... as I was quieter than he was used to.
I hadn't noticed. I had just been observing the new environment... taking in all that it had to offer. In a bit of a meditative state in which I could fully digest what was going on around me.
"I'm fine, " I said. "I'm happy... I'm just observing everything."
Then once we'd seen everything that we could see before heading off, we had just one last thing to do. Capture the sunset as the sun started going down.
I sat down for a bit as he caught it on camera and was grateful for the moment of pause. I thought it was a good end to a beautiful day.
Once we were back in the car we headed to Ohio. It would be about a seven hour drive back from Niagara. We talked and had our laughs and as I started getting tired and a bit disillusioned from the long drive and fatigue, he kept me awake, by talking to me.
Thankfully he was there... though I don't think I would've gone on if he wasn't. The road was becoming a blur of lines and I was becoming a bit of a danger.
Still, we were almost there, and I knew I could do it... with his support.
Sometime a little after midnight we made it home and I had never been so grateful to see my apartment.
But I couldn't forget, the time was closing in. In a day or so he'd be heading off for a course he'd also decided to take during his visit here. We would say our goodbyes and have our next adventure to look forward to when he returned about two weeks later.
But I didn't look forward to saying goodbye.
So when the morning arrived, I cuddled up with him. He was going to be leaving. I didn't want him to go. After chatting for a bit, and talking about it I'd finally gotten up enough courage to give him a kiss.
My first kiss.
It was just as lovely as I expected it to be. Perfect. And I was grateful that I'd waited or had never been given the chance to do it when I was younger. That I was given the gift to do it with someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
I had that to look forward to. It was better than any teenage pipe dream of romance.
It was the perfect present to keep with me before we said our goodbyes.
A little later that, last minute air deals, morning I dropped him off at the airport and hugged him. I kept my mind fixed on the day I'd see him again. Two weeks. I could do that. I could wait.
Everyday in between was a day closer. We chatted back and forth through email during his time there. He told me about the things he got up to and the friends he made while he was there.
I was happy for him, but I couldn't wait for him to return. I missed him and the time we spent together felt so brief... and couldn't possibly make up for four years of bonding and not having the ability to be together.
So when the day finally arrived, I was excited. I would get to touch him and hug him again and we would be off on our little journeys again. Exciting times!
I fumbled my way through the airport to where I was supposed to be. I looked to see if his flight was in yet. No, a few more minutes. Then, moved toward the stairs.
He reached out and caught me as I almost walked past him.
Overlooking things that were right in front of me was not unusual for me. I was famous for being blind to what was right in front of me. Still... how I missed seeing him, I wasn't quite sure.
"Oh I didn't see you," I said. "When did your flight come in?"
"Just a few minutes ago," he said.
His hair had grown out a bit. "It looks quite nice like that too," I thought.
He had trimmed it short—to my liking before he came to America and during his stay here it started growing back out. It only became noticeable to me, however, after being away from him for a good portion of time.
During his stay we went to a little all-you-can-eat Chinese restaurant.
We were fortunate. It was quiet that day and there weren't very many people around. So we enjoyed the tranquility of the restaurant while we talked and ate.
The food was quite good and I was stuffing more in than I really had room for, finally making up for my lost appetite in New York.
We laughed at how the waitress couldn't understand what he had said to her... how long it took her to finally make out what he had said.
"Water." The difference between the British and American way of saying it is very substantial and quite humorous.
He poked fun at my version in comparison to his. Laughing, I had to agree with him. The British pronunciation was indeed correct compared to the American pronunciation. And much better sounding too.
Later we rented a few movies and snuggled. And at last the day would end and tomorrow would come.
We went to Cedar Point Amusement Park. He seemed to enjoy that most of all.
I, on the other hand, was older, five years older than Michael... and age was either catching up with me or I'd just gotten to be a big chicken.
Some lines were fast and others were slow. We joined others in line for the most popular roller coaster rides and the wait was grueling. But we passed time chatting and secretly poking fun at the people around us.
He made me laugh.
He was a lot funnier than I'd remembered. Mostly, I had myself to blame though. I had never truly appreciated his humor before and often disliked it when he had been keen on sharing it with me in the past.
"You're more fun than I expected you to be," he said to me before in the car.
"Yes." I owned up to it. "I can be very uptight online. I'm sorry about that, Michael." He had put up with my tight-laced attitude for quite some time over the years and at the very least I owed him an apology.
Though, I felt inclined to want to make up for it beyond just the sentiment of saying I was sorry. But I didn't know how, except to appreciate who I was in person and no longer respond that way in the future.
We'd spent several hours there. Michael seemed to be enjoying himself a lot. He was having a great deal of fun watching me hold on for dear life as the rides pulled us along. Often he would laugh at me... chuckling at, I imagine, how stupid I must've looked.
It was quite funny. I was certain we were going to die that day—that one of those roller coasters was going to careen off the edge of the track and we would land smack-dab in the center of the park. Or worse... the ocean.
I didn't know how to swim... so it was confirmed in my mind that I would be the first to go. I didn't stand a chance and I'd always been deathly afraid of drowning.
After we'd discovered plenty of rides and set off to find more, the day was becoming more exciting and we seemed to be truly enjoying the park.
Though, I had to admit to myself I had a great time... but I would've enjoyed a place a little less young. Amusement Parks were good fun but my days of enjoying them to the fullest extent were over.
I much preferred to be at some place like a murder mystery dinner or a historical train ride... enjoying the enchantment of nature and the relaxation of it all.
We'd almost gotten close to doing those things, but alas it didn't work out. We had a set journey and the dates interfered with what had already been planned.
Nonetheless, I was enjoying it the best I could.
At last, we hopped on an older ride. One I will never forget.
Once I had gotten in, I knew it was a mistake.
It was old, loud, and rough. During the ride I felt my stomach jump through my throat. I could feel every aching joint renewed with aches far worse than the ones prior, from the thrash, yank, and pull of the old tug-along train.
Any sickness that I had managed to avoid had suddenly settled in my body and I wanted off!
"Oh my god. Oh my god... I'm going to be sick," I thought.
I got off, staggering, putting my hands in my pockets, in search of my glasses. They weren't there! They were gone. They must've fallen out during the ride.
I searched around and when I couldn't find them I had an attendant check for my glasses, but there was no sign of them.
Suddenly, I was stuck with being blind, facing the fact that I couldn't drive us back home because the only thing I could make out was blurs of colors and the vagueness of shapes and forms.
We were stuck at Cedar Point Park.
Michael tried to calm me down, but I was furious.
I was blind, we had gotten lost, what felt like a trillion times before. From our trip to Niagara... then to the Park—and now I'd lost my glasses and I was the only one who could drive us back.
I felt the pressure barricading me in. This was too much responsibility. And my glasses... they'd cost about $200. Money I couldn't see dishing out for another pair.
Oh, I had a second pair. A back-up pair. But they did me no good... four hours away back at home. I hadn't thought to pack them and take them with me.
He offered to buy me another pair, but I didn't want another pair. I wanted less responsibility. I wanted to see again. I wanted my glasses back.
We visited the lost and found and put in a report and talked over our options.
Michael was very patient and kind. He led me along with very little arguments. I figured partly because I was impossible to get along with when I'm high-tempered and overwhelmed.
We checked back later that night, but my glasses weren't found so we decided to stay in a hotel up the street and try again tomorrow.
It was late and the crowds were leaving. We decided to call for a shuttle bus to come pick us up and take us to a hotel.
It was quiet by then. Cold. We sat down on a bench, huddling together. He gave me his coat and we wrapped our arms around one another, shivering.
"See, I told you I would take care of you," he said. "I hide when I can get away with it but I'm quite useful when I have to be."
"Yes, I know," I said. "I'm sorry for being so difficult."
About an hour later the shuttle bus arrived and dropped us off at the hotel. Finally we settled in the warm room. I was grateful for the warmth again. The coziness. The intimacy.
We chatted and watched television. Had a few laughs. I was happy that in the end, the day turned out to be quite wonderful after all.
Thanks to Michael.
The next day I called the amusement park and described my glasses. To my surprise they had found them. I was so happy! We wouldn't have to take a bus back after all—everything would continue according to plan... only a day later.
We were off again and I could see.
Tameka Norris is the founder of Romantic Short Stories. The perfect blend of true love stories, romantic short stories, love poetry, and romantic tips. Visit http://www.romantic-short-love-stories.com.
