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The next big expense was the first, last, and deposit I have to pay to get into our gorgeous apartment in downtown Seattle.
Daniel loved that he was the only intern at the law firm with a skyrise apartment downtown, walking distance to his office and I was proud to be able to afford such an extravagant expenditure for our new future, especially since he moved here for me.
“You said there’s a washer and dryer in the house you rented, right?” I ask.
Sheridan has been so adamant that I try booking a vacation as a writing retreat that she finally booked a beachside house for me when she got tired of waiting for me to do it myself.
Of course, she made sure the booking was non-refundable so that I couldn’t back out.
“Yeah, that’s what the booking said. And the picture makes the place look incredible. You’re right on the beach, and it’s not near any other resorts, so you won’t have any distractions. This is going to be a perfect spot for writing.”
The idea of going anywhere by myself is a little intimidating, but this is the exact type of thing that Daniel has been begging me for.
More spontaneity.
More adventure.
Pushing my limited boundaries.
I need to prove to him and myself that I can do this. I can stop overthinking about all the ways something could go wrong and just throw caution to the wind.
I didn’t used to be this way and that’s why he pushes so hard.
I used to be a more fearless individual. I never suffered from anxiety or panic attacks. I was a person who took chances and risks.
I guess seeing my life flash before my eyes gave me a new perspective on how fragile and short life can be. After we came out of that bunker, it took me weeks to venture back out of my dorm room.
Daniel was incredibly patient with me.
He understood that I needed time, so he brought me takeout every night for weeks to ensure that I was eating.
Those are the moments that Sheridan didn’t see.
Those are the moments I want to give back to him and prove that I’m committed to this life. I want to show him the same patience and understanding.
Eight months is nothing in the grand scheme of a long life together anyway.
Sheridan is about fifteen years older than my twenty-seven years and has a husband, two kids, and a German shepherd named Spartacus.
Needless to say, we’re both in different places in our lives and sometimes I feel a little envious of it. Mostly right now, while Daniel is a continent away from me.
She’s a well-established agent with a booming business full of talented authors that she represents. She’s married to her college sweetheart and lives in a gorgeous home just outside of Seattle. With her kids in high school, she’s only a few years away from empty nesting and traveling the world with her husband, like they’ve always dreamed.
I, on the other hand, am still trying to carve out my spot in the author world while my love life is on a temporary hiatus. I have to remember that in a month's time, Daniel will be back and ready to settle down like we’ve planned.
Daniel proposed a few months before he received the invitation to go to Australia. His proposal wasn’t conventional. He didn’t get down on one knee and propose with an engagement ring. He just blurted it out one night while we were tucked up together in bed watching our favorite cooking show.
It took me by surprise.
In all honesty, I didn’t think he was anywhere near proposing, even with the years of hinting I had been doing.
Then, when he came home with the news about the Australia trip, he said that this opportunity could fast-track him into being considered for a junior partner position. A few weeks later, he pitched me the idea of us taking a break over the time he would be gone and we could use the separation to work on ourselves.
“Long distance is hard enough as it is and marriage is a huge commitment. Plus, you have a huge deadline coming up with your book. You’re going to be too busy to deal with my crazy schedule, and the time change will make it difficult for both of us. Besides, I’ve heard all the partners get a little crazy on these trips since most of the ones willing to travel to open new firms aren’t in any serious relationships. There could be strip clubs and lap dances and I don’t want to offend anyone by turning any of it down because I don’t want to seem like I’m being unfaithful to you. I think we should take this time to put our relationship on hold and we can both date other people during this time. When I get back, I’ll have proved myself to the partners, you’ll have finished your first book, and we’ll both be in a better place to start a life together. We can start wedding planning if you want, and we’ll finally pick out that ring just like I promised. Eight months, Brynn, that’s all I’m asking.”
That’s how he pitched it, and with how much he’s backed my author dreams and moved across the country to make me feel safe, I wanted to show the same level of support for him.
I don’t know much about the partners he works with, though I’ve met them from time to time during happy hour at the bar across the street from the law office.
