Page 97 of Pink and Country

Dressed in a pair of skinny jeans and a baby-pink top, I applied gold eyeshadow as I waited for Travis to get dressed. Drenched in sweat after our little rematch, we ended up taking another shower. My boyfriend walked into the room, his hair disheveled and a smirk plastered on his face.

“We’re meeting Saunders and company tonight at the karaoke bar near campus. Let’s have dinner somewhere before. To celebrate.”

“I’d go anywhere with you, April. Hawaii. Bora Bora—” I shut him up with a kiss.

“You’re impossible.” Our gazes met, and all the love pouring from his eyes filled my heart. Travis brushed strands of my hair off my forehead. I shivered at the slight gesture.

“Fine. We’ll go on this trip on our honeymoon instead.”

“Honeymoon?”

“I’ll want to marry you before having a bunch of babies with you, my love,” Travis said, matter-of-factly.

I burst out laughing. “You’d better.” With my arms looped around his neck, we kissed some more.

Travis leaned back, and all traces of playfulness in his eyes disappeared.

“I have a feeling our time together has an expiration date. I don’t know. The feeling has been nagging me for a few weeks.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not sure. Like somehow it’s too incredible to last.”

“Don’t be silly. You said it yourself, we’re it. We’re just lucky we found each other early in life. I’m all in.”

Travis sighed. “I hope you’re right. I love you. I can’t wait for the house to be ours. And the babies to pop out,” he said, half-joking—or not. “The guys keep telling me we’re too young to commit, but it all feels right.”

Travis’s lips found mine again, and he dissolved in my mouth, bringing me to heaven.

We never thought this Christmas would be the last one we’d celebrate together.

Nine months later

In our room, our bodies entwined, I rested my head on my boyfriend’s chest, listening to his labored breathing.

“Travis, I want to get pregnant. I thought about this.” His energy levels had dropped in the last month. He looked at me, the spark in his eyes reminding me he was still in there. The disease hadn’t taken him away from me just yet. He’d lost weight, and his previously muscular body was now thinner and paler, his cheeks hollow, and his arms skinny.

“No. I can’t stand the idea of you having to raise a child on your own. It wouldn’t be fair.”

“None of this is fair,” I said, motioning around us with my hand. I struggled to keep the tears away. “I want someone to remind me of you. I want something only you can give me growing inside me. Knowing we made this tiny human being together. That our love was stronger than this disease drawing us apart forever. I can’t fathom the idea of you disappearing forever without leaving some sort of legacy behind.”

“I’m not leaving in vain. You’ll always have me, April. In your heart. I’ll forever be there. It doesn’t sound like much right now, but someday you’ll understand we were only meant to pass through each other’s lives. I’m not your happily ever after. But you’re mine.” Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes. “You’re young, baby. You’ll meet somebody. Someday. Someone who will love you as much as I do. And you’ll have a family of your own. Don’t put extra challenges into your life because you’re sad.”

“What if I can’t live on my own?” Travis’s arms squeezed me harder. “Don’t abandon me. I can’t live knowing everyone I care about always leaves me. My parents, Nana, you. What’s the point if I always end up alone and miserable?” I asked, the stream down my face unstoppable.

“You have your entire life to live, baby. It’s not your time. Mine came to an end. The ride has been shorter than I expected.” His chapped lips met with my forehead. “Please live your life to the fullest. Enjoy the sunrise in the morning. Go to the beach. Dance in the rain. Smile at strangers. Be fearless. You deserve to be happy. Because you’ve made me a lucky man.” I snorted. I often refrained from crying in front of Travis. “We should get married, though. I want to leave this world knowing you were mine up to the end.”

“For real?” Travis nodded, and his body trembled as he exhaled. “I’d like that. Very much. I do want to be your wife.” My sad tears transformed into happy ones. Travis propped himself on his elbows. And, with a trembling hand grabbed something from the nightstand of the bedroom we never got to repaint or update. Then he rose to his feet—slowly as if his body could shatter any second—dropped to one knee, and opened a velvet box, presenting me with two gold wedding bands.

“April Simmons, would you do me the honor of being my wife until death do us part?” I cupped my mouth with both hands.

“I will.” Our lips fused together.

“I want us to elope. Vegas. You and me.”

“What about your parents?”

“They won’t understand. I’ve made my peace with it. I want it to be just the two of us.” Travis wiped off the tears streaming down my cheeks with his thumbs. “And let’s get one of these hotel rooms with a view on a garden or something. Not the Strip. It might not be Fiji or Hawaii, but that’s the best I can do right now.” I nodded with a smile.