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“It’s something we can decide together.”
“As a family,” she acknowledged, clasping his hand tightly. “I love you.”
“I love you too – and I will always be there for you.”
“Good, because I’ll probably be a mess tomorrow during the ceremony,” she admitted and saw him smile.
“Now, I might not be such good help… because I’ll be a mess, too.”
“Maybe we can cry on each other’s shoulders?”
“Dress uniform, Sarge… Jackets come off first.”
“True ‘dat,” she laughed, winking at him. “They are a bear to clean and put back on all the ribbons.”
“I know, right?!”
They both laughed softly, sitting there, holding hands as she smiled at him. “I love having these moments with you – and I think that we should always take time to talk in the evenings when we can.”
“That would mean a lot to me.”
Austin stood up regretfully and gave her a small smile.
“And I’m going to do the right thing, letting you rest and respecting your father’s requests… even though everything in me just wants to hold you close,” he admitted. “I’ll be in the next room in case you can’t resist me.”
“Oh, yeah?” she chuckled, smiling at him as he winked.
“I’ll be helpless…”
“I don’t think there is a ‘helpless’ bone in your body, flyboy…”
“I’ll be all alone… scared… and vulnerable…”
“Austin…”
“Poor me…” he said dramatically, giving her a lopsided grin. “You don’t have to be so strong-willed, you know. I’ll still love you if you can’t resist me. Trust me – I’ll manage somehow.”
Her cheeks were hurting from the smiles that just would not stop as she gazed at him, realizing that her life would never be boring and always full of moments like this.
“Nothing? No, ‘Please Austin don’t go’… nothing?”
“I’ll manage,” she replied saucily, using his own words – only to see him roll his eyes.
“Fine. I get it. You don’t need me, I suppose…”
“We should sleep because tomorrow is going to be a very big day.”
“I’m going,” he conceded after a moment. “Goodnight – and I’ll leave my door unlocked… just in case.”
He hefted up the bag and left the room, before looking back at her, and then leaving it again.
“I’m just over here…” he called out in a loud whisper.
“I know,” she replied, fighting back a laugh. “Goodnight.”
Giselle grabbed her things and disappeared into the bathroom to brush her teeth, wash her face, and get ready for bed. As she donned a pajama, she opened the door and darted back to her room, shutting the door and half expecting to see him sprawled all over her bed… and he wasn’t.
She was alone.
