Bright took the last sip of his beer and threw the bottle back in the
quickly emptying cooler. He sat in his lawn chair with Gemma in his arms,
staring at the roaring fire. It was a chilly night for midsummer, but
Bright didn't mind, he was happy to be in front of the fire cuddled up with
Gemma.
Gemma was on her side, lying comfortably on top of Bright, a long stick in her hand as she roasted her perfect marshmallow. Brigtht's arms were wrapped tightly around Gemma's waist, enjoying the moment.
He continued to watch the fire, mesmerized by the flickering of the fire. Bright's eyes scanned around the fire, empty bottles scattered over the sand, left over marshmallows from their impromptu marshmallow fight. He looked over at Amy and Colin who were in much the same position as Gemma and himself, and smiled how they're finally back to where they were before the accident. Laughter interrupted Bright's thoughts of his sister and best friend, as he looked over to Ephram and Laynie. She was tickling Ephram between kisses again. Bright rolled his eyes as he chuckled himself, those two were always at it, and he was happy for them. They finally found each other.
Bright's eyes locked onto Gemma, and watched her face as every ounce of her concentration was poured into roasting the perfect marshmallow. He watched as she slowly rotated the marshmallow around the 'sweet spot' as she called it, the marshmallow slowly turning brown on her stick. Deciding it was ready, she pulled her stick back and blew on it. He watched those perfect lips, almost as if kissing the air, the lips that he'd become intimately familiar with. She popped it in her mouth, a broad smile spreading over her face; the marshmallow was perfect, just like her.
Bright thought about where they were going to go. Not after the cottage, but the future. He knew he really loved her, and told her so. But he didn't really think that she knew that he REALLY loved her. How he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. That he wanted to have children together, and a dog and cat. He knew it was silly, but he wanted their kids to have a pet each. But it also scared him. Not that fact that he wanted kids or a family, but the fact that he's already accepted that it would be with her.
He's even talked to Colin and Ephram about it, about if he should really go and propose to her. Colin was shocked at first, but quickly supported him, telling him that it was a good move. Ephram wasn't shocked, he was always able read people and he could see their mutual love. As much as he loved Colin, he wasn't really as supportive in terms of his relational problems, but Ephram was. They've have many a pints together discussing their mutual fears about the opposite sex. The fact that Ephram was considering similar options made him feel that asking her was the right thing to do.
He just had to figure out how. He already bought the ring; he had to work overtimes for months, much to the annoyance of Gemma. But he didn't mind, it was a labor of love. Colin had suggested he ask her here, at the cottage. Even though the six of them were the closest of friends, it wasn't really a group event. It was going to be a private, perfect moment. Perfect for the perfect girl. Ephram was a hopeless romantic, telling him to take her far away to the most beautiful places in the world, and ask her there. Bright thought about his grandparents, and how perfect it would have been if they had a kissing bridge of their own. But they didn't. Their first kiss was in his truck, not necessarily the best place to ask someone to spend the rest of your life with. Where ever it was, it had to be perfect.
Gemma was staring at him now, as she held out one of her perfect marshmallows for him.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Oh nothing, you know, basketball stuff." Bright opened his mouth and Gemma placed the warm marshmallow in his mouth. It was perfect.
And he knew that that's how their life would be. perfect.
Gemma was on her side, lying comfortably on top of Bright, a long stick in her hand as she roasted her perfect marshmallow. Brigtht's arms were wrapped tightly around Gemma's waist, enjoying the moment.
He continued to watch the fire, mesmerized by the flickering of the fire. Bright's eyes scanned around the fire, empty bottles scattered over the sand, left over marshmallows from their impromptu marshmallow fight. He looked over at Amy and Colin who were in much the same position as Gemma and himself, and smiled how they're finally back to where they were before the accident. Laughter interrupted Bright's thoughts of his sister and best friend, as he looked over to Ephram and Laynie. She was tickling Ephram between kisses again. Bright rolled his eyes as he chuckled himself, those two were always at it, and he was happy for them. They finally found each other.
Bright's eyes locked onto Gemma, and watched her face as every ounce of her concentration was poured into roasting the perfect marshmallow. He watched as she slowly rotated the marshmallow around the 'sweet spot' as she called it, the marshmallow slowly turning brown on her stick. Deciding it was ready, she pulled her stick back and blew on it. He watched those perfect lips, almost as if kissing the air, the lips that he'd become intimately familiar with. She popped it in her mouth, a broad smile spreading over her face; the marshmallow was perfect, just like her.
Bright thought about where they were going to go. Not after the cottage, but the future. He knew he really loved her, and told her so. But he didn't really think that she knew that he REALLY loved her. How he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. That he wanted to have children together, and a dog and cat. He knew it was silly, but he wanted their kids to have a pet each. But it also scared him. Not that fact that he wanted kids or a family, but the fact that he's already accepted that it would be with her.
He's even talked to Colin and Ephram about it, about if he should really go and propose to her. Colin was shocked at first, but quickly supported him, telling him that it was a good move. Ephram wasn't shocked, he was always able read people and he could see their mutual love. As much as he loved Colin, he wasn't really as supportive in terms of his relational problems, but Ephram was. They've have many a pints together discussing their mutual fears about the opposite sex. The fact that Ephram was considering similar options made him feel that asking her was the right thing to do.
He just had to figure out how. He already bought the ring; he had to work overtimes for months, much to the annoyance of Gemma. But he didn't mind, it was a labor of love. Colin had suggested he ask her here, at the cottage. Even though the six of them were the closest of friends, it wasn't really a group event. It was going to be a private, perfect moment. Perfect for the perfect girl. Ephram was a hopeless romantic, telling him to take her far away to the most beautiful places in the world, and ask her there. Bright thought about his grandparents, and how perfect it would have been if they had a kissing bridge of their own. But they didn't. Their first kiss was in his truck, not necessarily the best place to ask someone to spend the rest of your life with. Where ever it was, it had to be perfect.
Gemma was staring at him now, as she held out one of her perfect marshmallows for him.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Oh nothing, you know, basketball stuff." Bright opened his mouth and Gemma placed the warm marshmallow in his mouth. It was perfect.
And he knew that that's how their life would be. perfect.