AN: I've started putting the prompts at the end of the writing because so many of my stories are going different directions and then coming back to the prompt. I don't want people to be distracted by what the prompt is. I hope that's okay. Please let me know what you think.
Henry McCord was in awe as he navigated the walkway at the Natural Bridge Zoo. He couldn't keep the smile from covering his entire face as he watched his girlfriend skip a few yards ahead of him. "Come on Henry! What are you waiting for?" she called, as she spun around. She didn't miss a beat, continuing to skip, only backwards now. Henry laughed and took the three giant steps to catch up to her. He caught her off guard when he lifted her off the ground and spun her in circles. As he set her down, she laughed joyously, her face flushed red. Wrapping her arms tightly around his waist, they walked to the elephant exhibit.
Henry looked down and pressed a kiss to the top of his girlfriend's head. He thought back to just nine months ago when he first met her. Henry was always late to lunch on Thursdays. He had a late class he taught and barely caught the tail end of the cafeteria's noon meal. He looked around and there were only a handful of people left, and most seemed to already be deep in discussion, so he made his way over to a blonde sitting by herself reading. "Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked. "I don't much like to eat by myself if I can help it." She looked up from her book and smiled.
"Sure. Just let me finish this one part. I don't want to lose my train of thought." Henry placed his tray opposite her, took his rain jacket off, hung it on the chair next to him and sat down. Within moments, the woman had closed her book and extended her hand across the table. "I'm Elizabeth Adams."
Henry smiled. "Henry McCord. Nice to meet you." Being almost done, she finished her meal rather quickly, but stayed and chatted while he finished his. They talked about all sorts of things and Henry thought that it was one of the nicest conversations he'd had in a long time. They left together and parted ways in front of the building. "Thanks for hanging out with me. It was nice. Maybe we could do it again sometime?" Henry had thrown it out there, hoping she would take the hint and share her phone number.
Instead she gave him a shy smile. "Maybe," she said, and turned and walked down the sidewalk. Henry stood rooted in his spot until she was out of sight. He sighed. That was a good lunch.
Henry spent most of the next week thinking about Elizabeth, but based on her comment, he wasn't sure she was as impressed with him as he was her. But there was no way that he could mask the excitement he had when he walked into the cafeteria, late the following Thursday and she was sitting at the same table. He walked straight to her. "Hey!" A wide smile covered his face.
"If it's okay, I thought I'd have that lunch with you," she said. When she spoke, there was the tiniest sparkle in her eyes and Henry thought she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
They met that way, each Thursday for two months. Henry dropped hints, but she never offered him more until the day she let it slip. "I look forward to this, seeing you, eating lunch. It's the best part of my week."
"Mine too," he said seriously. She looked up, wide eyed, as if she was surprised that the thought had actually escaped her lips. "I'd like it if maybe we expanded this, to say dinner, Saturday night, somewhere besides the cafeteria."
She tensed and stayed that way for a moment and then her mouth opened like she wanted to answer but couldn't. Henry was afraid he'd overstepped, that she really didn't like him in the way that he liked her. He tried to quickly figure out a way to somehow take it back or brush it off when she said, "Yes, I'd like that."
"You would?" A smile bloomed across Henry's face. She nodded, and he could see the sparkle, just a tiny bit larger than before.
One dinner became two and by the end of the next month, they were inseparable. Henry loved Elizabeth and as the sparkle grew in her eyes, he knew that he was growing on her too. She had endured a lot of heartache. It caused her to be cautious, guarded. It was impossible to be hurt so deeply and not be affected by it. Elizabeth wore it well. No one would ever know. It was only in the quiet of the night in their fifth month that she lay tucked in his arms and told him about her parents and how the loss changed how she viewed life and how scared she was of what was happening between them. She wasn't sure what she would do if she lost him too. Henry stayed silent and held her close, not daring to make a sound, lest she realized that she wasn't just thinking, she was speaking out loud. Elizabeth was opening up to him.
It was during their sixth month, the first time he touched her intimately, he was desperate to make her see how special she was, how much he loved her. She was willing, eager even, but he knew he'd only had her body. Her mind held back, protecting her heart.
Only last week, he thought he'd pushed her too hard, too fast. The words "I love you," rolled off his tongue before he could think about the ramifications of sharing that with her. It wasn't that he didn't love her, but he was afraid of what knowing it would do to Elizabeth. She froze. He saw the tears try to force their way out. "I-I'm not there yet." Her words were reasonably calm, but her eyes darted wildly, wondering what would happen if she didn't return the words.
"It's okay. I don't ever want you to think you have to do something you aren't ready to do. I do love you, and I hope with all of my heart that one day you will love me. But that doesn't have to be today, or next week, or even next year. I always show up for you, Elizabeth Adams. Always."
She whispered her thanks and they went on about their day. After hiking and having a picnic, he pulled in front of her apartment to drop her off. "Do you want to come up?" she asked. He nodded, parked the car and followed her up the stairs.
They dropped their things on the table in the combination living/dining room and she stepped in close to him. Henry was confused. Elizabeth wasn't normally forward and he could tell she was having trouble overcoming her nervousness about whatever it was that she wanted to say or do. "What babe?" he whispered, holding her.
She fidgeted in her spot before balling her hands into fists, gathering her courage. "I want us to-" She stopped and let out a breath and took Henry's hands in her own. "I want to make love Henry. I can't say it, but I can show you."
Henry started to shake his head to tell her that she didn't need to feel like she had to, but he stopped himself. She wanted to, because she loved him. He wouldn't brush it off, making her feel like it wasn't enough. He held his hand out and she took it, leading them to the bedroom.
After, when she was asleep in his arms, Henry cried because she finally gave in to her feelings and let herself be fully present with him. It was the most beautiful gift he'd ever been given.
Henry was brought back to the present when they walked through a cooling mist spray. Elizabeth started to pull away. "There they are Henry. It's the elephants." She leaned over the railing in an attempt to get as close as possible. When Henry placed his hands on her waist, she turned into him, suddenly wrapping her arms around him tightly. "You make me so happy," she mumbled into his chest. Tears sprung to his eyes at her words and he kissed her.
"That's all I want to do for the rest of my life," he said. They rested their heads together and Henry reveled in the thought that Elizabeth just told him that she loved him in her own way. And she did love him. He didn't need to hear the words, when he had Elizabeth.
Madam Secretary Prompt: Long before she was able to tell him that she loved him, Elizabeth told Henry, "You make me so happy", and that was just as good in his mind.