Summary: A continuation of "The Happiest New Year" and "Be Mine." Wheeler goes all out for Easter, making it fun for everyone, but wants to make it extra special for one person in particular.
Disclaimer: Characters are not mine, not making money from this, yada yada yada.
It's a sunny March day on Hope Island. We just got back from cleaning up an oil spill in the Middle East and I'm beat. We all are, but I flew home so while everyone else took a nap, I piloted the Geo Cruiser back to Hope Island. Linka was nice enough to offer to keep me company in the co-pilot seat, but even she dozed off eventually. We were in mid-conversation too. When she didn't respond, I looked over and saw her slumped against the window. Like I said, it was an exhausting mission. When we landed on Hope Island, we quickly realized there was very little in the way of food products. A well rested Gi, Kwame, and Ma-Ti offered to go to the mainland to pick up some supplies while I went to go take a nap. I was too tired to even make it back to my own room after dropping Linka's things off in her room so I just crashed on her bed.
Later, I wake up to the sound of birds chirping, LOUDLY in my ear. Then I hear Linka getting up from her desk, covering the cage, and saying,
"Shh, little ones. Daddy is sleeping."
"Daddy WAS sleeping," I reply.
"Sorry. I should have covered them before I started using the computer. I should have known they would start acting up."
"That's ok. If I sleep all day, I won't be able to sleep tonight. How long was I out for anyways?"
"Three hours."
I'm just about to ask if the others made it back yet, when I hear the Eco-Copter landing.
"Hey guys, do ya hear that? Your food is here," I say to the birds as I uncover their cage.
Soon, Gi is standing in the doorway with a bag from the pet store.
"Thank you Gi. Here Wheeler, will you give it to them."
"Sure."
"Yesyesyes Yankee! Bozhe Moy!" says the bird we named Babe.
Linka turns beet red instantly. I don't know whether to laugh or cry, and Gi, God bless her, has a shocked look on her face and is trying her best not to laugh. I finally decide to give Gi permission to laugh by busting out in hysterical laughter. She soon joins me. Linka is still mortified and covering her face with her hands.
"That's pretty impressive that Babe has learned Russian!" I say.
"Maybe you two should sleep in Wheeler's room from now on?" Gi giggles.
This gets Linka to chuckle a bit and soon she joins Gi and I in laughing so hard we cry. Soon Kwame and Ma-Ti are at the door to see what all the commotion is about.
"What did we miss?" Kwame asks.
"Just the birds showing off and being silly. Did you guys get all the groceries out of the Cruiser?" I ask.
"Yes. We were walking by when we heard the commotion in here. We are heading to the kitchen to put them away," Ma-Ti explains.
"Wheeler, why do you not go help the others. I will be out as soon as I finish this email," Linka says.
"Yesyesyes Babe!" I joke. Gi begins laughing but Linka is not amused. She picks up the first thing she can get her hands on from her desk, which unfortunately for me, is a large Russian to English dictionary, and hurls it at me! Luckily, the awkward shape makes it harder to be accurate and she misses me. The wall, however, will never be the same.
I follow the guys into the kitchen.
"Holy….did you guys leave anything IN the store or did you bring it all home?" I ask.
"We needed alot. We were out of so much and tomorrow is Easter. We thought it would be nice to have a big Easter dinner with the 'family.' Is that ok?"
"Absolutely! I forgot all about Easter though. I'm taking the Geo Cruiser back to the mainland."
"For what?" Kwame asks.
"For Marshmallow Peeps, chocolate bunnies, Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs, Cadbury Crème Eggs, Cadbury Mini Eggs, jellybeans, and plastic fillable eggs, and whatever else I see that is needed for a proper Easter."
"Are those things really necessary for a proper Easter?" Ma-Ti asks.
"Yes, we bought a ham and eggs to dye. I thought we had everything covered," Kwame said.
"Under normal circumstances, that would be ok, but this is different."
"How?" They ask in unison.
"THIS is our first Easter."
Later that night, I return to a less than pleased Linka. She's waiting for me when I land with her arms folded across her chest and a scowl on her face.
"Where have you been? I went to the kitchen and saw the boys unloading the groceries, BY THEMSELVES, when I was expecting to see YOU helping them. After all, they went through the trouble of buying them and unloading them, the least you could have done was UNPACKED them."
"I know, I know. I'm sorry. Something came up. There were a few more things that were needed for Easter. There are certain traditions that go along with Easter, and I figured that since we would all be having a nice Easter dinner, we should go all out and do it right."
Linka uncrossed her arms and moved her hands to her hips. I wasn't completely forgiven, but she was coming around.
"But we have never 'gone all out' before. Why all of a sudden is our traditional Easter meal not good enough?"
Maybe I should just save myself the grief and be honest. She can't possibly stay mad if she knew why I really took off, so I continued,
"This is our first Easter together. I wanted to do something special. Something you'd remember every Easter for the rest of your life. 20 years from now, I want you to think back on this Easter and smile at the memories."
"Oh Wheeler. I will. But not because of the things we did, but because of who I was with," she walked up to me and wrapped her arms around me while resting her head on my chest. "But I love that you wanted to do something special for me."
"Not just for you Babe, for everyone. Wanna help me out?"
"What did you have in mind?"
"Easter Egg hunt!"
"How do we do that?"
"With these," I pull out the plastic eggs and candy to fill them with. "Let's go."
We head back to my room and toss the bags with the necessary supplies onto my bed. Fortunately I am able to slide some other bags under my bed without Linka noticing. I show her how to fill the eggs.
"Observe…you take the candy of your choice, in this case I'm using the pastel colored M&Ms, and fill the bottom half of the egg, then you put the top on, and viola! Easter Egg Hunt egg. Got it?"
"I think I can handle it. But why do you not fill the top half of the egg first and then put the bottom on?"
"I guess you can do that. It doesn't really matter."
"Of course it matters. The top half is bigger so you get more candy in it."
"You are a GENIUS! That's a great idea," I say.
"I cannot believe YOU did not think of it. Usually in matters as important as candy, you are an expert."
"Looks like the student has become the teacher. I'm very impressed. I'm so proud, I could kiss you!"
"So why don't you?" She asks.
"Because it's not right for the teacher to put the moves on his student!" I tease.
She slaps my arm, and shakes her head, but is smiling. She scoots closer to me and leans in so that her face is inches away from mine and asks,
"What if the student puts the moves on the teacher?"
"Well then, that is COMPLETELY acceptable. Especially if you need a better grade."
"Oh," she says as she pulls away. "Well you just said I was a genius, so I guess I do not need a better grade."
"Aw, c'mon Linka! Don't be a tease!" I move forward to kiss her.
"Nyet Wheeler. We have eggs to fill then hide and it is already late."
"Oh alright. But you owe me a kiss!"
"Ok. But first we finish this."
We finished filling the eggs and then we went to hide them on the island. We put them on the beach, in trees, in plants, in and on the Geo Cruiser and Eco Copter, around the outside of our cabins, and the Crystal Chamber. When that task was complete, I walked Linka back to her cabin. I pucker up and say,
"Pay up Babe."
When we part, she says,
"I thought we were going to sleep in your room from now on after what happened this…" She stops when she realizes I'm not following her inside. "What's wrong? Do you not want to teach the birds some new phrases?!" she jokes with a devious smile.
"I umm. I was gonna go back to my room and clean up the empty bags."
"Leave them. They will still be there for you tomorrow," she says as she grabs my hand and gently tugs.
"Nah. We've got alot to do tomorrow. If I don't do it now, it'll lay there forever."
"Since when does that bother you?" She asks.
"I uhh, I guess your neat freak tendencies have worn off on me."
"Well why don't I come with you. I helped make the mess; I will help clean it up."
"No! I mean. No thanks. You don't have to do that. I'll see you in the morning. Ok?"
"Da. Ok." Linka turned away, but not before I noticed the hurt look on her face.
"G'night Babe. Love ya."
"Goodnight."
Great. She's pissed. I gotta get this done though and if I try to do it by sneaking out while she's asleep, there's the possibility that she'll wake up.
"How 'bout if I come back here when I'm done? I'll bring some of the leftover jellybeans."
"I am going to sleep," she replies coolly.
"That's fine. I'll just crawl in with you."
"Whatever. Just do not wake me up. It has been a long day and I am tired."
Geez, she went from flirty to frozen in 30 seconds.
"Ok. Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." I bend forward to give her a goodnight kiss, but am cut off by the closing door. I lean my forehead against it and hear her say,
"Durak."
I've heard that word several times and usually it's directed at me, but I've yet to learn it's meaning. I don't think I want to know.
When I get back to my room, I reach under my bed and pull out the items I bought. First was the Easter basket which I planned to fill with all the goodies I bought. First was the green Easter grass. Next, the big chocolate bunny, and then the package of Peeps; A couple of Cadbury Crème Eggs and Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs soon follow; Some Mini Eggs, Robin Eggs, and jellybeans sprinkled between the other candy; and finally, the surprise in the middle. Now…where should I hide it? I've got the perfect place!
I'm making it a scavenger hunt for her with clues that will lead her to her Easter basket. The first message will be attached to a soft, fluffy, stuffed rabbit with long, floppy ears. Hmm, what should I say? First, I should smooth things over with her and let her know that I had this planned all along, so I write,
"I planned on making Easter fun for you. I didn't plan on making you mad, but in order for me to pull off this surprise, I had to leave you alone last night. Walking away, knowing you were upset was hard. My room…felt empty. My bed…felt even emptier. My arms…kept reaching for you in the middle of the night, and I kept waking up looking for you when they came up empty. I'm sorry we had to be apart, and I'm sorry you got mad. Upsetting you wasn't part of my plan. I would never intentionally hurt you. So please forgive me and play along. Where I come from, the Easter Bunny brings your Easter Basket, but he hides it and you have to find it. Since this is new to you, I asked the Easter Bunny to leave you some clues. First one: You'll find your next clue in the hottest place on the island. Not only for the hotheaded firebug that resides there, but also for the heat generated when Fire and Wind unite. Wake up the sleeping beauty with a kiss to get clue number 2."
I attach the note to the pink bow around the rabbit's neck and walk to Linka's cabin. I open the door and poke my head inside. She's asleep and taking up the whole bed! I guess she's trying to make a point…I am not welcome in that bed tonight. Oh well. It's all part of the plan right? I put the stuffed rabbit next to her so she'll see it when she wakes up.
Before I went to bed, I propped a baseball bat against my door so that when she opens it, the bat will fall down and hopefully the noise will wake me up so I'm ready for my morning kiss. It works, but what happens next is not what was supposed to happen! Instead of Linka kissing me, she whacks me across the face with the stuffed rabbit!
"HEY! What was that for?!"
"For making me go to bed angry…and alone."
"I'm sorry. I guess I didn't think that part of the plan through," I admit.
"So far, this Easter is starting out bad and will be memorable, but for all the wrong reasons."
"I plan on changing that."
"I know you do. Which is why I am here for my next clue."
"Uh-uh. I believe the instructions on your first clue were that you had to wake sleeping beauty with a kiss. I'm still waiting."
"You are already awake," she replies.
"Hey, it's outta my hands. The Easter Bunny told me that I wasn't allowed to give the next clue unless I get that kiss."
"Fine."
It wasn't the best kiss ever. I could tell she was still a little perturbed because she was rigid and not relaxed. It's kinda upsetting to know that she is making an effort to make sure that the only part of our bodies that is touching is our lips. I think about pulling her closer to me, but before I can act, the kiss is over.
"Good enough?" she asks.
"It'll have to do."
"Ok, where is my next clue?"
"Here," I say as I hand her a piece of paper.
"'Look to your heart and you'll find your clue.' What is that supposed to mean?"
"You gotta figure it out. That's the whole point of this," I say as I pull on jeans.
"Here's my heart," she says as she points to her chest. "Now, where's the clue?"
"Don't take it so literally Babe. Look if you don't wanna do this, just say so. We'll just scrap this whole holiday and hope for a better one next year."
"Nyet. We will never have another 'first' Easter. I do not want to have bad memories," she relented. "I will do it. So if it is not my real heart, I must find another heart of mine. Ma-Ti is the only other 'heart' I can think of. Is that close?"
"Not unless Ma-Ti is your heart…he's not…is he?"
"Of course not! It can't be you, I just got my last clue from you."
"You're getting warmer. I'll give you a hint. It does involve me in someway, just think of where you'd find your heart AND mine on the island."
"OUR TREES!" she exclaims as she takes off out the door.
Shortly after we returned from our Valentine's Day trip to New York, we went for a walk on the beach. Our walk took us to parts of the island we'd never been to, or bothered to notice before. Deep in the middle of the island's jungle, is a clearing. In the middle of this clearing stand two palm trees. They're about 6 feet apart at the base, but when you look up, they've grown together and their tops wrap around each other. If one ever falls, the other will go down with it…or maybe it will hold it up. Either way, when we first came across these trees, we thought they were cool. Then Linka, with her artsy mind, noted the similarities between the trees and us. Started out with a distance, then slowly grew closer, and are now bound together. I took out my penknife and carved a heart with her name in the middle on one of the trees, and a heart with my name in the middle on the other one. A few weeks ago, I surprised her by bringing her back out here to show her the hammock I hung between the two trees. Some days we come out here and just lay in the hammock for hours, sometimes talking, sometimes napping, and sometimes just swinging in silence.
"Found it!" I hear her yell.
"Good job Babe," I say as I put my arm around her shoulder.
"This is pretty fun Yankee. Thank you," she says as she stretches up to kiss me and then hides her face against my neck as she hugs me.
"Does this mean you forgive me?" I ask as I nuzzle my cheek against hers.
"Da, but you are scratchy! You need to shave!" She says against my neck. The feeling gives me chills.
"Sorry, I didn't exactly have time to do it this morning. Are you gonna read your next clue or stand around here all day?"
"I could stay like this for a little while longer…especially after spending the last 8 hours being furious with you."
"We can come back later if you want. Just hang out for a while," I suggest.
"Da, that would be nice…but in the meantime 'Clue number 4 lies behind the water that falls to the Earth.' That is too easy. THE WATERFALL!"
She takes off in the direction of the falls, leaving me standing there.
When I catch up to her, she is standing there with a confused look on her face.
"What's up?"
"I do not see any clue. It IS the waterfall right?"
"Right. Read the clue again."
She looks it over again then her eyes grow wide.
"BEHIND?! I have to go behind the falls? I do not want to get wet!"
"You won't. Just stay close to the cliff wall."
She does as I suggest and soon comes out with the clue.
"'Go back to the place where the lovebirds lie, not in a cage, but in a net. Look long and hard. The basket is near."
"Back to our trees? But I did not see anything there the last time we were there."
"It's not going to be in plain view. You gotta hunt for it. I just got you to the general area."
"But why send me here just to send me back there? Did you put me on a wild goose hunt."
"Yes I did, and that's wild goose chase, Linka."
"Whatever. What was the point?"
"No point. Just messin' with ya."
"Well at least I am getting my exercise since I did not get in my morning run."
So we head back to our previous location and Linka begins her search for the basket. It's not in the trees, under the hammock, or behind the trees. She begins looking around the perimeter of the clearing, in and behind bushes and plants. She's getting closer. Finally, she pulls apart some vines that are hanging down and finds her basket behind them.
"Ah-ha! Found it!" She exclaims as she pulls it out and brings it over to where I am sitting in the hammock.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you," she says as she sits next to me, causing the hammock to rock.
I lean over and kiss the top of her head as she begins digging through her basket. She is "ooohing" and "aaahing" over the assortment of goodies I put in it. She finally came across the small velvet box in the middle.
"Bozhe moy! Is this what I think it is?"
"Why don't you open it and find out."
"Oh Wheeler! I was not expecting this. I do not know what to say…well, I mean, of course I know what to say…I just…never thought it would be so soon. But when you think about it, it is not really so soon. We have known each other for years. What I mean is…I did not expect you to be ready for this."
"You lost me Babe. Why wouldn't I be ready to get you a present for Easter? I know it's not traditionally a gift giving holiday, but I thought you deserved more than just candy. But why don't you open it first and see if you like it before you start gushing. You might hate it."
"Nyet, I am sure it is perfect. It…it's…" she pauses as she opens the box. "…a necklace?!"
She sounds disappointed. She doesn't like it. I should have known better.
"You don't like it do you?"
"Nyet…it is not that…I just…"
"It's ok. I still have the receipt. We can go back to the jeweler and you can pick out one you like."
"Nyet. It is beautiful." She lifts the necklace out of the box and hands it to me to put it on her.
"It's kinda a cool symbol. My Ma's grandpa came to the States from Ireland, so I know a little bit about the meaning. It's called a Love Knot. The loops all intertwine, but you can't tell where they begin or where they end. It symbolizes two souls bound by everlasting love and affection, and is given as a token of deep feelings for another."
"Wow Yankee. I do not know what to say. It is perfect."
"It's not too much too soon? I mean, I was kinda worried that I might be coming on too strong, like, maybe you weren't ready to hear all that. I wasn't even going to tell you what it meant at first."
"What made you change your mind?" She asks.
"Your reaction to the box. You thought it was something else, didn't you?"
She looks down, embarrassed and says,
"Da, maybe. I feel a little stupid."
"Don't," I say as I lift her chin to look me in the eyes. "I should have put it in a different box. I'm sorry, that was my fault for not thinking. Someday, I hope, there'll be something else in that box. But for now, let's just enjoy this. It's all so new to me. I don't even know if I'm making sense or doing this right," I admit.
"Neither do I. Is there a right and wrong way?"
"I don't know. I guess we're doing alright, right?"
"Da…should we go back and help the others prepare the meal?"
"Nah, I was in charge of the fun and games. I even made them all Easter Baskets. They're in charge of cooking."
"What about me? I am the lazy one doing nothing to help?!"
"Of course not…you're my assistant! You helped fill the eggs for the Easter egg hunt. Your job is done…except for one more thing." I put my arm around her and pulled her towards me for a kiss. "Wanna chill here for a while until it's time to get ready for dinner?"
"That sounds nice"
"Happy first Easter Babe."
"Happy first Easter Yankee."
I put my arm around her, take her hand, and interlace our fingers. And we stayed like that for a few hours, swinging in our hammock, and eating Easter candy for breakfast. Another awesome holiday with the most amazing girl I've ever met. Everyday, no, every minute I spend with her is incredible, but for some reason, special occasions are…well, extra special when I'm with her. I may be turning into a mushy dork, but I've never been this happy. So if feeling this good requires being a mushy dork, then someone better get a mop, cuz I'll get as sappy as possible to keep things going this good.
Happy Easter everyone!