"Here you go, little lady." The man in the cart exclaimed as he handed Hannah a stick of cotton candy.
"Thank you." She replied taking it from him.
"Harriet Island. Is that what you said this place was called?" Bright asked, taking her left hand as she held her cotton candy with her right.
"Yep," she smiled. "They have this festival every year. I went to it once when I was little."
The sounds of the midway flooded their minds and surrounded them as they enjoyed their afternoon. The rides whizzed past them, and they laughed about carnies and the cute stuffed animals hanging from the edges of carnival games. One of which easily enough, he won for her. She blushed, feeling dumb and shyly chose a soft yellow duck.
"There you go, little lady." Bright smiled handing it to her. She giggled a little and took it from him.
"Did you know the fourth of July is my favorite holiday behind Christmas, of course?" She looked up at him as they continued to walk around the midway.
"Really, why is that?" He asked
"Like I said before. I was here once when I was little. It's one of my only really good memories about my father. It was before the disease, and everything it brings complicated everything so much. Now, he barely remembers me and he's never well." Her face changed and she looked down at her feet.
Bright swung around to face her. "Hannah, I know I can't tell you that everything is gonna be okay with him. I wish I could, but I can't. I can only be here to listen to you, and hold your hand." He said taking her hand again. She smiled, feeling a little better. "Come on; let's go on the Ferris wheel." He replied pulling her along.
"Wait, Bright." She stopped him and dropped his hand.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"I'm afraid of heights." She whispered bashfully, playing with her glasses. A wide smile spread across his face and he laughed. Hannah, the strongest girl I know is afraid of heights, he thought. He didn't say that.
He said, "Don't worry; I'll be right next to you. You can hold on to me as tight as you need to." He took her hand back and she followed him up and up as the Ferris wheel went around and around. She clung to his side for the first minute or two, her eyes almost completely closed, and he cherished it, just sitting with her. He squeezed her hand and turned to her. "The view is really kind of cool, everyone looks so small and you can see everything." He motioned for her to look and squeezed her hand again in reassurance. She slid forward a little bit and opened her eyes.
"Wow, it is spectacular! You can see everything, and the people look so small." She smiled, glad that she had opened her eyes now.
"See, I told you. That's what I just said." He laughed. She blushed and slid back in the seat and leaned into him again, resting her head on his shoulder and watching the bright blue sky and all the small people move by. She breathed in the fresh summer air and for a moment she felt at peace with the world.
"Brighton, where are you taking me?" She muttered a little unsure of where she was walking. Her high heels began to make a clicking noise on what seemed to be wooden planks and the wind had picked up a little, producing a small chill across her shoulders which were revealed by her strapless black dress.
"You'll see. Watch your step." He replied, grabbing her other hand as she intuitively stepped down as if on a staircase.
"Ooh!" She exclaimed as she lost her balance and fell into his arms. They both tumbled to the ground, which was surprisingly not hard as expected, as they landed on a huge pile of blankets. "Can I take this off now?" She asked, still lying on top of him, unable to see anything. He smiled, and lifted the blindfold off her eyes. She blinked once and looked up. It was dark, but her vision was lighted by a string of lights which ran across the top of the marina posts. "Oh, Bright---" she began realizing that he had rented a boat. It was so pretty.
"Are you gonna lie on top of me and waste the night or are we gonna get going?" He asked as she glanced back down at him. She scrunched up her face and giggled, rolling off him. He propped himself up on his right side and took her face in his left hand and kissed her lips.
"Okay. So I have dinner for us." He replied getting up. "I couldn't make it myself. I only have a few good meals in me." He revealed a pizza box. She scoffed. "Everyone likes pizza." He smiled.
"Yes, everyone does." She smiled sitting down next to him and grabbing a piece from the box. They had a little quiet conversation as they ate, but nothing too involved. This night was about the sounds, the sights and the feelings. Hannah didn't want to forget a single moment of it.
"Stay here, I'll be right back." Bright said as he finished his piece of pizza and moved to the front of the boat. The sound of a motor cut the silence and they began to move. Hannah closed up the pizza box and set it off to the side of the boat. She smoothed down her dress and sat back down on the blankets of which they had fallen. She watched the marina disappear into the distance and attempted to tame her hair as the breeze picked up. Before it got too dark, she noticed a few closed candles and a lighter sitting near where Bright had been. She lit them and set them back down, their light and the moon, cast a soft light over the boat; enough to see and not too much to ruin the mood. Somewhere about five minutes later, the noise of the engine stopped and Bright reappeared.
He moved to the opposite side of the boat and he brought out a boom box. He made his way back to her and offered his hand as the music began to play. "Dance with me." He insisted politely.
Just hold me and tell me you'll be here to love me today.
They moved to the middle of the deck, the part not covered by blankets. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head against his chest.
The moon's come and gone, but a few stars hang on to the sky.
The wind's running free, but it ain´t up to me to ask why.
His arms wrapped around her waist and they danced in circles.
But the poets are demanding their pay
and they've left me with nothing to say.
She could have fallen asleep in that moment, she was so comfortable, but she didn't. It was getting on to ten o'clock, she could tell that by the deep black that the sky had become.
"Hannah, I'm gonna miss you so much when I have to go back. This week has been," He whispered but left the sentence hanging, not really knowing how to explain himself. She sighed and moved her head a little.
"I know. I feel the same way." She paused. "I can't believe you did all of this for me, for us, Bright it's so beautiful." She lifted her head and their eyes met.
"It's the best I could do."
Except hold me and tell me you'll be here to love me today
Just hold me and tell me you'll be here to love me today.
"It's been amazing Bright. You are amazing." She uttered softly close to his lips. This time she kissed him. It was for all the times he'd given the kisses to her. Now she was giving them back.
They continued to move in circles, never changing, simply savoring each other's presence on their last night together. A loud noise and a sudden burst of light pulled them apart.
"They're starting. Come on." He took her hand and led back her to the big pile of blankets. He picked two up with his right hand and sat her down with his left. He knelt down in front of her and placed a blanket across her lap, and then rolled to her left side and placed one on his as well. They were against the cabin wall and leaned on it for support as the fireworks show began. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she snuggled up to him and pulled up her blanket a little.
Dozens of bursts, in all the colors of the rainbow and in as many shapes as you can imagine filled the pitch black night sky.
Just hold me and tell me you'll be here to love me today.
A/N: Thanks to Norah Jones for the incredible lyrics. The song is called Be Here To Love Me. Also, thanks calalily
to who reviewed a few chapters ago and gave me this incredible idea, not knowing that I too live in Minnesota and know a little bit about it myself. Although, I never would have thought of this. Thanks, calalily. I reallly enjoyed writing this chapter a lot. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please R&R.