Chapter 66
The summer air was thick near the shore. It still rained, but when it wasn't, there was a lot of humidity. There was a day where the sun was out and shinning. Everyone took advantage of that day and were sitting outside baking in the sun while lazily completing their chores for the day. Nathan and Tomoeh both took advantage of that day to sit out on the beach together and take a nap in the sand. Or, at least, Nathan and Scarlet took a nap. Tomoeh focused on making jewelry out of sea shells. Natalie and Sharisa joined her and they all sat on the beach enjoying the sun being careful not to wake Nathan or Scarlet. Roxanne played in the water trying to catch fish and biting clams. She would always stop what she was doing, though, if Scarlet made the slightest little whimper. She'd walk over and sniff Scarlet and if she determined everything was fine, she would return to her previous activity. Kyle helped Renesmee with all the usual summer woes. There were a handful of broken bones, but nothing either of them couldn't handle. Some children suffered small colds, but some penicillin and rest cleared those right up.
Embry and Caevia began to frequently visit the Makka so as to visit Rae and their new grandchild. Wren had calmed down a little since he was born. Most of the time he slept like a log. Nathan and Tomoeh visited the Makka a few times over the summer with Scarlet. Tokoruchei and William were both relieved that any issues they'd had seemed to be melting away thanks to their shared grandchild. Jae worked every day over the summer save to Sunday. He took the longest naps on patrol and always napped when he was on his lunch break. All the same, he continued doing well and he was very well liked. Any in town that had continued to be apprehensive regarding the Quileute had, at least most of, their fears dissolved thanks to their interactions with Jae.
Jae and Natalie continued to go out every Friday evening going out to the city. Since it was summer, they often preferred to stay in the park and enjoy the weather when it was nice. Otherwise they would go to moving pictures together to keep out of the rain. Sometimes, if it was a late enough show and there was no one or very few people in the theatre, Jae and Natalie would focus entirely on one another so to speak. How far that would go always depended on what they were confident they could get away with. They were teased relentlessly for it when they were on patrol, but eventually they got used to it. Jae was even starting to joke with Jacob that if he did get a ride on the handing tree, he's swing with a smile. Regardless of good humor though, Natalie insisted such 'joking' be halted. Sadly, their dates had become rather routine. They always went into Port Angeles and did the same things every time they went. Natalie always enjoyed their time together, as did Jae, but he wanted to do something different with her.
So during the summer when it was a particularly nice day on Sunday when Jae wasn't working, he asked Natalie to join him to make a trip up the mountain near Seattle. They ran to the mountain as wolves and changed back to normal and dressed once they reached the base. Then they made the long climb up. It was easier for them than it would be for anyone else, but Natalie was not adverse to shifting to a vampire to help the two of them get over a difficult hurtle. It was absolutely freezing on the mountain. Jae suggested that they locate the hot springs on the mountain that they knew were there somewhere. They were hot springs that Jae had discovered when he'd chased a vampire a long distance and running him out of Washington. So they started walking around the mountain until finally reaching a location that was swamped with several different natural pools. Some were far too hot to go into and a few were lukewarm at best. They walked around until they finally found a spring that was just right. The water was clear and the steam emitted from the water against the cool air was inviting and the rocks surrounding the water with all the trees and greenery made it downright romantic.
"I can't believe no one else ever noticed this place," Natalie said quietly as she admired the scenery.
"I'm sure someone's seen it before and was trying to keep it a secret," Jae smiled.
"It's certainly not secret anymore," Natalie lamented with a light laugh.
"Let's enjoy the privacy while we can, then," Jae smiled. He took off his shoe and double checked the water with his toe. When he was confident it wasn't too hot, Jae stripped down and slipped into the water. Amber giggled after Jae brought his head above the water shaking his head a little and rubbing his eyes. Natalie took off her clothes and slipped into the water after him. She got over the initial shock in temperature rather quick.
"This feels so nice," Natalie sighed and dipped her head under the water so her whole body was wet. When she resurfaced, the air was too cold and she kept as much of her body under water as possible. "It's colder outside," Natalie complained.
"We'd better stay under water then," Jae chuckled and swam a little closer to Natalie and remained as deep under water as possible.
"I realized we have nothing to dry off with," Natalie said and there was a moment of silence.
"Damn it," Jae muttered and Natalie started laughing.
"I guess we should have thought of that," Natalie said.
"Don't worry. We'll just have to stay in the spring longer until we figure out a plan B."
"Do you suppose it'll take long to come up with a plan B?" Natalie asked with just a hint of seduction in her voice.
"It might take all day," Jae said. They laughed and Jae swam the remaining distance to Natalie and took her in his arms for a kiss. She initially tried wrapping her arms around his neck, but it exposed her arms to the cold air and she brought her arms below water and wrapped them around Jae's waist while they kissed.
Jae kept the two of them under water as much as possible, but if there was ever any need for exposure due to position, Jae always took the cold air for her. Though at points, the throws of passion made the cold a mild inconvenience at best that Natalie gladly tolerated. After they'd made love and sat in the water in each other's arms, a skunk happed upon the springs and they swam away so the rodent wouldn't get spooked and spray. It was enough they had nothing to dry off with. They didn't need to stink of several days on top of that. Eventually, the skunk wandered away without any mishap and Jae, eventually, joked that it was better than running into a wolverine. Of course, a skunk was much funnier and the two suffered their usual teasing when it was learned that night on patrol that they'd gone to the springs and nearly been attacked by a teeny tiny spotted skunk. Natalie and Jae simply made a note to themselves that if they wanted to go to the hot springs again to remember to bring towels. The following morning, Nathan told Tomoeh about Natalie and Jae's little excursion meaning to tell her about the skunk, but she was delighted by the idea and requested that the three of them go together.
To make that trip as easy as possible, Nathan kept Scarlet strapped to his chest in a little basket with Tomoeh on his back and, when Roxanne attempted to follow, carried Roxanne in his arms. A thing she only tolerated when Nathan was going high speeds. He changed, something Tomoeh still had trouble getting used to, and ran them all to the hot springs near the mountain and located a spring that was of a comfortable temperature, avoiding the pool Natalie and Jae had occupied the day before for, what one might consider, obvious reasons. When they arrived, Tomoeh got off Nathan's back and took a moment to recover from the frightening speed at which he'd been running. He changed back in time to put Roxanne down and catch Tomoeh from falling over. Roxanne sniffed the water and attempted to drink, but the water was too warm for drinking and she backed away.
"I think Roxanne might be unimpressed," Tomoeh smiled when she felt normal again.
"She's unimpressed by all things she's not familiar with," Nathan chuckled. He undid the tie behind his back while keeping the basket close. When the tie was undone, he placed the towels and the basket on the rocks and got Scarlet out. She'd slept through most of the trip but at the moment she was squirming and wiggling around beginning to get fussy. "Is she hungry?"
"She might be," Tomoeh said, immediately pulling at the shoulders of her dress and bringing them down so her breasts were exposed. Then she brought Scarlet to her chest and Scarlet latched on, finally ceasing her squirming and relaxing. "Yes, she was just hungry," Tomoeh giggled.
"We'll let her finish before going under," Nathan said, only taking off his shirt for the time being.
Tomoeh requested Nathan remove her shoes, so Nathan did so and Tomoeh dipped her feet into the warm water. Wanting to do the same, Nathan removed his shoes and rolled up his pant legs before placing his feet in the water beside Tomoeh's. He even started touching their feet together in a romantic gesture and Tomoeh smiled. A few minutes later, Scarlet took her mouth away indicating she'd had enough and Tomoeh handed Scarlet to Nathan so she could pull off her dress and go into the water. Meanwhile, Nathan held Scarlet to his shoulder rubbing her back until she hiccupped. Tomoeh took a hold of Scarlet so Nathan could remove his remaining clothes and stepped in. When Nathan got in the water, Roxanne walked closer again and sniffed the water. Nathan swam around the pool of water until he found some rocks that could possibly be used for steps and he led Roxanne around. There was also a shallow part for her if she needed and Nathan coaxed Roxanne into the water with gentle encouragement. Finally, when Roxanne was confident, she stepped into the pool of warm water and doggy paddled a few laps before going to the shallow spot to relax.
Tomoeh slowly dipped into the water minding Scarlet. She wasn't asleep, but she was resting her head against Tomoeh's shoulder. When Scarlet's toes touched the water, she lifted her head a little, or as much as she was able, in surprise. Not making a sound, Tomoeh dunked further down until Scarlet's feet were both submerged. However, at that point, Scarlet started fussing.
"Oh no," Tomoeh said, "I don't think she likes it."
"Let me try," Nathan said and took Scarlet in his arms. He went to the shallower spot where Roxanne had gone to and sat down on an available, albeit uncomfortable, rock. With one hand firmly holding Scarlet close, Nathan slowly slid into the water ensuring that Scarlet's ear was against his chest the whole time. When her toes touched the water, she whimpered a little at first, but Nathan pressed on until he was sitting on the floor of the shallow part of the pool. Scarlet squirmed a little, but eventually calmed down again while still snuggling to Nathan.
"You may be able to get that kid to run through hell if you wanted," Tomoeh said with a mean smile.
"Oh, don't be jealous. You stopped the moment she fussed. I just made her go all the way in and she got used to it," Nathan said, smiling back. He patted the spot next to him, barely visible under the water, encouraging Tomoeh to come sit next to him and Roxanne. Tomoeh swam over and sat beside Nathan, all but her neck and head fully submerged. She dipped her head down and came back up for a moment.
"I'm so happy Jae found this place," Tomoeh said. "Were it possible, I'd say we should have our next child in this pool. It would make it so much easier I think."
"I'll work on moving a hot spring into our house," Nathan chuckled and rubbed Scarlet's back a little more. "When did you want another kid?"
"I don't know," Tomoeh sighed contentedly. "We'll give it a few years. I think that one should at least be walking before we consider more."
"I can live with that," Nathan chuckled. His chuckling caused Scarlet to start wiggling and squirming again, so Nathan readjusted Scarlet so she was more comfortable laying in his arm on her back. He made it so her lower half was in the warm water and her back and part of her head was under. Her face and chest remained out of the water but Nathan hand his free hand on her like a blanket to keep her warm. "It must be nice to sleep as much as she does."
"You already do from what I can tell," Tomoeh giggled.
"I don't sleep nearly as much," Nathan said. "I haven't had a full night sleep since I became a wolf. All I ever have are three or four hour naps."
"Sounds like what she does," Tomoeh said. "Actually unless she's with you, she'll sometimes only sleep two hours before waking up for something."
"Yes, but she's not usually doing much when she's not sleeping," Nathan teased and rubbed Scarlet's little chin. Scarlet scrunched her eyes and started kicking, so Nathan stopped and she returned to relaxing.
"I suppose that's just a perk of being a baby," Tomoeh smiled. She felt around until she found one of Scarlet's toes and gently squeezed them until Scarlet pulled her foot away.
Afterwards, Tomoeh rested her head against the rock and fell asleep just as Scarlet had. It was extremely tempting for Nathan to fall asleep too, but if he did, he'd lose his hold on Scarlet. So he made himself stay awake. They stayed in the pool for hours relaxing until Tomoeh fell over in her sleep and was woken up suddenly by her dipping her head. That became their sign that it was time to get back home. Poor Scarlet, as well as Nathan and Tomoeh, were pruned from all the time in the water, though Scarlet had been more concerned about the inexcusable length of time that she was being dried off with the cold against her skin before she'd been wrapped up in a cozy blanket and her basket. By the time she was in the basket and tied to Nathan's chest, the transgression had been forgiven.
Later in the week that Friday in Germany, just as Kevin and Levi promised, the two of them went out to the Beer Hall together. It was just the two of them this time. Levi had four beers, but Kevin promised he'd keep that a secret. Kevin, on the other hand, would keep secret as well the fact that he'd had five beers. Realizing he was in enough of an inebriated state that he was compromised somewhat, Kevin worked to keep the topic off Amber as much as humanly possible. Instead, he had Levi drunkenly talking about work and the two shared their stories of bosses, weird occurrences and things that annoyed them. Kevin was also in a drunken enough state by beer four that he went to the piano and played whatever music he could manage to remember. Somehow, that caused a number of people in the bar to instantly remember who he was and all chaos broke loose of dancing and singing and drunk men coming to the piano to 'add a little extra something to the song' in the way of pounding on the keys haphazardly.
By the time they left the beer hall it was the wee hours of the morning and Kevin and Levi were walking back to the house singing at an indecent volume at a most indecent hour though what songs they were singing was really anyone's guess. Plenty of people pocked their heads out of their windows yelling at them to shut up. Each time, the two just laughed and kept walking along. They finally made it back to the house and Kevin got them inside taking the spare key with just in case and placed it on the counter near the door. He also managed to remember to lock the door behind him while Levi stumbled upstairs. While drunk, he was in enough control to get to bed on his own, which was a rather positive improvement from their last drinking venture. Levi stumbled into the room he shared with Anna while Kevin went to the guest room keeping his fingers crossed that Amber might come to visit him, but she didn't. Clearly, she'd long since fallen asleep.
He of course forgot to close the blinds in the bedroom again and, the next morning, woke up to the sun in his eyes. He turned over so his back was to it and tried going back to sleep. His head didn't hurt, but he was tired. Just as he was about to go back to sleep, there was a gentle knock at his door before Amber let herself in and closed the door. Kevin kept his eyes closed while Amber smiled and walked over to him. She closed the little curtain blinds so the room was darker for him and sat on the edge of the bed. Kevin plopped onto his back so he was facing her, but his eyes remained closed. Amber placed her hand on Kevin's shoulder, eliciting a contented sigh from Kevin before he brought his hand to hers, keeping his eyes closed.
"How many more than three drinks did you and daddy have?" Amber asked with a smile.
"Your dad had four beers and I had five," Kevin answered drowsily. "Don't tell your mom, though. It's supposed to be a secret."
"Okay," Amber smiled. "I suppose one extra isn't so bad. Daddy didn't even wake mom when he got to bed from what I'm told, so that's good."
"If your dad's awake, that man is a trooper," Kevin said earning a giggle from Amber.
"No, daddy's still fast asleep," Amber said. "Mom and I were just downstairs starting some brunch for when you two finally got out of bed."
"What's on the menu?"
"More mushroom tarts, she made eggs, and we got bagels and salmon lox."
"That sounds amazing right now," Kevin sighed.
"Then you'd better get down there before it gets cold," Amber smiled.
"Aren't the lox cold by default?"
"Yes, but the eggs aren't," Amber said. "She's making coffee too."
"With sugar?"
"Yes, Kevin, with sugar," Amber giggled. Kevin finally opened his eyes and looked up at Amber. Her smile brightened when he finally looked at her. He smiled back at her. "Morning beautiful."
"Morning, drunk," Amber teased and Kevin chuckled.
"That wasn't the good morning I was hoping for," Kevin joked.
"What 'good morning' were you looking for?" Amber asked.
"Well, you started off great by talking about breakfast. I was hoping for something else nice. Maybe a 'morning, handsome' or a regular 'good morning' may have sufficed. Or better yet, a good morning kiss?"
"Kevin, I can still smell the beer on you," Amber smiled. "I'll give you a 'good morning, handsome'," she finally said.
"No kiss?" Kevin pushed. Amber smiled and leaned down to kiss his head and then sat back up. "Not what I had in mind, but I'll take it for now."
"Okay," Amber snickered and stood from the bed. "After you've cleaned up and next we're alone, you can kiss me however you like."
"I'll take you up on that offer," Kevin promised and, with a loving smile, Amber walked out of the bedroom and returned downstairs. Kevin got himself cleaned up and dressed before going downstairs for breakfast. As he sat down, Anna put two sugars in a cup of coffee and placed it at Kevin's spot at the table followed by a huge plate of food.
"Good morning, Kevin," Anna said. "How was last night?"
"We had a lot of fun," Kevin said. "But only three beers of fun."
"I'm pleased to hear it," Anna said and Amber looked at Kevin with an amused smile, otherwise saying nothing. "Levi's still sleeping like a log, though."
"I fear, Mrs. Dymek, that your husband may simply be literally incapable of functioning after the smallest amount of beer."
"I fear you may be right," Anna said and walked to the table with her plate and coffee. "So what did the two of you do?"
"I assume you're asking because a few wives at the deli started talking?" Kevin joked. Anna smiled knowingly and nodded. "I played the piano while a bunch of drunken men attempted to try their hand at slamming on the keys. I remember Levi dancing near the piano, but I don't recall seeing him get on a table at any point in the night."
"That's what I heard," Anna smiled.
"I promise, though, we only drank three beers," Kevin continued.
"Don't worry, Kevin, I believe you," Anna smiled and sipped her coffee. "So are you and Amber still planning to go on that picnic with her friends tomorrow?"
"We know for sure Gertrude and Dahlia are coming," Kevin nodded. "I assume they'll bring their boyfriends. Amber invited a few other friends while we were out, but they told us they'd see and meet us there."
"Fiancé," Amber corrected with a smile. "Charles proposed to Dahlia last month."
"Well, congratulations to them," Kevin smiled. "When are they getting married?"
"October," Amber said, a little sad.
"That's a shame. I would have loved to come," Kevin smiled reassuringly at Amber.
"It's alright, Kevin. I don't know if we're even invited. I'm being told it'll be strictly family," Anna said.
"She told me I was invited," Amber said. "Unless her mom and dad changed that."
"Possibly, given they're the ones paying for the event. Marge was telling me she would prefer to keep the guest list no more than twenty. That would account for all their relatives."
Amber shrugged, "Whatever she wants. I'll double check tomorrow."
"Also, Kevin, I'll be working on candles all day, so would you mind terribly helping Amber run the shop? We're only open a half day on Saturdays, so I promise you won't be working too long."
"No problem at all, Anna," Kevin smiled.
"I'm so sorry. You're supposed to be on vacation and we keep putting you to work," Amber smiled.
"No trouble at all," Kevin insisted.
After breakfast, Anna retreated to the candle room to start carving while Amber and Kevin went up front and opened the store. Within an hour, the shop had customers coming and going. Amber frequently checked on Anna to make sure the candles were coming along and would return to the front. Anna had most of the previous orders filled by the end of the shop's hours but continued to work after they closed doors. With Anna mostly distracted, Amber requested she and Kevin be able to go to the grocer for food to make for the picnic. Anna nodded absently as she worked and Kevin and Amber walked to a grocer together.
"What would you like me to make?" Amber asked.
"If I'm honest, I really want those latkes I keep hearing about."
"Kevin, those are only for Hanukkah," Amber giggled.
"I know, but I don't know when I'll be able to spend a Hanukkah with you and it's something familiar to me."
"Alright," Amber sighed and grabbed some potatoes. "I'll make you latkes. Is there anything else you'd like?"
"Mushroom tarts?" Kevin asked. Amber smiled meanly at Amber while she walked to a section with mushrooms and placed them in her cart.
"What about something sweet? I can bake some cookies."
"Cookies sound great," Kevin smiled. "Do you know what the others are bringing?"
"They didn't say when we invited them," Amber reminded and grabbed some other items she would need.
Once they paid for the food, they took a quick walk through the park together and talked a little before returning to the house. Anna was still engrossed in her work, Levi had come downstairs at last and was reading in his chair, and Amber got to work on all the food for tomorrow while Kevin helped with whatever she asked. Since Anna was focused on carving, Amber also got to work on making dinner. Levi remained in the living room reading while dinner was being prepped, occasionally checking on Anna, and came to the kitchen when Amber announced dinner was ready. Anna finished up one last candle before finally coming out.
"How are the candles coming?" Levi asked.
"Almost done," Anna said. "Just one more day and I'll have them all done. How are you feeling?"
"Well rested," Levi assured. "As though I'd not had a drop of beer."
"I'm relieved to hear it," Anna smiled. "Kevin, dear, you'll be going with us to the synagogue tomorrow right?"
"I will," Kevin nodded.
"Did you need me to press your suit?" Anna asked.
"No need," Kevin said. "It was cleaned before I left."
"Alright," Anna said. "I'll make sure it's cleaned before you leave."
"Thank you Anna," Kevin smiled. "Dinner's delicious by the way, Amber."
"Thank you," Amber blushed a little.
She continued working on the food for tomorrow and put two fresh latkes on Kevin's plate so he could try them when they're fresh like you're supposed to. They were heavier than the cakes he was used to but much crispier and a little oily. They were good, though. A lot saltier than he was used to and lots of pepper according to Anna's recipe. Anna encouraged him to try it with apple sauce and it made him think of home all over again. After dinner, Anna returned to carving and Amber insisted on helping her, leaving Kevin and Levi alone to talk. Yet after four more candles completed, Anna was exhausted and retreated to bed for the night. Levi joined her and wished Kevin a good night. Amber remained in the candle room working when she was sure Anna and Levi had both gone to bed, so Kevin went to the candle room to join her, taking a stool and pulling it close while Amber worked.
"Is there any way I can help?" Kevin asked.
"Um," Amber said, quickly glancing for something. "You see that sheet of paper near the wax?"
"Yeah?"
"That's a pattern list. It's the one I'm working on now. Get one of the star candles and start dunking according to the pattern instructions. Just remember, you need to dip the candle in the cold water bath between each layer so the wax can quickly harden."
"Okay," Kevin said and went to the wall of star shaped candles and grabbed one off the shelf.
He read through the pattern a few times to make sure he had it correct and started with the layers of white, making sure to dip into cool water between coats. There were two layers of color: purple and green. Only two layers of each and both were separated by yet more layers of white. As promised, Amber finished the candle she had been working on and got it dipped in varnish before coming to the wax table and taking over the dipping. Amber praised Kevin for his work letting him know he'd done a good job. With that candle colored accordingly, Amber requested Kevin get to work on dipping another candle while Amber carved. They repeated this eight more times until the bride's table settings were finally completed. All that was left was to work on the unity candle, which was requested to be all white. Amber took that over and carved their usual wedding pattern per the brides order and then completed two tapers with which to light the unity candle. It was close to midnight by the time all the candles were done, but Amber lined them up neatly so Anna would see them in the morning.
"This will be a huge relief for Anna," Kevin said.
"She'll be mad I stayed up so late, but I think she'll get over it when she sees all these candles," Amber smiled. "Tomorrow you can help us pack them."
"Synagogue, packing and a picnic. We'll have a rather busy day it sounds like," Kevin smiled.
"I'll let you sleep in on Monday morning," Amber smiled. Kevin smiled back and, perhaps rather brazenly, walked up behind Amber and took her in his arms. He started rocking her back and forth while kissing her cheek.
"Might I have that kiss I was promised?" Kevin asked. Amber giggled and nodded, turning her head so their lips could meet. The kiss was tender and gentle, not like the kiss from the prior day. Whether she'd admit it or not, she was tired and he didn't want to keep her up much longer. He prolonged the kiss at that gentle pace as much was reasonable and eventually pulled away and kissed her nose.
"Was that all you wanted?" Amber asked.
"Perhaps less than, but you've had a long day. We both need to get some sleep."
"Alright," Amber finally agreed and they went upstairs. Kevin walked Amber to her bedroom door and stopped so they could share one more good night kiss before retreating to their respective rooms for the night.
Knowing he'd have to wake up early anyway, Kevin left the window curtains open before going to bed. As predicted, they woke him when the sun shined in his eyes, but rather than turn over and ignore it, Kevin got out of bed and started getting ready. The strange thing was he'd been to a synagogue more times than he'd ever been to a Catholic church in his whole life. He realized he'd woken up before everyone, so Kevin went downstairs and made coffee and warmed up some left over bagels for everyone. Eventually, everyone came downstairs in their Sunday best and they had breakfast before leaving for the synagogue. While at the synagogue following completion of the service, Amber confirmed with all her invited friends that went to the synagogue with them what they were bring and if they were coming and, if so, if they were bringing anyone. By the time they left, Amber knew for sure that at least most of the invited friends would be going.
They returned home and, while Anna did scold Amber for staying up so late, she thanked her for finishing all those candles before proceeding with getting all the candles packed. Anna wrote up a letter letting the bride know that her order was completed and, before going to the park, Kevin and Amber stopped by the closed post office and slipped the note into a box for later delivery. Kevin carried most of the food and the large blanket while Amber carried the huge jug of water. Kevin suggested they go buy some wine and they stopped by the store for some and finally made it to the park, waiting at the entrance for at least most of their party to arrive.
Dahlia and Charles arrived first with their own basket of food and Dahlia hugged Amber tightly. A few minutes later, Gertrude and Luther finally arrived and they were eventually followed by three more of Amber's friends from the Synagogue: Ellen, Adrianne and Heidi. Once everyone had arrived with their contributions to the potluck, they went into the park and walked around looking for a good spot to place down the blanket. They found a cozy spot under a tree with the sun shining down, causing a shadow from the tree. Kevin placed the blanket on the farthest end of that shadow so they wouldn't be disrupted by the movement of the sun and they all got the food laid out.
"Latkes?" Gertrude asked with a giggle.
"Kevin really wanted to try them," Amber smiled.
"Oh, right, you've never had these before have you?" Gertrude asked.
"My mother makes potato cakes all the time, but she doesn't fry them in oil," Kevin said.
"Oh," Dahlia smiled. "The oil makes it crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside."
"She let me have the freshly cooked cakes and they were delicious," Kevin agreed.
"Mrs. Dymek's recipe is especially good," Luther smiled. "I hear ladies at the synagogue have been asking for her recipe for years but she will not disclose it."
"I've been sworn to secrecy," Amber smiled. "So do not ask." Everyone stopped smiling and looked less than pleased. Kevin just chuckled.
"So Charles, Dahlia," Kevin said. "I didn't get a chance at the synagogue to congratulate the two of you. Congratulations on getting married."
"Thank you, Sergeant," Charles said. "Sadly, it will be in October, otherwise we would gladly invite you to come."
"I am sorry I won't be here for it," Kevin smiled, "but don't feel bad at all."
"Also, Amber, I spoke with mom and she said we could pay for one candle. So we wanted one for the bridal table."
"Don't worry, mom and I will give you a really good discount," Amber smiled. "Did you and Charles have a color scheme?"
"I actually wanted pure white," Dahlia said. "I adore those white candles you make. Charles, were you alright with all white?"
"For the candle, I think it'll be appropriate," Charles nodded.
"Have you found a dress yet?" Adrianne asked.
"I haven't had a chance to look. Mother and I were focused more on the venue. I think we'll start looking for dresses soon, though."
"Did you have a style in mind?" Heidi asked.
"I haven't the slightest idea," Dahlia admitted with a light laugh.
"Well, you'd better start thinking about that," Ellen giggled and patted Dahlia's shoulder. "At this rate, you'll be married to Charles in a plain dress in your closet."
"Don't doom her, Ellen," Amber said and the group laughed.
"So how is business for you, Sergeant?" Charles asked.
"Well," Kevin smiled. "My future business partner and I continue making plans for opening our own business. He has his half saved already. I'm still working on it myself."
"You can still afford trips to Germany, though," Luther teased.
"Priorities," Kevin chuckled. "Besides, we're waiting to actually start this business until my brother has completed school and we can all go back to Washington. So I have plenty of time. I'm sure I'll have saved up enough by the end of four years. Speaking of which, Charles. You're still studying medicine aren't you?"
"Yes, still," Charles nodded. "I've been working with a hospital during my schooling, so I'm making some money. I'll have my degree by the end of two years and by then I'll have a connection with the hospital and a good job waiting for me."
"That's encouraging," Kevin smiled. "Do you two plan to wait to have children until after that?"
"No," Dahlia said. "We'll be having children sooner than that. I'd like to start by next year."
"That'll make your mother happy," Amber smiled.
They all sat together for hours in the park talking and enjoying the weather. Kevin and Amber remained cordial and platonic during the picnic, at most sitting beside one another on the blanket. Luther was making plans to find a job in the city so he could be closer to Gertrude. It was heavily implied that he would be asking Gertrude to marry him soon too. Of course, as to when that would be was anyone's guess. Everyone made suggestions to Dahlia about hers and Charles' wedding and offered their services for decorating and asked what her plans were regarding bridesmaids. She didn't have any sisters, but the role of maid of honor was going to her young cousin. Other bridesmaids were 'to be determined'. She promised she'd make her decision by the end of the week. Amber also invited Dahlia to the shop the next day for a consultation for her candle.
They had enough food and talked for so long they ended up having what amounted to lunch and dinner. They finally agreed they could all go home when the sun was beginning to go down. They all helped to get the food put away and the blanket folded. Since it was their invitation, Kevin and Amber insisted on walking everyone home. Also, if they were being truthful, they wanted a chance, however small, to be alone before they returned to her house. By the time Kevin and Amber walked all her friends back home, it was well into the night and the street lights were the only light available to them. Since it was dark, when they were alone, Kevin took a hold of Amber's hand in his. On their way back, they happened upon a theatre, so Kevin bought them tickets to a moving picture and sat the two of them in the back of the theatre where the view was best and where the eyes were minimal. In the dark of the theatre, Kevin even wrapped his arm around Amber's shoulder.
The two would kiss from time to time during the showing, but it remained rather tame save for one moment during the picture when Amber deepened the kiss by pressing her tongue against Kevin's lips. Kevin had reciprocated but only for a moment at that time. After the moving picture ended, Kevin and Amber finally went back to the house, admittedly, extremely late. They let themselves into the house and let themselves in. Kevin, remembering the spare key, put it back in its little hiding spot from the table near the door and locked the door behind him when the key was hidden. They took a moment to listen for any sounds from upstairs, but it sounded like Anna and Levi were asleep. Remaining quiet, Kevin led Amber upstairs to her room.
"I had a wonderful time today," Amber whispered.
"So did I," Kevin smiled and whispered back. "And if Levi or Anna are upset about us being out so late, just let them know it was my idea to see a moving picture after we dropped everyone off home. Feel free to blame it on me."
"Technically it was your idea," Amber smiled, "but I'll make sure that's clear."
"Alright," Kevin smiled, making sure not to chuckle. "You get to bed, alright?"
"You too," Amber said and went to her toes to give Kevin a good night kiss, which he returned. "I love you."
"I love you too. Good night, Amber," Kevin said and walked to his bedroom.
Amber closed her door and dressed for bed, smiling the whole time. She couldn't resist taking out one of Kevin's recent love letters to her and reading through it. She never tired of those private letters he sent to her, hidden away in another envelop and kept secreted in her little purple box. She nearly fell asleep reading his letter, but she made sure to return it to the purple box before falling asleep to avoid its detection. Surprisingly, she woke up rather early in the morning just as the sun rose. Once she was awake, Amber got dressed and went downstairs where her mother and father were already in the kitchen. When she stepped downstairs, Levi looked less than pleased.
"Young lady, how long were you out last night?" Levi asked, a calm but angry tone in his voice. Amber walked into the kitchen and sat down.
"I'm sorry, daddy. We were all out on that picnic for several hours. We didn't leave the park until it was nearing sunset. Kevin and I walked everyone home and on our way back, Kevin wanted to see a moving picture, so we went in to see one. We returned around 10:30 as I recall. We didn't mean to stay out so late."
"So you two were alone so late at night?" Anna asked.
"Yes, we were," Amber nodded.
"Honey," Anna sighed. "You should know better than that. It's not appropriate and people will get the wrong impression. What do you suppose would happen if someone saw you out alone with Kevin so late at night? They'd assume you two were lovers. Do you want to explain that?"
"I'm sorry," Amber said. "It wasn't our intent. Kevin just wanted to go to the theatre. I should have been insistent about us returning home."
"Indeed," Levi said. "Look, Amber, it's not that we don't trust Kevin or you. We know Kevin would not do anything to you, but you have to understand the kind of impression being out so late all alone gives. As your mother said, people will assume you're lovers and the last thing you want is anyone thinking you're a sullied woman."
"Exactly," Anna said. "People don't always know who Kevin is and even if they do….well, dear, the point is you are, or at least appear, of an age where he might, or be preserved as being able to, take advantage of you."
"He would never do such a thing, mom," Amber defended, knowing the truth of it.
"We know, dear, but others don't," Levi said. "I plan to have this discussion with Kevin as well when I get the chance today, but don't let this happen again."
"Daddy, in all fairness, we've been out late before when he took me and my friends dancing. He did the same thing: take me dancing with my friends and walked me home."
"Walked you straight home," Anna corrected. "And you returned at a decent hour. Last night was not a decent hour."
"Your mother's right," Levi said. "We know Kevin would never do such a thing, but the fact is others don't know that and, as frustrating as it is, we have to keep such things in mind."
"Exactly," Anna said. "Just make sure the two of you aren't alone like that so late at night again. Alright, Amber?"
Amber nodded, "Yes mom."
"Alright," Anna sighed. "Good."
"Should someone fetch Kevin for breakfast?" Amber asked.
"We'll let him sleep in today," Levi said. "In fact, Anna, when he wakes, tell him to meet me at the Café near the bank around 12. I would like to speak with him in private."
"I'll let him know," Anna nodded. Amber was instantly nervous, but stayed silent.
Kevin, meanwhile, did sleep in uncharacteristically late. He'd remembered to close the curtains before going to bed, so even when the sun rose, he remained undisturbed. By the time he finally woke up, it was 9. Kevin couldn't believe Amber hadn't come in the wake him. Then he realized that, perhaps, she'd gotten in trouble for last night and their returning so late. Kevin hurried to wash up and got dressed before going downstairs. Amber and Anna were already manning the shop and there was some cold food and coffee still on the table. He went to the shop door and stepped inside. Amber and Anna both saw him. Anna instructed Amber to remain working while Anna stepped into the house.
"Kevin, Levi asked that you meet him at the café near the bank at noon today."
"Of course," Kevin answered as normally as he always did. "Is everything alright?"
"He wishes to speak to you about last night," Anna said.
"Ah," Kevin said. "I sincerely apologize about us returning so late. It was my fault. I insisted I wanted to go to the theatre. Amber just went along with it."
"Yes, she said as much," Anna said. "All the same, Levi wishes to speak with you."
"Absolutely," Kevin answered. "And Anna, once again, if I've offended you and Levi in any way, I sincerely apologize."
"I know you didn't mean offense, Kevin," Anna smiled reassuringly. "We know it was an innocent mistake, but we just wish for it to be avoided from happening again."
"I completely understand," Kevin smiled back.
Kevin, knowing Amber would want to know what was going on, pushed the whole conversation into Amber's mind as it was happening. Amber was relieved and, yet, simultaneously aggravated with Kevin's ability to remain so….professional for lack of a better word, about the matter and manage to seem so unfazed. When her parents confronted her, Amber near had a heart attack. Regardless, she remained business like and acted as if she knew nothing when Anna returned. Come the appropriate time, Kevin took the directions Anna provided and met Levi at the café at noon on the dot. The two obtained a table and ordered sandwiches and coffee.
"I assume Anna's told you what this is about?" Levi asked when they were seated and had ordered their food.
"Yes, she advised me," Kevin nodded. "I told her this morning, but I wish to reiterated my deepest apologies for being so careless. I should have brought Amber home immediately after we'd walked her friends home. Upon reflection, I realize the impression that must leave to some people and it was never my intent to risk such an impression."
"I appreciate your understanding on this," Levi said. "Anna and I both know you would never intentionally do such a thing and we realize what you and Amber have together is something most might not understand. After all, you saved her during a war and certainly think of her as a daughter. I can fully understand that, but as you mentioned and confirmed you understand, others might not realize that."
At first, Kevin was quiet. The implication Levi just put forward rattled him a little. "Yes," Kevin finally said. "Amber and I have bonded because of that experience. You are right, of course, that most would not understand that. The last thing I want is to give a bad impression or make Amber look bad in any way. I assure you that was not my intent and I will do all in my power to rectify my oversight."
"As far as I'm aware, no one we know has seen the two of you, so there shouldn't be a problem. Just ensure it doesn't happen again. For safety's sake, make sure if you and Amber go out that the two of you return before nightfall. It's less inappropriate that way."
"Absolutely," Kevin nodded. "It'll never happen again, Levi."
Levi released a small sigh of relief and smiled genuinely. "Thank you, Kevin. I appreciate that."
The remainder of lunch passed as though nothing was wrong. The two talked like they always did when they were together, as friends. However, Kevin couldn't shake what Levi had said to him. 'She's like a daughter to you'. Such an assumption, Kevin realized, was equally beneficial at this time and detrimental for their future together. If Levi and Anna were under the impression that Kevin had a fatherly relationship with Amber, it would make their impending, albeit years in the future, announcement that they were in love and wished to be together that much more complicated and, dare he imagine, problematic. He feared a possibility that it would lead to Levi not allowing Kevin and Amber to be together and get married. That was his biggest fear. All the same, Kevin kept those fears and thoughts between his toes for the time being and enjoyed lunch with Levi as though nothing was amiss.
Figuring it was best he not return to the shop right away, Kevin walked around Berlin to clear his head. Eventually he happened upon a church. A place he'd not visited since the war. He remembered praying at Notre Dame. It had offered some semblance of comfort in an otherwise terrifying situation. Granted, it was a situation he'd freely signed up for, yet it hadn't made the experience any less terrifying for him. Feeling like he needed to speak to someone, Kevin walked into the church and glanced around for a confessional. When he found one, Kevin stepped inside and, upon assurance there was a priest present on the other side, he did as any good Catholic boy was required to do.
"Forgive me, Father. I confess to Almighty God that I have sinned and for all sins I have committed I am deeply sorry. It has been 7 years since my last confession," Kevin said.
"Seven years, my child?" the priest repeated, rather alarmed yet remaining quiet. "Why so long?"
"Several reasons," Kevin said. "Last I went to confession, I was preparing to go to the front during the Great War."
"God bless you, my child, for serving your country and for seeking God's love before battle. There is no better time for it."
"Thank you, Father," Kevin said.
"Now, what is it you seek atonement for, my child?"
"I've fallen in love with a woman and I fear her family does not approve."
"Why do you say that, my child?"
"You see, Father," Kevin began, "I met this young woman during the war. I found her abandoned during the battle at Chateau Thierry. I've cared for her deeply ever since and when I found her, I entrusted her to a Mrs. Lavoie until the war was over. That girl was adopted by a good couple. A loving couple. I could not have picked a better family myself if I tried. They've loved her and cared for her in ways that I simply couldn't as a young man in the army. That was six years ago, Father," Kevin said. "And I've grown to love her. Not as a father or a brother might love, but as a man."
"And you fear her parents do not approve of you?"
"I fear they think I see her like I might see a sister or a daughter and, should I make my true feelings known, it would cause them great distress."
"Have you and this young woman acted upon these feelings, my child?"
"Yes," Kevin admitted. "I have kissed her. We've not proceeded farther, but I have kissed her in moments when we are alone. Yesterday, this young woman and myself went on a picnic with several of her friends. We stayed in the park until it was nearing sundown and we walked them all home. On our way back to her house, we stopped to see a moving picture upon my insistence. I swear, no one saw us, but we did kiss in the darkness. It was no more than that. But we returned home late and I fear I've offended her parents. Her father sat with me and explained against giving the wrong impression, which I fully understand. However, he expressed that he understood that this young woman is like a daughter to me. I didn't have the heart to tell him he was wrong."
"So you and this young woman are intimately involved behind their backs?" the priest asked.
"Yes," Kevin answered honestly. "Yes, Father, we are. I'd not intended for it to happen this way. Our relationship started platonically, I swear it did. But when I came to visit her after not seeing her for so long, I saw her in a new light. She'd grown so much and I realized she wasn't a girl anymore. She was a young woman and I knew I loved her as a man and I wanted to be with her. I'd meant to keep it to myself as long as possible, but she saw through my efforts."
"Saw through your efforts, child?"
"Yes," Kevin nodded. "She began to have feelings for me. Then, one evening, I was sitting with her while she was carving a candle and we ended up professing our love to one another. I recall I had been so business like about it. I'd felt terrible about that. So I wrote her a love letter expressing how dearly I loved her. I've written her several love letters since then."
"How long has this been occurring, my child?"
"Since last year," Kevin answered.
"I see," the priest said. "You two have kept your relationship a secret for so long?"
"I live far away," Kevin said. "Most of our romance has occurred through letters save for the brief time I can be here in Berlin."
"And this young woman, have you any plans to marry her?"
"As soon as she's of an age and as soon as she has obtained her education, I've every intention of asking for her hand in marriage. I've already given her a bracelet expressing my desire and intention to marry her. Her parents are unaware of the bracelet's meaning, so they remain unaware of our relationship."
"Perhaps, my child, they would be more open to you should you make your intentions known. Surely, if you are able to provide for her, you can convince them the match is suitable. You will only know, my child, if you speak to them about it."
"What if they refuse, Father? What if they will not allow us to be together?"
"If you truly wish to marry her, my child, then you must prove the purity of your intentions and make clear that this young woman is no throw away to you but a woman worthy of being your wife and mother to your children. You must provide you are worthy to be her husband and father to her children, to their grandchildren. If they think you have shallow intentions, than they would naturally refuse your advances. Tell them, my child, that you love her and wish to be with her for the rest of your life. Ask her father for her hand in marriage. Only then will he know he can trust you are worthy."
"Thank you, Father," Kevin said.
"Now let us pray, my child," the priest said.
"Oh my God," Kevin began, "I am sorry for having offended You. I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell. But most of all, because they offend You, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your Grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen." Kevin and the priest made the symbol of the cross together.
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is Good," the priest said.
"For His mercy endures forever," Kevin answered.
"As penance, my child, I tell you to make things right with this young woman's family. If you truly love her, than make your love known and ensure your intentions are known as pure. Only then, my child, can you seek forgiveness for your sins. Now let us proceed with the Hail Mary, my child, before you leave." Kevin nodded, marked the cross as the priest did, and they proceeded together.
"Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death Amen."
"Now go to your penance my child," the priest said after the prayer. "And do not be a stranger to us. God is loving and welcomes all His children. He only asks His children return home."
"Thank you, Father," Kevin said and left the confessional.
He walked out of the church with an initial feeling of relief that he spoke to someone, but that relief didn't last long as he began to think about how to proceed with his penance. Levi's comment continued to run through his mind and he feared that, regardless of his intention of marriage, his feelings were the central problem. He thought a lot about it during the long walk back to the candle shop and decided he wanted to talk to Amber first. He'd think of a way to make that happen. It was nearing the end of the day the shop was open by the time Kevin finally returned. He let himself in through the side door of the shop. The house was empty, so Kevin turned on the radio and read the paper Levi had left behind. As he was reading, Anna came into the house through the shop and Amber remained in the shop.
"You're back late," Anna said. "Did everything go alright?"
"Everything was fine," Kevin smiled. "I just took a walk around the city after we talked."
"That sounds relaxing," Anna smiled. "So things went well with Levi?"
"Yes," Kevin smiled kindly. "We've reached an understanding."
"I'm happy to hear it," Anna smiled and returned to the shop.
Kevin tried to turn his attention to the paper and the radio rather than think about the day's interactions. In truth, the afternoon dragged by painfully. Eventually Anna and Amber closed the shop for the day and retreated to the kitchen for dinner. Kevin did stop Amber just a moment to speak to her a little.
"How did Dahlia's consultation go?" Kevin asked Amber.
"It went well. She requested the Love Birds wedding design."
"That's the one with the two birds with a heart, right?"
"Yes," Amber nodded. "I was actually going to get started on that now." Amber glanced towards the kitchen making sure her mother was focused on dinner. "Did you want to join me?"
"We'll talk later," Kevin said quietly with a smile. Amber smiled back rather awkwardly and went to the candle room to work while Kevin stayed in the living room. Levi arrived home just as dinner was put on the table and the four of them sat together to eat.
As he'd done before, Kevin remained natural as though nothing happened. Amber's parents behaved in much the same way, talking and smiling while Levi talked about work. Amber and Anna cleaned the kitchen after dinner while Kevin and Levi spoke more, drawing out the night as much as he could. Amber went to bed early that night but Kevin remained downstairs with Levi and Anna. Eventually, they got ready to go to bed and wished Kevin a good night. Kevin walked up the stairs behind them and motioned to go to the guest bedroom as he said goodnight. They closed their door by the time Kevin reached the door of the guestroom but as soon as they closed their door, Kevin opened his but went right to Amber's room. He pushed a thought to Amber letting her know he was coming in and Kevin gently opened the door to her room as silently as possible. As he entered, Amber walked up to him and followed Kevin the the guestroom where there would be more privacy. Once inside, Kevin closed the door and they sat down beside one another on the bed.
"Did everything go well with daddy?" Amber asked.
"It went fine," Kevin said. "We came to an understanding and I'll need to ensure you're always home before nightfall. They spoke to you this morning as well didn't they?"
"They did," Amber nodded. "They were concerned about the wrong impression being given off by us being alone together so late at night."
"That's what Levi said to me as well. Thankfully, they don't seem to be angry anymore. They were content to call it an innocent mistake."
"I don't understand how you can be so calm," Amber sighed. "What if they didn't call it an innocent mistake?"
"You don't have to worry, Amber. They think our relationship is still platonic. In fact, when we spoke, your father referred to my feelings for you being like that of a father."
"What did you say?" Amber asked nervously.
"I just told him that we have a special bond because of the war," Kevin said. "That's not a lie and it doesn't imply or deny anything."
"But that's not how you feel?" Amber asked, desperate for reassurance.
"No," Kevin said, looking at Amber with a kind smile. "No, Amber, that's not how I feel." Kevin moved so he was closer to Amber and brought his arm around her shoulder. "I was really bothered by what Levi said about us. I know it's easier for us at the moment all things considered, but I'm scared it'll make things more difficult later when it's time to make our intentions known. After lunch with Levi, I needed some time to think, so I went for a walk. I happened upon a church and I couldn't resist going inside. I needed someone to talk to."
"You talked to a priest?" Amber asked, finding it rather odd.
"More appropriately, I confessed. More or less I should say. I told him that I'd fallen in love and I feared your family didn't approve of me."
"And what did he say?" Amber asked.
"He said that the only way to move forward is to tell your parents and to ensure they know my intentions towards you are pure, meaning that I have every intention of marrying you. I thought about it while I was on my way back and I wasn't so sure. I fear the fact that I love you the way I do might be the matter they take issue with."
"It's too soon to tell them now," Amber agreed. "Especially after last night. They'd not approve if only out of offense for the timing."
"That's what I was thinking," Kevin said. "I suppose there's really no way beyond a reasonable doubt to ensure they'll approve of us being together, but I think it would serve us well to build their trust back up again."
"I agree," Amber said. "And Kevin?" Amber said.
"Yes?"
"Please don't think what we have is sinful. You've been a gentleman with me and, one point my parents and I both agree on, you would never do anything distasteful to me. Even if I may sometimes wish for you to."
Kevin smiled and rested his cheek atop Amber's head. "One of us has to remain level headed I suppose."
"I still find it aggravating that you somehow remain so calm."
"What would you have me do?" Kevin asked before kissing the top of her head. "Yell to your father I love you and there's nothing he can do about it? They'd never let me see you again."
"No," Amber said. "I'd not. It just didn't seem to faze you in the slightest. I don't know how you manage it."
"I've had plenty of experience remaining calm in stressful situations," Kevin said knowingly.
"I suppose so," Amber said with a small smile. "But I'd been more so referring to how you remain calm after kissing me. That never seems to faze you either."
"I assure you, Amber, it does. I'm just a good actor. I've learned some very important lessons over the years: how to be calm in stressful times, how to be a good actor and how to be a good liar. I'd say those lessons have done me well over the years, especially with regards to our current arrangement. I've told you before. Nothing would make me happier than to walk up to your father with my head held high and tell him I love you and I intend to marry you. But we're not in a situation where I can do that, so I lie and I act as though we're only friends. Seeing as Levi implied I see you as a daughter, I'd say I've done that rather well."
"Too well," Amber said. "Sometimes you even fool me."
"Don't be fooled," Kevin chuckled. "You know the actor's secret and you know the real story. If you ever feel as though I'm perhaps too convincing, just remember you know that it's all an act."
"I just wish I were so good an actor," Amber said.
"You've played your part very well, Amber," Kevin encouraged. "Neither of us have roused any suspicion, even after last night's misstep. Everything is still under control. I'll ensure it stays that way."
"What if he says no?" Amber asked suddenly. "Even if we wait and even if things calm down by the time we bring it up, what if he says no? What if mom and daddy still find reasons to refuse?"
"I'll not let that happen," Kevin assured. "When it comes time to, I will ensure they see things our way. No matter what, I will make sure they approve of us. Even if it means coming her permanently."
"Kevin," Amber started but Kevin interrupted and, rather brazenly, moved further on the bed and brought Amber up so that she was straddling his lap. She was surprised by the gesture and forgot what she'd been about to say.
"Don't worry, Amber. I'll make him say yes. If that does mean coming to Germany, then so be it. I'll start over again if I have to, but I'll make it happen."
"Kevin, I can't let you do that," Amber said, finally regaining her train of thought. "I can't ask you to throw your life away for me. You've worked so hard to get where you are and you have your own plans. If you come to Germany, then it'll all have been for nothing. I can't live with you doing that for me."
"Amber, I'd make any sacrifice if it meant being with you."
"What about your family? You'd never see them."
"They'd understand," Kevin finally said.
"But you wouldn't be happy," Kevin said, forlorn.
"Amber-"
"Kevin, you say you'd be happy as long as we're together. I know you'd smile at me like you always do and you would make the sacrifices for me that you speak of with a smile on your face. I know you say your family would understand and perhaps they would. But deep down, you wouldn't be happy. I know you wouldn't be. I won't do that do you. I won't let you allow it."
Kevin looked up at Amber and read the determination in her eyes. She knew full well the power she had over him and she knew if she really wanted, she could ask them to live on the moon. He'd find a way to make it happen for her, she knew. However, she always thought of the bigger picture regardless of Kevin's attempt to comfort her that he'd make sure they could be together. He really appreciated it actually. After a moment, Kevin finally smiled and gave her a quick kiss.
"It'll be a last resort," Kevin said.
"An absolute last resort," Amber said. "You make sure I go to America with you when it's time. I'm still young. I can start from scratch if I want to. You're not so lucky."
Kevin grinned a little wider. "What would I do without you?"
"I'm sure I haven't the vaguest idea," Amber said and they laughed a little under their breaths before sharing another kiss.