1
Ari is beautiful beyond comparison, and she has my heart and my soul for eternity. I thought I made that abundantly clear last night, but it appears I have further work to do.Siobhan Davis
2
I kiss her for way too long at the door, and not for the first time, I wish that I could stay with her, to help chase those dark clouds away.Siobhan Davis
3
Do you fancy catching a movie at the Sturbridge Theater tonight? That new Robert Pattinson movie is showing, ” I ask her, the phone cradled against my chest.“ Definitely sign me up for that! ” Ari replies, chuckling as I mock scowl. Her easy laugh warms my soul. “We’re in, ” I tell Gil, arranging to meet him and his date in the diner later. “So, who is it this time?” Ari asks, resting her chin in her hands. “Anyone we know?” Considering I can count the girls on one hand who have enjoyed more than one date with Gil, I doubt it’ll be someone familiar. “I didn’t ask; guess we’ll find out soon enough.”“ Five bucks says it’s a blonde, ” Ari quips. “That’s one bet I’m not taking, ” I admit, twirling a lock of her hair around my finger. “Gil’s penchant for blondes is world-renowned.Siobhan Davis
4
I can feel Ari’s mounting excitement the farther we walk. She’s bouncing up and down like a kangaroo on speed. I feel the bulk of the box pressing against my leg as we walk, and I contemplate all that I’ve decided to tell her tonight. Lifting my head, I stare in awe at the light of a thousand stars illuminating the dark, night sky. The setting really couldn’t be any more romantic, any more perfect.Siobhan Davis
5
Ari looks fiercely resolute. It’s the same look she has on her face at the start of every race: Dogged determination. My heart and head enter into full-on combat mode.Siobhan Davis
6
An eerie silence has descended over the house. Every few minutes, I hear a grunt and the scraping sound of a box dragging along the floor. Other than that, there’s nothing. It’s like the silence is the actual articulation of the emptiness we all feel.Siobhan Davis