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Authors: Carey Heywood
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a rush of people; I’m assuming from her plane, but I don’t see her. It’s when I head in the direction of the gates. That’s when I find her, walking slowly, pulling an extra bag for an older gentleman. He’s walking with a walker peacefully chatting with her as they make their way to baggage claim.
She looks amazing, her long pale green sundress showing a hint of her ankle with every step she takes. Her auburn curls shine as they frame her beautiful face. I’m a fool for pushing this stunning creature away.
That’s when it hits me ; this is just who she is, a caring person. How lucky am I that she cares for me! How blessed I should feel that she wants to be with me and how stupid would I be to not treasure the gift of it. I meet them halfway.
“Bethany.”
She seems surprised to see me, smiling, widely. “Beau.”
“Here , let me help you with that extra bag.”
She passes it to me quietly, a small smile hinting around the corners of her mouth. “This is Mr. Williamson. We met on the plane.”
I dip my head. “Nice to meet you, sir.”
He glances between us. “This your boyfriend?”
I answer for her, bending down to kiss her cheek before I offer him my hand. “Yes, sir. Beau Hamilton.”
He lifts one hand from his walker to shake mine. “You have a very sweet girlfriend , Beau.”
I nod, my eyes on Bethany as I reach for her hand. There’s still plenty for us to discuss , but this is the first time I have acknowledged myself publicly as her boyfriend. She doesn’t correct me. I don’t know if that’s for my benefit or for Mr. Williamson’s, but we’ll have about an hour alone together in my truck for me to find out.
When we reach the carousel , a relative of Mr. Williamson meets him and I pass over his rolling bag. He shakes my hand a second time telling me to take care of Bethany. She smiles widely and gives him a hug before he leaves. I reclaim her hand as we stand together waiting for her suitcase.
We walk in a comfortable silence back to my truck once we’ve retrieved it. It’s once I’ve loaded it into the back and we’re both seated that I break the silence.
“I’m sorry I’ve been acting like an ass.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about my engagement ,” she replies, lifting my hand into hers.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I don’t want you to feel pressured.”
She sighs, turning her head to look out the front windshield. “It’s hard to talk about, and that’s why I haven’t brought it up before. I told Bess while we were waiting for you to wake up at the hospital. What happened with you reminded me of what happened with Kurt. He wasn’t bitten by a snake though. He had been in a car accident. Waiting for you to wake up brought me right back to when I waited for him to wake up; only in his case, he didn’t.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Life goes on. His death inspired me to make so many changes in my life. A part of me will always mourn the life we never had, but I’m also grateful that I still have the opportunity to live mine. I don’t know if I ever would have been brave enough to leave my job and move out here. If I hadn’t have done that, I never would have met you, Beau.”
“You are so brave.”
“I’m just trying to live my live without regrets. I don’t want to look back and wish I would have done something but was too scared to.”
“That’s sorta how I feel right now. I’ve been scared since the bite that now you don’t think I’m man enough for you. Then, after finding out you were engaged , I let that push me even further away. I was scared there was something wrong with me and that’s why you hadn’t told me. I’m realizing now what an idiot I was.”
She squeezes my hand. “We’re human , Beau. We’re all going to make mistakes. I only ask that you talk to me first next time and I’ll do the same.”
I lift her knuckles to my lips. “Deal.”
“I noticed you didn’t correct Mr.
She looks amazing, her long pale green sundress showing a hint of her ankle with every step she takes. Her auburn curls shine as they frame her beautiful face. I’m a fool for pushing this stunning creature away.
That’s when it hits me ; this is just who she is, a caring person. How lucky am I that she cares for me! How blessed I should feel that she wants to be with me and how stupid would I be to not treasure the gift of it. I meet them halfway.
“Bethany.”
She seems surprised to see me, smiling, widely. “Beau.”
“Here , let me help you with that extra bag.”
She passes it to me quietly, a small smile hinting around the corners of her mouth. “This is Mr. Williamson. We met on the plane.”
I dip my head. “Nice to meet you, sir.”
He glances between us. “This your boyfriend?”
I answer for her, bending down to kiss her cheek before I offer him my hand. “Yes, sir. Beau Hamilton.”
He lifts one hand from his walker to shake mine. “You have a very sweet girlfriend , Beau.”
I nod, my eyes on Bethany as I reach for her hand. There’s still plenty for us to discuss , but this is the first time I have acknowledged myself publicly as her boyfriend. She doesn’t correct me. I don’t know if that’s for my benefit or for Mr. Williamson’s, but we’ll have about an hour alone together in my truck for me to find out.
When we reach the carousel , a relative of Mr. Williamson meets him and I pass over his rolling bag. He shakes my hand a second time telling me to take care of Bethany. She smiles widely and gives him a hug before he leaves. I reclaim her hand as we stand together waiting for her suitcase.
We walk in a comfortable silence back to my truck once we’ve retrieved it. It’s once I’ve loaded it into the back and we’re both seated that I break the silence.
“I’m sorry I’ve been acting like an ass.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about my engagement ,” she replies, lifting my hand into hers.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I don’t want you to feel pressured.”
She sighs, turning her head to look out the front windshield. “It’s hard to talk about, and that’s why I haven’t brought it up before. I told Bess while we were waiting for you to wake up at the hospital. What happened with you reminded me of what happened with Kurt. He wasn’t bitten by a snake though. He had been in a car accident. Waiting for you to wake up brought me right back to when I waited for him to wake up; only in his case, he didn’t.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Life goes on. His death inspired me to make so many changes in my life. A part of me will always mourn the life we never had, but I’m also grateful that I still have the opportunity to live mine. I don’t know if I ever would have been brave enough to leave my job and move out here. If I hadn’t have done that, I never would have met you, Beau.”
“You are so brave.”
“I’m just trying to live my live without regrets. I don’t want to look back and wish I would have done something but was too scared to.”
“That’s sorta how I feel right now. I’ve been scared since the bite that now you don’t think I’m man enough for you. Then, after finding out you were engaged , I let that push me even further away. I was scared there was something wrong with me and that’s why you hadn’t told me. I’m realizing now what an idiot I was.”
She squeezes my hand. “We’re human , Beau. We’re all going to make mistakes. I only ask that you talk to me first next time and I’ll do the same.”
I lift her knuckles to my lips. “Deal.”
“I noticed you didn’t correct Mr.
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