a band already in place.
“How did you do all of this?” I asked, amazed by all the work Brand did in such a short amount of time.
“You’d be surprised what you can accomplish with a lot of money and a little persuasion.”
“But why would you go through all the trouble?”
Brand put his arms around my waist holding me close. The band started playing a song as if on cue, and we began to sway to the music.
“Because we never got to dance.”
I almost started to cry. It was such a sentimental thing to do, and so indicative of the man I’d given my heart to.
“When I first saw you that night,” Brand continued, “I couldn’t breathe. I felt like my world was shattering all around me. All I wanted to do was take you in my arms and tell you how much I loved you. I almost went to you that night to beg for your forgiveness, but Will got to you first.”
“When Will and I left and walked to the rose garden, I did see you on the terrace watching us, didn’t I? That wasn’t just in my imagination, was it?”
“I followed you,” Brand confessed, almost as if he was ashamed of his behavior. “I still didn’t trust Will, and I wanted to make sure you were safe. When I saw him lean in to kiss you, I thought my world was about to end. I wanted to be him so badly in that moment. Then, when you pushed him away and told him you couldn’t go through with it, I felt a selfish sort of relief. I didn’t want you to move on. I didn’t want you to forget about me so quickly. My heart ached to be with you. There were moments when I couldn’t understand how it kept beating through the pain.”
The torment I saw in his eyes told me as much as his words did. He’d been as miserable as I had that night, and this re-creation was meant to wash away the last of our regrets. It was meant to symbolize a new beginning of treasured moments between the two of us.
“Thank you,” I said, gazing up at the love of my life. “Thank you for giving us this.”
“There isn’t anything in this world I wouldn’t give to you, Lilly. All you have to do is ask.”
We danced for a couple of songs, just enjoying the way our bodies moved together in perfect unison, like we were made for each other.
When the third song began to play, Brand pulled away slightly and looked down at me. “I want to take you somewhere.”
“Anywhere you want,” I replied. And I meant it. I would follow Brand anywhere he ever wanted to go.
He took my hand and led me off the dance floor. I saw him look at the band and nod his head slightly. They seemed prepared for such a signal, and began packing up their equipment.
When we got back into Brand’s car, he drove it off the grass back onto the highway, heading toward his home.
“Are we spending the rest of the night at your house?” I asked.
“No, we’re just going to be dropping the car off,” he answered. “We won’t need it anymore tonight.”
“Are we phasing somewhere else?”
“Yes, and please stop asking questions.” He smiled at me, which made me unable to say another word. “Make sure to bring your shawl, though. It will probably be chilly where we’re going.”
We parked the car and got out. I placed my shawl around my shoulders as Brand came to my side and took hold of my hand. Before I knew it, we were standing in front of the largest Ferris Wheel I’ve ever seen. It was white, lit up with lights, and must have had over thirty large glass-enclosed oval pods attached to it with steel straps. There was a man standing in front of the wheel with his back to us, wearing a dark grey woolen newsboy cap and matching jacket.
“Hello, Jack,” Brand said to the man.
Jack jumped a bit in surprise and turned to face us. He was an older man of about sixty and short of stature. Since I was 5’5”, Jack could only have been an even five feet tall.
“Brandon, my boy! I should have known you would be right on time,” Jack said, in a less-cultured British accent than Brand. He smiled
“How did you do all of this?” I asked, amazed by all the work Brand did in such a short amount of time.
“You’d be surprised what you can accomplish with a lot of money and a little persuasion.”
“But why would you go through all the trouble?”
Brand put his arms around my waist holding me close. The band started playing a song as if on cue, and we began to sway to the music.
“Because we never got to dance.”
I almost started to cry. It was such a sentimental thing to do, and so indicative of the man I’d given my heart to.
“When I first saw you that night,” Brand continued, “I couldn’t breathe. I felt like my world was shattering all around me. All I wanted to do was take you in my arms and tell you how much I loved you. I almost went to you that night to beg for your forgiveness, but Will got to you first.”
“When Will and I left and walked to the rose garden, I did see you on the terrace watching us, didn’t I? That wasn’t just in my imagination, was it?”
“I followed you,” Brand confessed, almost as if he was ashamed of his behavior. “I still didn’t trust Will, and I wanted to make sure you were safe. When I saw him lean in to kiss you, I thought my world was about to end. I wanted to be him so badly in that moment. Then, when you pushed him away and told him you couldn’t go through with it, I felt a selfish sort of relief. I didn’t want you to move on. I didn’t want you to forget about me so quickly. My heart ached to be with you. There were moments when I couldn’t understand how it kept beating through the pain.”
The torment I saw in his eyes told me as much as his words did. He’d been as miserable as I had that night, and this re-creation was meant to wash away the last of our regrets. It was meant to symbolize a new beginning of treasured moments between the two of us.
“Thank you,” I said, gazing up at the love of my life. “Thank you for giving us this.”
“There isn’t anything in this world I wouldn’t give to you, Lilly. All you have to do is ask.”
We danced for a couple of songs, just enjoying the way our bodies moved together in perfect unison, like we were made for each other.
When the third song began to play, Brand pulled away slightly and looked down at me. “I want to take you somewhere.”
“Anywhere you want,” I replied. And I meant it. I would follow Brand anywhere he ever wanted to go.
He took my hand and led me off the dance floor. I saw him look at the band and nod his head slightly. They seemed prepared for such a signal, and began packing up their equipment.
When we got back into Brand’s car, he drove it off the grass back onto the highway, heading toward his home.
“Are we spending the rest of the night at your house?” I asked.
“No, we’re just going to be dropping the car off,” he answered. “We won’t need it anymore tonight.”
“Are we phasing somewhere else?”
“Yes, and please stop asking questions.” He smiled at me, which made me unable to say another word. “Make sure to bring your shawl, though. It will probably be chilly where we’re going.”
We parked the car and got out. I placed my shawl around my shoulders as Brand came to my side and took hold of my hand. Before I knew it, we were standing in front of the largest Ferris Wheel I’ve ever seen. It was white, lit up with lights, and must have had over thirty large glass-enclosed oval pods attached to it with steel straps. There was a man standing in front of the wheel with his back to us, wearing a dark grey woolen newsboy cap and matching jacket.
“Hello, Jack,” Brand said to the man.
Jack jumped a bit in surprise and turned to face us. He was an older man of about sixty and short of stature. Since I was 5’5”, Jack could only have been an even five feet tall.
“Brandon, my boy! I should have known you would be right on time,” Jack said, in a less-cultured British accent than Brand. He smiled
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