Chapter 175
Tilda
I looked up the location on the map as soon as Ethan sent it to me. But it didn’t show anything. All I could tell was that it was next to the state park. Not far from my house, but I have to take a roundabout way to get there.
So, I don’t know where I’m going, but there are three vehicles ahead of me, and they’re all slowing to take the turn I’m headed for.
I follow the row of cars as we all head down the gravel road.
It’s narrow and winds between tall trees.
Eventually, the line of cars slows, and I can see we’ve reached a parking lot.
Someone in a uniform is directing the drivers.
As I get closer, I roll my window down. And not knowing if he’s told his coworkers about us, I force a smile onto my face.
Liza grins at me as I stop beside her. “Welcome to Opening Day.”
My nervousness mixes with curiosity. “Of what?”
“You’ll see.” She holds an arm out. “Follow the car ahead of you and park on the right.”
She’s still grinning as I pull away, and in my side mirror, I watch her lift a walkie-talkie to her mouth.
Opening day of what?
The lot is gravel, like the road, and it doesn’t have any lines painted on it, but I park as directed, then get out of my truck.
The October air is cool, but the sun is out, so I decide to leave my jean jacket on the seat.
I didn’t know what to wear today. I still don’t even know what this place is.
But I know I’ll see Ethan. So I took my time getting ready.
And I decided today was a fresh start.
A big deal.
Possibly a celebration.
So I wore my white dress.
The one I wore the first time I visited the park. The first time I got to wear his fancy hat.
Keeping my aviators on, I shut my truck door.
I follow the other people as they walk to the front of the lot. And I keep following them down another path that leads away from the parking lot, toward the forest.
The gravel walkway is wide, and the edges are manicured. The wood chips circling the flower beds look like they were just laid out.
It’s Opening Day, and whatever this place is, they clearly just finished building it.
My steps slow and my heartbeat jumps.
I turn my head, looking at the flowers on the other side of the path too.
There are different types.
Different sizes.
But all shades of purple.
It can’t be for me.
It’s a coincidence.
I bite my lip as I keep walking.
As I keep passing more purple blooms.
It can’t…
I lift my gaze.
To the sign that arches over the path.
Uncle Jack’s Wilderness Camp.
I read it twice.
It can’t be.
I push the sunglasses up into my hair. And I read it again.
But it is.
And that string, the one that I thought was gone, it reforms.
It’s brighter than before.
Stronger than before.
And as I look up at the sign, as I think about the flowers, it doesn’t just wrap itself around the broken pieces of my heart. It sews them together.
Someone moves before me.
And I hold my breath as my eyes meet his.
One green iris. One brown.
Looking back at me.
Standing beneath the sign for Uncle Jack’s Wilderness Camp.
“How?” I whisper.
Ethan steps closer. “Because it was never about the money.”
I blink, and a tear slips down my cheek.
Because I believe him.
I believe him about everything.
Ethan holds his hand out between us. “Let me show you.”
I don’t hesitate. I put my palm in his.
Ethan wraps his fingers around mine.
He squeezes them.
I squeeze his back.
Then, I walk at Ethan’s side.
Down the path. Staying straight when it branches off in both directions.
We keep walking, side by side, through more flowers. Under an archway of trees. Past benches and structures with plaques on the walls.
We walk down a little hill. And when I gasp, his fingers tighten around mine.
A portion of the path cuts down to the left, leading to a wooden boardwalk that goes out over a large pond.
A fountain shoots water a few feet into the air in the center of the pond. And it’s like Quackers’s pool.
Only bigger.
A whole flock of ducks flap their wings and take off from the pond’s surface, flying up into the sky.
I brush a tear off my cheek.
And we keep walking.
Past a mini amphitheater.
Past a giant swing set.
The path splits ahead of us.
The section going off to the right has two cones marking it as closed. The path to the left circles down into a thick section of forest, and I assume it circles back toward the pond.
I start that way, but Ethan tugs on my arm.
Trusting him, I follow Ethan around the cones and up the path.
There’s no one else out here.
It’s just us.
Us and the quiet noise of a forest filled with life.
We crest the rise and step into a natural opening in the trees. And in the center of the opening is a large gazebo.
We follow the path to it.
Curved benches line the inside of the gazebo, and the sloped roof will protect anyone sitting from rain. But the center of the roof is open.
We step up into the gazebo, and Ethan walks me to the middle.
Stopping, I tip my head back and look up at the clouds.
Then I imagine doing this at night, looking at the stars.
Ethan releases my hand and moves so he’s facing me. “By next summer, I want a conservatory. With a telescope for kids to use.”
I lower my eyes from the heavens to the man before me. “I… I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you like it.”
I shake my head. “Ethan. I love it.”
He exhales, like he’s been holding his breath for weeks.
I start to reach for him. Because I want to touch him.
But I stop, not sure…
Ethan grips my wrist, and he finishes my movement, pressing my hand to his chest.
“You make me smile.” His tone is serious.
And I feel the vibration of it under my palm.
“Since meeting you… I’ve never smiled so much in all my life.
You make me happy, Matilda. Being near you makes me happy.
” He pauses, swallowing. And I have to do the same.
“I know I broke your trust, and I’ll spend the rest of my days and the rest of my nights proving to you that it was always you.
It’s only ever been you. Because if you’re not in my life…
I don’t know that I’ll ever smile again. ”
He slides his hand from my wrist to the back of my hand, holding my palm over his heart.
“You’re my joy.” He places his other hand on top of the first. “You’re my Starlight.”
My lips tremble. “What does that mean?”
Ethan’s lips pull into a soft smile. And this time he tells me.
“You’re my North Star. My way home. My destination.
” Letting his hands slip from mine, Ethan lowers.
To one knee. “You’re the light that guides me.
And I don’t ever want to lose you.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small velvet box.
“Tell me you believe me, Starlight. Tell me you still love me.”
He opens the box, and I stare down at the glittering star.
Ethan pulls the ring free and holds up the gold band.
In the center is an opal that shines purple. And jutting out around it, covered in dozens of tiny diamonds, are the points of the star.
I blink, and tears drip off my lashes.
Ethan sets the box on the floor and holds the ring between us. “Tell me I haven’t broken everything.” His voice is quiet. A plea.
I lift my gaze from the ring and meet his. And I tell him the truth. “You haven’t broken everything.” I hold my left hand out. “I still love you.”
Ethan’s hand trembles as he slides the ring onto my finger.
I don’t look at the diamonds. Don’t look at the sparkling ring he must have designed specially for me. I just look at him.
At the man on his knee before me.
And I use my right hand to grip his chin, making sure he’s watching me.
Making sure he hears.
“I believe you, Husband.”