7. Lucy
7
lucy
“All right,” Luke said as I reached for the seventh slot in my calendar. Every day I spent by his side was present enough, but I couldn’t deny that these past seven days had been incredible. He gave me something to look forward to every day, and none of the presents he got for me were the low-effort, casual kind. No, it took money, time, and effort to plan them out, and Luke was more than happy to do that to make me smile. “I have to warn you. These next two slots are more action-based, so if you’re not feeling well...” He trailed off, concern present in his eyes.
“I’m feeling perfectly fine, don’t worry.” I shook my head, feeling like the stomach bug was a distant memory. I was eager for more dates with Luke, though I might give pasta a break for a while. I quickly tore off the wrapping paper to reveal another note—this time, a small envelope with Luke’s handwriting that read, ‘Let’s go back to the beginning…’
Opening the envelope, I found two tickets for the ice rink that Port Cartier set up every year. Luke really meant it when he said we’d revisit our beginnings because this was where our first date took place. I could vividly recall that day—how nervous I was for my first date ever. My mom had a good feeling about it, and she was right. It turned out to be the best date I could have asked for.
“There’s no way…They still do this?” I asked, my eyes wide with surprise. The last time I had been ice skating was exactly ten years ago, so I wasn’t overly confident in my skills.
“They do,” he confirmed with a nod. “And we’re going to ice skate tonight.”
I didn’t know how he made it happen, but Luke had us enter the ice rink after it had officially closed. Ten years ago, we had first skated and then enjoyed a cup of hot cocoa. This time, we reversed the order: we started with hot cocoa and donuts to gain our strength, and once the rink was cleared and shut down, it was our turn.
In all honesty, it hadn’t surprised me that much. Luke was still well-loved in town, so he probably pulled a few strings to make this special evening possible. He helped me put on rental ice skates before lacing up his own, and then we moved onto the ice. My lack of experience showed immediately; if not for his firm grip on my hand, I would’ve slipped.
“Luke!” I squealed as I struggled to keep my balance.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart. Don’t worry. Just try to relax,” he assured me in his soothing voice, gliding effortlessly across the ice. At that moment, he was more dragging me along than I was putting in any effort.
“How are you so good at this?” I asked, still tense as I let him guide me. Fearing another slip, I did minimal legwork, relying entirely on him to keep us steady.
“I’ve been coming here for the past ten years. This place has always reminded me of you,” Luke explained, and I had to fight the urge to cry again. Seriously, what was up with me? After our breakup, I cried so much it felt like my tears were permanently dried up. For the past decade, I’d kept my emotions in check and rarely cried. Yet now, by his side, I found myself crying happy tears almost every day. Maybe I should consult with Landon; this couldn’t be normal.
“I will need you to relax a little and start moving your legs. It’s like regular skating, just a little more slippery. I know you can skate, so I know you can do this too.” He loosened his grip on my hand, and I drew in a sharp breath, encouraged by his words.
Maybe I could do this…
The moment he released me and I tried to move my left leg, I slipped on the ice and landed squarely on my backside with a loud thud. The pain was faint but enough to make me groan.
Luke approached me carefully, his expression serious, but he was clearly struggling to hold back laughter.
“Stop laughing!” I accused him, trying to stay stern.
“I’m not laughing!” he retorted as he raised his hands in the air, though his voice betrayed him, and he burst into laughter.
Shaking my head, I grabbed him by his pants and tugged him toward me so he landed on the ice, tumbling over me. Now, neither of us could stop laughing, the sound echoing deep into the night.
Last night’s ice-skating date left a few bruises on my body, but they were all worth it. I had so much fun that my stomach hurt from how hard I had laughed. The faint muscle pain from laughing also extended to today, but I was ready to do it all over again.
Still snuggled in bed beneath the blankets, I watched as Luke brought over the present for the eighth day of his Advent calendar. I was looking forward to another evening spent with him. While I loved the thoughtful gifts he had been giving me, it was the time we spent together that was the greatest gift of all.
The small box landed in my hands, and Luke gave me a playful wink, encouraging me to open it.
“Go on,” he urged with a grin. As I unwrapped the paper, I found another envelope inside. The note read, ‘Still at the beginning.’ I eyed him curiously, trying to figure out which memorable date this could be tied to. With so many special moments between us, it was hard to narrow it down.
When I opened the envelope, the realization set in. It was a ticket to Port-Cartier’s tiny cinema that only played one movie a week. While I had passed by it a few times, I didn’t think they were still in business. Port-Cartier was a small town, but it offered plenty of activities to do.
This was another of our dates when we first started seeing each other. Luke made sure to take me out somewhere at least once a week. Sometimes, it was to the movies or ice-skating; other times, we’d settle at our favorite spots and enjoy the view together. Both were equally special.
“The movies…” was all I managed to say before Luke cut in.
“Check out what movie’s playing.”
I glanced down once more, my eyes widening in surprise. “ Monkeys Against the World ? Luke! How did you make this happen? They stopped showing this movie over a decade ago…” I shook my head in disbelief. First, the ice rink, and now this? It was like he had some kind of magical power, because there was no way he could pull off these surprises on his own.
“A man in love always has his ways.” Luke smirked. “And if you remember the full date…”
I finished his thought. “We also went to the arcade after the movie. You won me a teddy bear I kept at my mom’s house.”
“Now you know how that date will finish.”
A smirk spread across my face as I met his gaze. “I’m not sure you’re right about that. I think it might end upstairs, in our bedroom, with you buried deep inside me…”
The Monkeys Against the World movie was just as terrible as I remembered, but it held a special place in my heart. It would always be one of my favorite movies, especially when I had Luke’s arm wrapped around me throughout the film, both times I watched it. I didn’t think I’d ever enjoyed a movie in the theater as much as I did tonight.
Afterward, we headed to the arcade, which was small but offered plenty of games to keep us entertained for a better portion of the night—until it shut down at one in the morning.
“You know, I often thought of this arcade when I was away,” I admitted. It was yet another thing I refused to enjoy after our breakup. After not having enjoyed it for so long, it hit me all at once. The lights, the noise, the laughter. It was just as I remembered.
“Me too,” Luke stated, linking his hand with mine. “I knew you would be back here with me someday. Now, if you’ll excuse me…I have a teddy bear to win for the love of my life.”