This is paradise. True, honest, real paradise. The kind of goal she'd dreamed about for so long. In love, on a beach, resting from doing what she loves for a living. She glances at her parents, then leans her head on Rene's shoulder. "This is ... perfect." "It could be." Rene whispers, turning to kiss the top of her head. Celine beams, truly and completely happy. The next few days somehow take forever and pass so quickly. She can remember every moment, every smile, every amazing moment with her parents and Rene, and even alone, just reading on the beach as the waves tickle her toes. It's everything she hoped and more. And every day, Rene is there, always close, always reliable. They talk, they laugh, they spend time together just being together and she never gets tired of it. Just like she never gets tired of ending the day swinging with him on the back porch. Drinking coffee or wine, whatever they get to. Even with her parents there, there's a sense of freedom she's never known. No cameras prying into her personal life. No reporters lurking around corners, eager to get her at her worst or most embarrassed, or find and prod little imperfections. There's just ... Celine. Just her getting to be herself without worry. They decide to go to a live music bar on the second to last night and Celine claps along tothe music, her meal forgotten. She notices couples dancing on the open space in front of the stage and sighs as she watches them. An elderly couple is so soaked in one another, the rest of the world, the beat of the music,nothing else matters. They move like they're young, dancing and laughing, kissing whenever they get the chance. Celine sways with the music in her chair until the song ends. She clapsloudly with everyone else and smiles back at her parents.
