This Love is Ours

Chapter 19: Summer Nights & City Lights

{Abigail}

The skyline is familiar through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The Chicago skyline.

God, that skyline has claimed my heart.

This city has, to be honest.

I watch it with fervent eyes, carefully eyeing each and every component.

The Sears Tower, the John Hancock Center... they all have such important roles in the skyline.

It's Sunday, July 17, about 7:30 in the evening.

Patrick and I got home from Buffalo this morning, around noon.

We got in at ORD, and drove straight to the apartment.

We have been hanging out all day, simply watching TV and eating popcorn.

Neither of us felt like doing anything this afternoon, so we didn't.

We just had a lazy day inside.

It has been really nice.

However, Patrick insisted that we go out later this evening, and he suggested the Chicago River Night Cruise.

I, of course, agreed.

I have been on that cruise plenty of times before, but I could never do it enough times.

It's gorgeous, especially at night.

The cruise is at 7:45, so Patrick and I are just getting ready to leave now.

I stand at the floor-to-ceiling windows at the end of the apartment, admiring the skyline.

The sun is getting ready to set, and being so high up, I can see it as it makes its way slowly down the horizon.

About three-quarters of it is still above the horizon, and the rest of it appears to be below the lake.

I am shaken out of my thoughts by Patrick coming down the stairs.

"You ready to go, love?" He asks, as he takes his first step onto the main floor of the apartment.

I turn around, smiling.

"Definitely." I say, grabbing my purse from where I had set it down on the table, a few minutes ago.

Patrick is wearing a dark blue v-neck with grey shorts, and a backwards flat-brim Chicago Cubs hat.

I have decided on a white tank top, with a leather jacket over top, leaving the zipper undone, as well as a pair of skinny jeans, and flats.

Patrick extends his hand out, and I take his hand.

The two of us make our way out of the apartment, and down eighty-four floors through the elevator.

The docks where the night cruises run out of, are literally right outside of Trump Tower, so it takes about a minute to walk to them.

Patrick and I make our way down the main entrance steps of Trump Tower, and over to the dock where the boats all bob lazily in the river.

It's Sunday night, so it's fairly quiet in Downtown Chicago, but there are still a few people out and about walking.

The sun has officially set, and it is really starting to get dark out.

The streets and sidewalks are illuminated by large streetlights, however.

Patrick and I make our way down to the dock, where we pay for two tickets, and then we wait in line for the boat to start boarding.

I notice that there are no other people in line for the night cruise, which is somewhat odd.