I Do, Don't I?

Chapter Twenty-Three

He covered my eyes with the piece of cloth and from behind me, his right hand held mine and his left was placed gently on my hip.

"Where are we going?" I asked while I helplessly smiled despite the beat of my heart hammering inside my chest.

"Somewhere you'd surely love." I can't see him but I can tell by his voice that he was smiling as well.

"Have you taken me there before?"

"Do you really want to know?"

I giggled. "I'll take that as a yes."

We continued to take one baby step at a time, afraid that my strappy Jimmy Choos would suddenly sink into soft soil and it would spoil the night but no, we were constantly walking on solid ground, more like a stoned walkway.

"Now, take one step."

I obediently did what he said.

"And another."

I took another step.

"And last one."

I made one last step.

"Can I take it off now?" I asked.

I felt him let go but gently, as though I was a dove and was afraid that I might just suddenly fly away and never come back.

"Yes, you can take it off now."

I slowly took off the cover from my eyes as to not to ruin my mascara. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen and I'm thankful that I'm here right now. Fairy lights decorated the dome of the gazebo. It wasn't too small a space but it was enough for a table for two and a space around it for a slow dance along with the soft music of which I don't know where it is coming from. It was the most romantic setting I've ever been throughout my whole life--okay, I'm a little bit exaggerating since I haven't really recollected my past yet but does it really matter? Any girl would've wished they could see how magical it is to be right here, in this very place, somewhere in a countryside where you thought everything was so plain old and boring with the man who gave you the answers right where you wanted them. Perfect. Just perfect.

"Have you done this before?" I whispered, almost inaudible, afraid that all of this was just an image of a dream and it will all go away if I spoke too loud or even moved.

I felt his breath touch my ear. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes," I said, breathless now. "Yes, I want to know."

"Yes."

His answer didn't make the moment less romantic than it already is and I know what he's exactly trying to do. To be honest, bringing back remnants of what we had in the past made it even more romantic. A taste of desperation could be felt that he wanted me to remember everything we had. While Jude on the other hand, didn't want me to remember anything.

He led me to a woven chair. He sat across me. Everything seemed to be planned out accordingly.

A man dressed in white long-sleeved button-down came and served us garlic toast.

"I love these!" I said before I could even think. Somehow, the old Rebecca kicked in.

"I know you do," he smiled knowingly.

We silently shared the moment as we finished up the toast with our bare hands. The date wasn't superficial. It wasn't like those restaurants where you need to act so refined and had to use fork and knife to cut a bland toast. Yuck.

As if on cue, the same waiter came in and exchanged our empty plates for a new one that was filled with red sauce and on top of it looked like a meatball.