Chapter 14
“Okay, that turned out better than I thought it would,” Brennon admitted as he playfully bumped into Katy. They were leaving a movie after a mini date night. He had gone to Katy’s family on their annual day-after-Christmas gathering then taken Katy to the movies, letting her decide what movie. To no surprise, Katy picked a chick flick then had to practically drag Brennon into the theater by his wrist.
Katy laughed, shaking her head before chucking some popcorn into her mouth. “See… I told you that you just need to trust me when it comes to picking movies. I always pick the best movies.”
“Ha!” Brennon said, with extra oomph. “Well, I wouldn’t say that.”
Brennon looked over at Katy, admiring her beauty. They headed out into the mall then toward the parking garage. It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to surprise his random chuckle. Brennon knew that Katy was probably chomping at the bit to get the details of his day. Today had been the day Brennon went to breakfast with Katy’s father Richard for a “little talk.” He knew it would only be a matter of time before Katy demanded to know what happened on this breakfast meeting.
Brennon helped Katy into the car then they pulled out of the garage and headed back toward downtown. Once they got onto a parkway that winded alongside the river, several minutes of silence came to an end when Katy slammed her palms against her thighs. “Okay, come on, Brennon. Let’s stop this.”
Brennon burst into laughter. “I knew it! I knew it!” He then carried on laughing, even turning and laughing harder at Katy’s confused face.
“You knew what?” Katy asked, trying to figure out what was so damn funny. “Seriously, Brennon. You knew what? What are you thinking that you knew?”
Brennon finally contained himself, wiping his watering eyes. “I knew it. I knew that you were just waiting on the right moment to bring it up.” He grinned, smiling and glancing over at Katy. “You just won’t let it be, will you. Why do you want to know?”
“What do you mean why would I want to know?” Katy asked. “You said you were going to breakfast with my dad.” She smiled, blushing. “So, what did you two talk about? Who suggested you guys go to breakfast together? Was it you or my dad?”
“Oh, now now,” Brennon said, shaking his head. “Why does that matter?”
“It does,” Katy said firmly. “So, spill… Who suggested this sudden breakfast?”
“Hmm,” Brennon said, putting his index finger on his chin as if he were solving a difficult puzzle. “You know...Now that I think about it… I really can’t remember how that came up.” He glanced over at Katy and grinned, raising his eyebrows.
“Okay, okay, very funny, Brennon,” Katy said. “But, seriously, did my dad call you about this breakfast? If he did, I swear he didn’t say anything to me about it or I would’ve warned you, I promise.”
Brennon laughed. “Warned me. Sometimes you make it sound like he’s in the mafia or something.”
“Well,” Katy said, rolling her eyes. “You never know. My father could be the one and nobody ever know it.”
“Now, now Katy,” Brennon said, trying to suppress his laugh. “Why does it matter? We just had a quick catch up breakfast.”
“So, what did you talk about?” Katy asked. “If it wasn’t that big of a deal, why can’t you tell me what you talked about?”
“Okay, dang, Katy,” Brennon said. “We talked about the weather and some politics.”
“Weather and politics at ten o’clock in the morning on the day after Christmas?” Katy asked then rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. I don’t believe that for one second, Brennon. Fess up. Something is going on. You need to tell me.”
Brennon chuckled. “Wow, you’re already talking that way. How funny.”
Katy squinted at Brennon then turned back to the street ahead, storefront buildings now hugging either side.
Brennon glanced over at Katy then looked out at the snowy city. “I got an idea, actually.”
Brennon turned at the next stop light, pretending as if this change in plans was spontaneous. It wasn’t, but he knew he could be a good actor. He remembered supposedly being in love when he was in his twenties, but his feelings for Katy were something much stronger. She was everything he wanted in a woman – a woman he thought he would never find.
“Where are we going?” Katy asked once the car turned onto an older street that headed directly into downtown. “We’re not going home?”
Brennon shook his head. “Naw, not just yet. Why? You don’t have anywhere to be tomorrow.”
Katy playfully slapped Brennon’s shoulder. “You don’t know that, Brennon. I could have a booked day tomorrow.”
Brennon looked over at Katy with eyes that said yeah, I don’t believe that for one minute.
“Oh, calm down, Katy,” Brennon said, calmly as he then turned onto a different street that led into the core of downtown. “You’ll like it. Do you trust me, Jasmine? Do you?”
Katy picked up on Brennon’s Aladdin pun and laughed. “Okay, that was cleaver. I’ll give you that.”
“Hmm, hmm,” Brennon said, acting chummy. “I knew it would be. Isn’t a man always cleaver.”
“Yeah, whatever,” Katy said. “So, why won’t you tell me what you and my dad talked about, Brennon? Don’t tell me what it was that you two talked about. Instead, just tell me why you won’t tell me. Why?”
Brennon laughed. “Because it was a man’s conversation.”
“A man’s conversation.” Katy shook her head.
Brennon crossed the river then turned down a side street, leading through a tight community of close houses and grand trees that canopied over the street. He looked over at Katy, wondering just how far she would go to find out about the talk he had with her father. He then patted his inside pocket – something he’d been doing for much of the day. With Katy now living with him, it’d been somewhat hard to get away to certain places. He and Katy’s friendship was so organic at this point that he truly enjoyed going just about anywhere with her, which was hard to believe in itself.
“Where are we going, Brennon?” Katy asked as she looked around at the neighborhood.
“Oh, Katy,” Brennon said, turning onto a different street – one that led back toward a park. “You didn’t forget about this place, did you?”
Katy looked around then started smiling. She was so used to going to her favorite park from the other side that coming from this side had thrown her off. She turned and looked out the back window. Downtown – its east side – glowed in the distance. Just then, there was a clearing at the side of the street Brennon had just turned onto. From here, Katy could look down the snowy river bank. A barge carrying cargo rolled down the river with the core of downtown sparkling in the background.
Katy blushed, looking over at Brennon. “Really, Brennon? You could’ve told me we were going to my favorite park. I’ve never come in from this side.”
“Yeah, I thought it might be a nice way to end the night,” Brennon said. The road curved then led to a park entrance with a large sign reaching over the center of the road. It then winded between patches of woods. Picnic tables were practically buried; the jungle gyms looked like random objects in the shadows of thick forestry. Snowdrifts pushed massive amounts of snow across the barely-plowed road. “I used to have a cousin that lived on this side of the park and we would use this entrance. I don’t think a lot of people know it’s here.”
Brennon continued driving with the winding road. Every so often, he would look over at Katy with sly eyes. He then noticed Katy’s suspicious facial expressions. “What?”
“What what?” Katy asked. “I’m wondering what you’re up to.”
“Why is it that I’m always up to something?” Brennon asked. “You act like I’m taking you back to the back of the park, out of sight of everyone and where nobody would hear your screams and cries for help to cut your body into little pieces then throw them into the river and nobody ever be the wiser.” He grinned like the class clown in high school.
“Yeah,” Katy said, looking off at a monument so covered in snow it was starting to look like a snowman. “I’m watching you, Brennon.”
Brennon laughed then pulled into the same parking lot – the very same parking space – where he and she made passionate love the first night he brought her here. When Brennon parked, he looked over at Katy. “I trust you remember this place, don’t you?”
A chuckle slipped out of Katy’s mouth. “Yeah, I remember.” She smiled. “But you’re not seriously thinking about having a repeat, are you?”
“No, no,” Brennon said, undoing his seat belt. “I was actually thinking that maybe we could take a walk.”
“Take a walk?” Katy asked, surprised. “A walk in the snowy park at….at...” She checked the time on the dashboard. “A walk in the park at nearly eleven o’clock at night? And it’s snowy?”
Brennon nodded, shrugging his shoulders. “Yeah, sure. Why not?”
Katy started rambling off reasons walking in the snowy park at this time of night would be a bad idea. Brennon simply chuckled then climbed out of the car. Shaking his head and holding back his laughter, he walked around the front of the car to Katy’s side and opened the door. Katy looked up at him with a confused look. “Brennon, are you serious?”
Light flurries fell from the sky, as any major snow had faded off earlier in the evening. “Yes, I am,” he said, stepping back and holding his arm out. “Come on, Katy. Let’s go on a walk.”
“But it’s late,” Katy said, unfastening her seat belt.
“I know what time it is, Katy,” Brennon said, smiling. “Come on… Get out of the car. I really think we need to go on this walk.”
Katy climbed out of the car, graciously accepting Brennon’s gentlemanly assistance. She griped about how absurd doing something like this was she looked over at the winding road they used to enter the park. “Well, at least it’s not really that cold...for now.”
“When I’m with you, I don’t notice the weather,” Brennon said, pushing the car door closed. “Only thing I notice is you.”
Katy’s eyes slanted toward Brennon. “Oh God… Please don’t start saying things like that. You better make sure some monster doesn’t get me out here.”
Brennon held his arm out, motioning for Katy to lock her arm in his. He chuckled. “You’ve been around those kids too long I see.”
“Yeah, well,” Katy said. “Sometimes I think they might really be on to something.” She wrapped her scarf up around her neck. “Okay, let’s go on this walk.” She glanced around. “Since I’m out of the car and it’s not that cold...at the moment.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe I’m doing this. But I’m doing it with you, so that makes it better.”
Brennon guided Katy toward the trail, which based on what they could see led down a slight slope then into the woods between the parking lot and the river. Brennon glanced over at Katy every-so-many seconds and smiled. Something about being with Katy made him feel young again – rejuvenated. She was literally everything he wanted in a woman. And he could see how much she was changing since they started seeing one another, as well as how he had changed. There was no better feeling to him than to have Katy’s arm locked around his and to be guiding her through a mall, in an art gallery, or down a sidewalk downtown.
The trail winded down a slight slope. Soon enough, when Brennon looked back toward the parking lot, it was out of sight. He smiled, glancing over at Katy who he could feel was still a bit uneasy. Rather, she was confused as to why they were going on a walk in the snowy park, down a trail, so late at night.
“You cold yet?” Brennon asked.
Katy paused for a moment and thought about the answer. “No, not really. It’s really not too cold. Plus, I’m wearing by heavier coat today. As long as the wind doesn’t start blowing. You know how that goes… It’s not that cold until the wind starts blowing.”
Brennon chuckled. “Yeah, I know what you mean. So, I wanted to ask you something, Katy. If you don’t mind, that is.”
“Of course, Brennon,” Katy said as they pleasantly strolled. The trail lights being illuminated certainly helped. The clouds that had been hovering over the city for much of the evening moved on. Through the park’s trees’ bare branches, a full moon glowed almost like a personal spotlight on Brennon and Katy. Katy smiled, looking up at Brennon. “Why would I mind? What is it you want to ask me?”
Brennon playfully squinted at Katy then continued. “Well, so I was wondering something. What are we?”
“What are we?” Katy asked. “What do you mean what are we?”
“Yeah, what are we?” Brennon asked. “How do you see our relationship?”
Katy stared off for a moment, trying to process it all. “Um, well, I don’t know. I guess I’ve never really thought about it.”
“Okay, let me reword it,” Brennon said. “How do you feel about me?”
“Brennon, seriously?” Katy said. “You know I love you...really. I’ve told you that, so why do you have to ask?”
Brennon chuckled. “Yeah, but that’s not what I asked you, Katy. I asked how do you feel about me? What kind of guy do I seem like to you?”
Katy giggled. “Okay, I’ll play your game.” She took a deep breath. “You’re charming and handsome and sophisticated… Well, sometimes.”
Brennon choked on his own laughter, turning to Katy. “Sometimes? Well, dang. What am I the other times? A brute?”
Katy laughed. “Oh, calm down, Brennon.” She playfully slapped his shoulder. “You know I was just playing with you. Seriously, you are my first love to be honest.”
“Your first love?” Brennon asked. “Seriously?”
Katy glanced up at Brennon with a face that let him know she found it odd that he would question such a thing. “Yes, really. Why did you ask me like you didn’t believe it?”
“Well,” Brennon began, choosing his words carefully, “I’m not saying I didn’t believe it, but I guess we’ve never really talked about it… We’ve never really talked too much about our past relationships beyond general details.”
“Yeah, I guess you are right.” Katy noticed the river coming into view. “I know you said you haven’t been married yet. I mean, after all, if you had gotten married, the family would’ve known about it.”
“But you really think of me as your first love?” Brennon asked. He looked off at the glowing skyline setting on the other side of the river. Brennon never thought of himself as being a sentimental guy, but something about Katy saying that he was her first love really got to him. “Really? Are you serious or are you just telling me that? You know how you women are… Always telling a man what he wants to hear just to get what you want.”
“Ha!” Katy said then burst into laughter. “Is that what happens, huh. No, seriously, yes. I do consider you my first love. I’ve never really had a serious long-term relationship before you and I got involved with one another.” She chuckled, thinking about Eve. “I don’t know if I ever told you this, either, but I was a virgin when we met.”
Brennon’s eyebrows raised with surprise. He wanted to say something about the last part, but figured it might come across strange if he did. Instead, he pulled his arm from Katy’s embrace and stopped. He then held both of Katy’s hands as he looked into her eyes. Flurries fell, but nothing heavy. The trail at this point had been dusted in a light dusting of snow. Directly behind Katy was a bench setting at the side of the trail; a lamp was diagonally behind her. With where she stood, she looked so angelic – her light brown hair glowed in the light.
“Katy, I want to say something,” Brennon said, knowing that he was still going to hold off on his ultimate goal – the true reason he brought Katy to this park at this time of night. He looked into Katy’s eyes then briefly touched her chin. “I love you and you know that.”
Katy nodded with an expected demeanor. “I love you too, Brennon.”
“And I want you to know that I really don’t care what your family thinks of our relationship,” Brennon said. “I wanted to tell you as well that you’re really my first love.”
Katy looked at Brennon with contempt, as if she didn’t fully believe what she was hearing. “Brennon, you don’t have to tell me that just because I said the same thing to you. It’s no secret there’s a considerable age difference between the two of us. Even though I don’t always feel like it, there is. You were in love before me. Now that I think about it, you did mention what’s-her-name from when you were in your twenties.”
Brennon waved his hand dismissively. “Yeah, but she wasn’t really love. Honestly, Katy, I want you to listen to me. I didn’t know what love was until I met you. That woman… I thought I loved her, but now I realize that really wasn’t love. That was infatuation.” He gripped her hands tighter. “This is love, Katy. This right here. What you and I have. This is love. I’m actually kind of glad you fell out with your parents when they found out you were seeing me.”
Katy’s forehead wrinkled then she giggled. “Why?”
“Because,” Brennon said, leaning closer and putting his left hand up at the side of Katy’s face, “I get to come to you everyday now. And I love that. I love the way you’ve not only changed me, but what you’ve done to my apartment.”
“Oh, please.” Katy rolled her eyes. “I haven’t done anything to your place.”
“The pink flowers in the bathroom.” Brennon noticed Katy look away like a caught, guilty little girl. “But that’s okay. I used to hate pink, but not now. Anyway, this stuff has been on my mind all day...all week really. I think your family is starting to change how they feel about it. And mine too. I told you my dad wants to take us out to eat, but I don’t know if I’m ready for all that just yet to be honest.”
Katy laughed.
Brennon leaned in and kissed Katy passionately. They stared into one another’s for a few long, sweet seconds before Brennon grabbed Katy by the hand and pulled her on down the trail.
“So, how far down this trail are we going, Brennon?” Katy asked, smiling. “If a snow drift blows up and buries us in snow, how are going to get out?”
“As long as I’m buried with you, Katy, I don’t really care,” Brennon said.
“Oh, so I guess you’re turning into the modern-day Shakespeare with some of this stuff you’re saying now,” Katy said. “That was cleaver too. I give you that.”
Brennon chuckled. The trail continued winding down the slope. A few minutes later, Brennon and Katy came to where it dead-ended, which was at the bank of the river. Brennon smiled as Katy pulled away and stepped up to where the water barely swished up onto the icy bank and touched the tips of her shoes. The moon, slightly to the right of where they stood, rested directly above the bend in the river. Katy smiled.
“This view is so beautiful, Brennon,” Katy said. “I’ve never been to this part.”
“Yeah, I thought I would bring you here at night,” Brennon said. He then pointed toward a makeshift trail that disappeared into the darkness of the woods. “We used to go up that trail to a little clearing and grill and just hang out… me and my friends when we were teenagers.”
Katy nodded. “Sounds fun. I wish I did stuff like that when I was a teen.”
“Yeah,” Brennon said.
A strong breeze whipped through the woods. The naked trees swayed side to side; the sound of howling wind soon followed. Katy turned her back to the wind then buried her face the collar of her coat before leaning in closer to Brennon. Brennon graciously reciprocated, wrapping his arm around Katy’s back and pulling her close to him as he smiled.
“Okay, I was doing okay until the wind blew,” Katy said, chuckling. Finally, she could turn back around. Again, she stepped up to the edge of the bank. The presumably ice-cold water rushed up over the muddy rocks. This moment felt so surreal in so many ways – in the snowy woods, down at the edge of the river; downtown on the other side. Katy would’ve never in a million years imagined herself being out here, especially at this time of night.
“Okay, well, I’ll get to the real reason I brought you out here, then, Katy,” Brennon said, reaching into his coat’s inside pocket.
Katy abruptly turned her head and had opened her mouth to say something. Before she could force any words out, Brennon had pulled his arm out of the inside of his coat. In his hand was a small black box – a ring box. Snow flurries fell from the sky; a slight breeze pushed snow off of the bare branches reaching out over them. Moonlight managed to penetrate the arriving clouds enough to reflect on the river. Katy lifted her right hand and covered her mouth in disbelief.
“Brennon?” Katy said. “You’re not, are you? Brennon, what are you doing?”
Brennon smiled, holding the ring box in his hand and looking into Katy’s eyes. He then bent one knee and knelt down as best he could without pressing his knee into the snow mud under he and Katy. “Katy, I thought I would bring you out here to ask you something.”
Katy nodded and wiped her tearing eyes. This was so unexpected – so unreal. “Yes, Brennon? Yes?”
Brennon chuckled, picking up on just how excited Katy was. It only made him smile harder. “Well, first, let me say that this is what I went and met with your father for breakfast this morning. To ask for his blessing in having his daughter’s hand in marriage. He gave his blessing, Katy.”
Katy nodded. She was now on the verge of breaking down in tears. Hearing that her father had finally come around and put his feelings aside for the sake of his daughter’s love evoked an emotion so strong inside of her that she hadn’t even noticed the wind blowing once again. Her anxious face was enough for Brennon to go on without her saying anything.
“Katy, I thought I had loved before,” Brennon said. “And maybe I did...maybe. But, I’m here tonight, on the river, in the snow with you. And I can honestly tell you that you are the love of my life. I know what people might think about you and I having a relationship, but maybe there’s some reason for that.” He cleared his throat and opened the box, pulling the ring out. “Katy, would you do me the honor of being my wife?”
At this point, Katy’s eyes watered so heavily anything outside of her peripheral was a snowy blur. At a loss for words, for many reasons, she nodded her head anxiously. She then extended her left hand and allowed Brennon to slide the ring onto her hand. “Yes, Brennon! Yes! I will marry you.”
Brennon slid the ring onto Katy’s hand then stood up. Strong passion forced them upon one another. There, they kissed. Katy imagined her life as Brennon’s wife; Brennon was already looking forward to coming home for the rest of his life, every day to a woman who had changed him in so many ways. The snow picked up, now accumulating at their feet. A heavy cloud had moved out of the way just enough for the moonlight to shine down on the river's bank. When Katy and Brennon parted lips, they looked into one another eyes then hugged one another, Katy’s head resting on Brennon’s shoulder. They both looked toward the skyline.
“I love you, Katy,” Brennon said.
One last tear strolled down the side of her face as he eyes fixed on the high rises. “I love you too, Brennon.”