Jade
I LEFT EARLY each morning to make sure the shoppe was ready for Friday and the Labor Day holiday weekend ahead.
It was Thursday, the day before the grand opening. With Tommy still sleeping in my bed, Lucky right next to him, silently, I walked to the door to leave without disturbing him. Placing my hand on the doorjamb, I spied my Starfish dangling from my wrist. Looking back, Lucky’s head popped up, her tail lightly tapped the blanket. My eyes went from her to the man who rescued her…the man who rescued me.
Tommy’s hair flopped over his eyes, the sheets covered the parts of him that could keep me in bed all day long. His inked arms flexed over his head as he slept through my departure. I loved him more than I could have imagined. Hesitant to leave, I whispered, “I love you,” before going to work at the new place.
Today was frantic. Although we had no customers, we did have the occasional pleasant interruption of one of the locals inquiring about the opening, or one of our regulars coming by to make sure we opened on schedule, as promised. None of it was annoying, all of them showed how much they cared about our work and how they were looking forward to tomorrow.
My staff finished up. We were ready. I stayed behind to put some finishing touches on my office space, make a few calls, and of course, pay a few bills. When done, I locked the office door and walked up the hallway through the opening to the pastry area. The entrance from the back allowed me to enter from behind the cases of the displayed treats. Surveying each shelf, a wide smile formed on my face that almost hurt. I was proud, happy, excited, scared…ready.
Yeah, we’re ready.
Standing up to stretch, I decided it was time to shut the shoppe down for the day and head home for dinner with Tommy. Before leaving, I noticed a cellophane package tied in teal ribbon lying on the cookie scale in the center of the case in front of me. It was odd, but it may have been left there by one of my staff members. Whatever it was, I picked it up to put back in the case, but upon closer examination, I realized it was filled with Starfish of all different sizes.
What the hell?
Then I saw the tag…Tommy.
“Hey, baby, close up and call me. Change of plans for tonight. I’m taking you on a treasure hunt.”
A curious laugh escaped me. I picked up the phone to call him. It went directly to voicemail, but the message was all mine.
“Jade, right on time. Here’s your first clue, go out to your car. You’ll find your driver for the evening waiting there to take you on a small adventure. Remember, this is all in fun, and I love you.”
Then the beep came.
“I love you, Tommy.”
Coming around the front of the building revealed my driver dressed in a black tuxedo jacket with three quarter length sleeves and black short shorts, killer, knee-high patent leather boots, and a chauffeur’s hat.
Blaze.
“Hey, sweetie, hop in and let’s do this.” Her red tresses straightened, with stripes of blonde and gold shimmering in the late day sun.
“Hey, do you know where we’re going?” I was dying to find out what was going on.
“No, I haven’t a clue, but Tommy did give me this card and I was told expressly not to open it until I picked you up.”
Taking the small aged paper envelope from Blaze’s hand, I noticed the feel of sand washed across its surface. Jade… written on the front, a wax seal in the shape of a scallop shell secured the flap. Opening it released more sand along with the contents…another small note.
“Your driver should take you to the beach house. The ride you will be using for the evening will be waiting there for both of you, with another clue.”
“Okay, let’s head over there.”
The ride to the beach house was my natural route to and from work, but this time heading home offered some trepidation, as I wondered what Tommy was up to. The closer to the house Blaze and I got, the more we realized the car we would be using was my brother’s Mustang. It had been tucked away in one of the garage spaces below the living quarters of the beach house. Tommy must have had it repaired, with Viv’s help, I’m sure. The body and interior were in great shape, white with deep blue navy seats and huge white wall tires. The engine needed some TLC, as it hadn’t been driven regularly in years.
Blaze parked my 181, and we situated ourselves in our new ride. The top was down, so I climbed into the back seat to find my next clue. Blaze discovered it first under her seat.
“Got it!” Raising her arm in the air with another small pouch in hand.
In the pouch was another note and a handful of scallop shells along with more sand.
“Drive Jade down the Boulevard. Her next clue will be visible from the car. If you get to the Causeway turn off and turn around. It means you missed it and you’ll have to go back, retrace and try again.”
We both stared at each other.
“What the hell is he talking about?”
I shook my head slowly. “Haven’t got a clue…well, you know what I mean.”
Like teenagers, we laughed and headed out to the main thoroughfare on LBI.
The traffic was heavy due to the holiday weekend approaching. This allowed us to keep a slower pace as not to miss Tommy’s clue for the next leg of our tour…and there it was. We couldn't have missed it. There on 11th street was a banner overhead. It was teal in color and stretched the width of the street. It displayed the Mustang and two whimsical cartoon-like women in the car. One with red hair and one with brown. Trailing behind the car in the banner was an explosion of seashells and our directions.
“Ladies, follow your road 9.5 miles to the light, to the end of your journey together.”
Again, Blaze and I looked at one another, smiling because we knew exactly where this road led. It was to the other end of the island. Where cars could no longer travel. To Old Barney, to the lighthouse on LBI’s northern end. Its beacon stood for so many things, to so many people. For me, it stood for summers gone by, cherished times with Jimmy, my fear of heights, my race to the top…my childhood.
Blaze parked the car in the lot. As if in a trance, we got out and realized the parking lot was empty. How could this be? This was a popular tourist attraction. The lighthouse didn’t close to visitors this early in the evening. Then I spotted it…my next clue. It was hanging on the sign at the edge of the lot where visitors would enter for the nature trails.
“There it is!” I pointed to the sign near the East End.
“If you’re reading this note, then Blaze’s part of the journey ends here and yours begins. Leave Blaze behind and walk the rock-lined path up to Old Barney.”
Doubling back past the Mustang and past Blaze I reached the entrance to the path Tommy was referring to. I stopped at the footpath that connected to the parking lot and turned back to Blaze.
“You can’t be undecided on what to do, sweetie. Go and see what this fun is all about.”
I nodded and had the feeling she knew more than she was letting on. Walking the path on the right of side of the lighthouse grounds parallel to the rock jetty, nestled between me and the Atlantic Ocean, seemed odd with no other visitors taking in the amazing views. My pace was unhurried so I could find any additional clues Tommy had for me along the way.
I found one.
“Jade, continue along the path to Old Barney, no more clues are necessary except to head inside the light and climb those famous steps.”
Famous…he wasn't kidding. The lighthouse beacon was first lit in 1859 and there it still stood today, 172 feet above the sea. To reach the top, I was going to have to climb those famous steps, as Tommy put it…all 217 of them.
I reached the door… emotions in my head were swirling. I took the first steps slowly, apprehensive, hesitant. Along the way, my confidence and the fun began to build. Every so many steps, I lost count, there was another note card with shells glued to it and tied to the railing. Each message was different, funny, motivating, or a whimsical drawing like two hearts intertwined, or lips perched to kiss. Winding the spiraling yellow staircase, I reached the top and went inside. It was just as I always remembered, white paneled walls, original wood flooring in a circular room sitting beneath the light, that harbored framed photographs of years gone by, telling the story of this magnificent part of Long Beach Island’s history.
There was a smaller, narrow white staircase. Each of its steps exposed the old wood beneath the tattered edges, worn from overuse. The stairs curled along the one side of the top room. They rose to the light, but tonight Tommy came down those few steps from the light to greet me.
“Surprise, baby…” He said smiling, confident, something hidden in his hands.
Toe to toe with me, his breathed in my presence, as my eyes drank in his features. Strangely the questions as to why he brought me here, washed out to sea. All I could focus on was him—his strength, his conviction. The way he appeared to be looking at me as if it was for the first time. I was whole, my heart full, my worries of the past few weeks evaporated into the salty air.
Tommy’s manner, quiet, he pressed his lips to mine. He was subdued. Pulling back slightly, his jaw tensely pulsed, his intent unclear, but imminent.
Taking both my hands to his mouth, then placing them over his heart, he whispered.
“Jade, I love you. I didn't know if this, us…would ever be possible. From the moment I didn't know you, but met you on the dance floor, something in my world shifted. I knew I made the right decision to move here. For the first time in a long time, life felt the way I hope it would.”
“I feel exactly the same way. Even when I fought this, us, I loved you. I can't imagine going back to my old life. I can’t imagine life without you.”
“Good, I was hoping you’d say something like that.”
“You were?”
“Yeah.” Then he stopped and kneeled, lifting a small box out of his back pocket.
“Jade, I want to marry you. I want you to be mine, always. Will you?”
My smile popped, my tears fell, my breathing hitched, as I kneeled down to give him my answer.
“Yes, Tommy, I will.”
He wrapped his arms around me to kiss me and stopped.
Squinting, I asked, “What’s wrong?”
“You realize you broke your own promise.”
Cocking my head to the side, with a perplexed smirk on my face. “What’s that?”
“If I remember correctly, you distinctly said you wouldn't get married in six months.”
Teasing him, “Oh, that’s right, I did say that. In that case, I think I’ll change my answer.”
“Not a chance, baby, you said yes and yes it stays.” Tommy owned my mouth once again and then took my hand and slid the most beautiful engagement ring onto my finger.
It was made of white gold. The band…there were two. They delicately resembled fisherman’s rope. The braiding started along the sides and twisted up and under the base of the center stone. The jewel of the ring was a large princess cut gemstone of Aquamarine, surrounded by a square halo of smaller diamonds.
The ring was exquisite in its own right, made even more so when Tommy turned my hand over and kissed my palm, and said…
“Read it.”
I did as he asked, but silently protested, as he just placed it on my hand. Yet, when I read what he had inscribed, removing it, made our day—our engagement even more poignant.
The inscription read:
Together, we will chase the sun & follow the moon…