Undeniable Love
No thank you.
I watched as my dad signed the paperwork and set it to the side. Leaning back, he gave me that all knowing look of his. I wondered how long we were going to sit there and stare at each other before one of us began talking.
Reaching into his drawer, he pulled out the bottle. Setting it on the desk he slid it over to me.
“Your journey of love with Ryn has so far been a bouncy one, has it not?”
Glancing at the bottle, I nodded. “Yes, sir. It has.”
“This journey called love, it’s a crazy ride, Tristan. Like I told you and your brother before, love is a road we travel down. The road isn’t always a smooth paved road. There are times we feel so lost on that road that we want to take a detour, find an easy way out. That never works though, I think you’ve discovered as much.”
Nodding my head, I whispered, “Yes, sir, I have.”
“I look at you and Kathryn together, Tristan, and do you want to know what I see?”
Gazing into my father’s eyes, I asked, “What do you see?”
“A young couple madly in love. It’s almost as if the air around them is charged with the energy from that love. You can’t help but feel it any time they step into a room. It’s a powerful thing, love. It has the power to make you so incredibly happy you can’t even think straight, and the capability of completely destroying another person to the point of no return.” Nodding his head, he looked down. “When I told you the story of the journey of love, I left out something important.”
“What was that, Dad?”
Lifting his eyes, I couldn’t help but notice the tears forming. “Once you start the journey, there is no going back. Love takes a hold of your heart, Tristan, and it grips it like a vice. Hard and strong. But that vice can be broken easily. The journey is meant to be a lifetime, but not everyone gets to experience such a love.”
Swallowing hard, I looked away.
“Are you willing to fight for it, son? Not just a month from now, or a year from now, but twenty years down the road, will you be willing to fight for your love with everything you got?”
Tears formed in my eyes as I thought about how badly I had hurt Ryn. Going to talk my voice cracked. Closing my eyes, I cleared my throat, “I’m willing, Dad, with everything in my heart and soul. I’d die first before I ever hurt her.”
Smiling, he slowly gave me a nod. “Then you know what to do.”
Reaching out for the bottle, I pulled it into my hand. I was ready to commit the rest of my life to Ryn. I was ready to pour my heart and soul out to her. Standing, I looked at my father.
“I know the idea is to not read the letters.”
Dad nodded his head and lifted the corner of his mouth into a smirk.
“I’d like to change that tradition.”
Letting out a chortle, he said, “Somehow son, I knew you would.”
“I’d like for Ryn and I both to write a letter to each other. Then exchange the letters and read them together before tossing it into the ocean. I’m not very good with expressing my love to Ryn. I’m not romantic in the least bit and with this . . . I just think it’s important to share with each other what is in our hearts.”
“I think that is a beautiful new tradition, Tristan.”
Turning on my heels, I headed back to the door. Before opening it, I looked over my shoulder. “You and Mom read your letters to each other, didn’t you?”
Lifting an eyebrow, he said, “There is not a damn thing I can keep from that woman. Not a damn thing.”
Letting out a chuckle, I opened the door and left my father’s office. Gripping the bottle in my hand, I headed to the barn. I sat on the hay and started planning my future with, Ryn. The more I saw, the happier I was.
Our bottle would surely hit calm seas and rough seas. But it would last though the strongest hurricane. This I felt in the very being of my soul.
Walking through the house, Ryn carried a notebook while she took notes on things that I saw needed to be finished still.
“Looks like we are more than halfway done,” Ryn said with hope in her voice.
Looking toward the ceiling, I nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I’d say we were for sure over halfway done. The only problem I can see are the cabinets. The custom cabinet maker is running a few weeks behind.”
Ryn scrunched up her nose and said, “Crap, I forgot about that. Who picked those stupid cabinets anyway?”
Spinning around on my heels, I looked at her. “I believe it was you.”
Giggling, she took a few steps back. “What? I have no idea what you are talking about. None.”