she told me that she wanted to buy you something special to celebrate your friendship and then mentioned that you haven’t been showered with gifts, I promised her that I would be buying you enough gifts to make up for everything you’ve been lacking. Anyway, it’s our one-year anniversary today, and I fancied surprising you. I shaved and got all dapper for you—I even got a hair snip. I had this whole speech worked out and I was going to beg you to be mine indefinitely, and then it all went tits up.”
Why is she silent? I just told her I love her! She must say something or I’ll die. She must!
“Let’s hear your speech. It better be good, Liam.” She sounds harsh, but I can sense the beginning of what may possibly be a smile, and she just said my name again.
I find her gift on the floor and pick it up. I ask her to hold it and she takes it, rolling her eyes. God I love this bird.
I position myself perfectly in front of her, stretch my neck and begin the most important speech of my life. “I was going to come and tell you that I, Liam Spencer Knight, have been ‘Free Falling’ by Tom Petty ever since you brought me ‘Back To Life’ by Soul II Soul. I have been ‘Waiting For A Girl Like You’ by Foreigner my whole life, and you ‘Sara’ by Starship ‘Take My Breath Away’ by Berlin. ‘When I See You Smile’ by Bad English, I understand ‘The Power Of Love’ by Celine Dion because “Nothing Compares 2U” by Sinéad O’Connor. I’ve been ‘Alone’ by Heart and ‘Living On A Prayer’ by Bon Jovi trying to not ‘Run To You’ by Bryan Adams every day because ‘How Am I Supposed To Live Without You’ by Laura Branigan when all I want is for you to ‘Hold Me Now’ by Thompson Twins.
“I have ‘Sweet Dreams’ by The Eurythmics about your beautiful ‘Hungry Eyes’ by Eric Carmen and remember ‘Time After Time’ by Cyndi Lauper how your ‘Lips Like Sugar’ by Echo & The Bunnymen taste ‘Just Like Heaven’ by The Cure. ‘I’m Crazy for You’ by Madonna and I don’t care about your ‘Little Lies’ by Fleetwood Mac or your ‘Tainted Love’ by Soft Cell. I’ve been ‘Working My Way Back To You’ by The Spinners, chanting each day I see you; ‘Don’t You Forget About Me’ by Simple Minds.
“Baby, ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ by Journey because I know that ‘Love Is A Battlefield’ by Pat Benatar, and we will make it ‘Against All Odds’ by Phil Collins. I will go ‘Through The Fire’ by Chaka Khan to prove to you my ‘Endless Love’ by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross because I’m ‘Still Loving You’ by The Scorpions. And I promise you they will ‘Never Tear Us Apart’ by INXS! Sara, ‘You and I’ by Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle, ‘We Belong’ and we’ll be ‘Invincible’ by Pat Benetar since I’m ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ by Rick Astley and ‘I’ll Always Love You’ by Taylor Dayne. Now all you have to do is ‘Take On Me’ by A-Ha.”
I finish my speech without having to check my cheat sheet because I’ve read it hundreds of times in front of the mirror and in my car every morning waiting for her. She stares at her feet and if she laughs at me or sends me away, I’ll collapse.
She finally looks up at me with the most beautiful eyes in the world, then stretches out her hand and says, “Hi, I’m Sara Klein, it’s nice to finally meet you Liam Spencer Knight. It means everything to me ‘When You Tell Me That You Love Me’ by Diana Ross. Would you like to come in?”
“Wait! You speak ‘90s? I only studied ‘80s, but I can learn ‘90s, too…”
One Year Later
This view has to be the best view in the whole world. All I see is a green paradise engulfing calm blue waters and Emily & Louis’ yacht docked in the distance. The sun rises above the horizon as Liam sleeps, and I’m itching to wake him up in his favorite way.
I move away from the balcony and inch closer to my beautiful, naked Adonis sprawled in bed like a king on top of rumpled sheets that smell of him and me and us. His blond hair covers half his face. He must get a haircut before we get married next week, he looks like a