Redesigning Fate (Revive #1) - A. M. Wilson Page 0,94

getting in the truck again.

“You’re not telling me where we’re going, are you?” I ask as we pull away from the small diner.

Instead of answering, Elias simply smiles and shakes his head. Once again, I am reminded how much he has helped change me in a few short months. Normally, I’d be gripped with fear about the unknown, fretting over where we are going and what we’ll be doing. But I find myself feeling calm. Actually, more than anything, I’m excited over what he has planned. No doubt, he’s trying to keep my spirits up after last night’s nuclear meltdown.

He drives for nearly an hour while the sun begins to sink nearer to the horizon. I rest my head against the cool window glass as I search the sky for early stars.

“You’re quiet over there.” Elias breaks through the silence, pulling me back to the present.

“I know,” is all I offer, not looking to delve into the details of my thoughts. What matters is I’m here now with Elias by my side.

He reaches across the console to lace his fingers through mine in my lap as he pulls off the rural road. On either side of the truck is nothing but fields, stretching as far as I can see. What are we doing out here?

Elias kills the engine but must leave the battery running, because the radio is still playing. He turns to face me in his seat, his free hand cupping my cheek.

“For years now I’ve dreamed of finding you. Not someone like you. You. And now that I have, I wonder what I did to deserve you.”

I could echo the sentiment back, word for word, but I don’t. Truth is I’ve spent years doubting I’d ever be good enough once I did find him. I still struggle with feeling good enough, but I don’t want to taint this moment with insecurities when he’s proven repeatedly I shouldn’t have them.

Therefore, I stare back into the infinite depth of his eyes, silently conveying how much I’ve fallen for him. Words will never be enough, and yet, I don’t even have the words to try.

“Come here,” Elias calls as he releases me and gets out of the car.

I scramble out to meet him, a little taken back at how quickly the moment was broken. Is he upset I didn’t say anything in reply? I watch from the hood as he leans back in the truck. I wonder what he’s doing until I hear the music pouring out into the silent dark night. He rounds the front, stopping in before me. He takes my hand.

“Dance with me.”

A giggle erupts from my mouth, and I’m surprised at his odd request. “Elias, I can’t dance like this.”

“Sure you can. It’s easy.” He wraps the hand he’s holding around his neck, letting go once he’s certain I’ll leave it there. Then he grabs my free hand, tangling my fingers with his. He pulls our bodies flush against one another as we begin to sway to the soft melody. The Curse by Josh Ritter drifts delicately on the breeze surrounding us as we sway and twirl with one another.

“You’re crazy,” I tease, but I can’t deny the fact I love this moment. I don’t proclaim to be a romantic, but what girl wouldn’t swoon when the man of their dreams takes them dancing beneath the stars? This is the stuff of dreams.

As our bodies meld against one another, I close my eyes, pressing my ear against his chest so I can hear the steady strong beat of his heart.

I’m taken back to a different time, almost a different life.

A little girl.

It was my sixth birthday; the first one after David had left, yet before my mom began to blame me for his sudden departure. She had started drinking at this point and wasn’t usually very nice, but she didn’t show the obvious revulsion she has no problem expressing today.

I came home from kindergarten, and when I got off the school bus, she has a present and a cake waiting for me. She shocked me. We had never celebrated a birthday of mine before—David was always too drunk, mom always busy working—so to see a cake and gift waiting for me confused my six year old self.

Over the cup of coffee, I’m assuming contained more than just Folgers she told me, “Life is not a fairytale Marlena. Don’t you ever forget that. There are no happily ever after’s in real life. But life is sprinkled with these