1 - it had to be today

Warm, the morning glow bathed her skin as she luxuriated in the gentle heat lying on her long couch.

She had nothing to do today, no work, no goals, not the slightest worry. It was just her and the morning sun.

With the third yawn of the morning, she flowed into a lazy stretch and stood. She caught a faint scent in the air.

Smiling she walked into the kitchen, Mensha stood over a sizzling pan, his back to her. Her smile turned playful, and Summer crept along the tiles. He was humming a wordless quiet, rhythmless tune.

A breath away from him she prepared herself. “Good Morning!.” She screamed and wrapped herself around him and pressed her face into his neck, one of the advantages of being taller than him.

He jumped, throwing away breakfast if not for her strong grip on him and the pan’s handle. After a brief struggle, he relaxed, turning to her with a look of annoyance etched across his features all the while she laughed. It melted into wry amusement under her sunny smile.

“Summer,” he said in the low baritone that filled her nights these recent years.

“Mensha,” she sang.

“I’ve asked you not to do that, it could’ve spilt”

“No,” she said and nudged his head towards the pan. “ I’m holding it,” pride was thick in her voice.

“I suppose you are,” he answered through pursed lips,

“Is that permission,”

“Just be careful in the future.” She could feel the eye roll in his voice.

Contented in her victory, she returned to her hugging and listened to his melodyless tune, they swayed to the off-beat. She hoped the rest of their day would be this nice.

Breakfast was finished, utensils and dishes gathered, and they sat at their table, perfect for two. She examined her partner as he shared their food. He was dark like her if a few shades lighter. A lacquered oak to her ebony, though he most often compared her to rich soil - it was endearing.

He didn’t smile but radiated a quiet aura of contentment. He looked up at her, deep brown orbs stared into her, he graced her with a small smile graced her. She looked down and wondered about ways to make this day even better.

Breakfast was eggs and bread, a simple and pleasant affair. Though scarcely remembered as her gaze wandered across Mensha. Leaning forwards, she hid her smile behind her steepled fingers.

“So. . .” Summer dragged the word out.

“Do you want to go out today?”

She blinked at him. “Umm,”

“It’s been a while since we’ve just wandered the city,” He said, finishing his food. “So?”

“Sure! Sure, you just surprised me,” She stammered. “Anywhere in mind.”

“The city centre,” She watched him gather up the dishes, she’d planned on spending the day in bed, but this worked too.

She left to dress. She flickered through her dresses before deciding on something comfortable—a bright yellow sundress with white pants and equally white shoes. Bright enough to blind, it contracted mightily with Mensah’s sedate blue and grey shirt and pants.

One of the many ways they were different.

Minutes later after retrieving her beige sling-over bag pulled out on the road, they drove in pleasant silence. Silence, something she used to loathe, yet he’d taught her how to appreciate them though she still preferred the buzz of conversation.

She glanced at the impetus for today’s excursions, she have rubbed off on him too.

“So, what’s the plan for today,” Summer hummed.

“Must there be a plan,” he replied lazily.

She laughed. “Of course, there does, you like plans, plans are your thing.”

“Well, then you’ll just have to wait,” he said curtly.

“Keep your secrets. It’ll make finding them all the sweeter!” she proclaimed. The ride was a blend of quiet moments and noisy play.

They drove along the wide streets of the city centre, passing towering malls, apartments, and businesses on the way to find a parking spot.

The day was fresh, and it reflected in the weekend buzz of people and traffic, like the rustling of grass on a summer’s day.

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Summer hoped out the car and turned to her love, “Where to now,”

“Your choice.”

“Sure? I might spend the entire day looking at clothes, and what have yous.”

“Then we can only hope their what have yous are worth your time,”

With a laugh, she got to finding out. It wasn’t the stores or their wares that made ambling through the city’s heart fun – though she bought a few things and sneaked several photos to commemorate the day. It was the company. She exited dressing rooms in outfits she didn’t plan on buying. Whether garish or plain, he found a way to compliment her.

Bright red with clashing blue, “It makes you stand out,”

A black dress that melted against her dark skin, “It accentuates your figure.”

Violent nauseating green, “It detracts from you,”, even if not all were successful.

It would have been awful if she wasn’t sure he meant every word.

He stopped her at the latest store. “Apologise, but we have somewhere to be,”

“We do,” She side-eyed him as he led her by the hand, she held the small bag of souvenirs in her other hand. “Oh, is this where your scheme is revealed,” she said dramatically and smiled.

“Indeed, it does,” he pulled her quickly.

“Slow down Mensha, are we in a rush.”

He stopped and stared at her, his foot tapping rapidly, “No, I suppose not,”

“Is everything all right?” she asked, a touch of worry in her heart.

“I think so? We’ll see later.”

“That’s very ominous,”

He ignored her comment and continued walking. It put a slight damper on her so far, perfect day. “All will be revealed, Summer, please be patient.” He said putting a fresh layer of intrigue atop her worry.

He led her through the twisting halls of the complex to a large restaurant, it looked. . .  expensive, the kind of place her partner would call overpriced and overvalued.

They flew past the reception, reservations apparently pre-arranged. A waiter led them to a window seat with a view of the evening sun painting the city below them in warm, gentle tones. She turned to Mensha, mouth slightly agape, his gaze was intense, and sunlight speckled his lake-deep eyes.

“I don’t know what to say, but I certainly wasn’t expecting this,” She took a breath, and a broad smile found itself on her face, “But this is a lovely surprise.”

His tension eased “This isn’t the surprise,” he said with a wry smile rubbing his pants.

“Then what could it be,” She sighed.

“Patience,” he splayed his hands.

The meal was pleasant and wonderful, yet Mensha carried an undercurrent of nervous tension that soon spread to her. Mensha loathed secrets and lies, she couldn’t understand why he kept one from her.

“Mensha, what’s going on.”

He tilted his head,

“Mensha,” her tone was flat.

“Let me get the bill, then we can go, I’d rather not do it here,” her stomach fell.

“What?” she whispered, was he afraid she’d cause a scene?

She sat numbly as he paid the bill, she didn’t look up as he led away and up some stairs. She knew where this was going, She felt confident she wouldn’t cry when they reached the roof – they were the only other group up there.

They stood by the railing she didn’t spare a glance at the encroaching sunset instead – bag clenched in hand, she stared at him and waited for her heart to break.

“Summer,” his voice was as deep and smooth and lovely as always.

“I have loved you these past years,”

Everything had been going so well, this day, these years. What happened?

“And I think the times right to tell you something.”

She looked down, she couldn’t bear to meet his eyes. Tears coming to her own.

“Will you marry me,”

Her heart stopped, and her tears spilt freely, she laughed. She grabbed Mensha in a tight embrace. Her laughter grew as the weight of her relief dragged them to the ground. Between sniffles and laughs, she held what she thought she’d lose.

His arms found themselves around her, slowly rubbing her back. “Is something wrong?” he whispered.

“Yes! No! I mean, I’m ok.” She finished with little energy. She pulled back and looked into his confused, worried eyes. “I thought you were breaking up with me or something.”

His bafflement was clear, “Why would I do that,”

“I didn’t know!” She renewed her embrace.

“I’m sorry for worrying you, Summer,” he whispered and pressed a kiss on her head, nestled in his neck. “It’s just, you always said you wanted it to be a surprise.”

She chuckled into his neck, “I did. I never thought I’d risk a heart attack, though.” His hands circled her back in a familiar motion.

“It’ll be a fun story when we’re married.”

She laughed again, with far fewer tears, “I haven’t said yes yet,”

“Will you?”

“Of course.”

“Are you sure,” he pulled them to their feet, and she straightened. He looked up at her. “We can wait if you want to.”

“I’m sure Mensha, I was ready years ago.” She took a steadying breath, “So, Married.”  The word hummed through her.

“I suppose so.”

She was light and tired and hot a low fire burned the edge of her thoughts.

She looked over the balcony, The sun was setting, casting half the sky in warm pastels that blended to a dark blue. Stars sparsely dappled the sky’s dark half, the city’s manifold light shining like innumerable constellations in place of the stars is light hid.

And stood beside her was the most important man in her life, he smiled brightly alongside her.

“Married,” She’d always held the idea that she’d be married in the future, but it had been abstract. There had been faces, sure, many not Mensha’s, yet he was the one to make it real, and she could think of no one better.

She pulled him into a kiss, there was no subtly or complexity in it. Lip against lip the purest expression of passion she could manage in the moment. “Married,” she breathlessly giggled.

He wrapped his arms around her, “Your look drunk, Summer.”

“Look, I feel it, Mensha! This is the best day of my life.”

With blissful exhaustion, she leaned against the railing pulling Mensha with her. The vanishing sun silhouetted the skyline.

“Thank you,” she said softly and turned to face him, His eyes held all the love she could ever want, and he leaned forward.

A kiss slow and sublime like a cool drink on a warm night under soft blankets.  They parted, and she wondered if he could see the tears pooling in her eyes.

“Love, I’m just happy to see you smile.” he brought a hand to her face, an engraved steel ring resting in his hand. “Though I’d hoped to give you this before the sunset.”

With a smile, she took the ring and paced it on her finger. In companionable silence, they turned back to the fresh night. She held her hand up against the sky, the ring its only adornment.

Everything was as it should be.

The sky cracked.