Page 83 of Spiral
“This one’s yours,” I murmur, loud enough for only him to hear as I hand him an unlit lantern. “Thank you for everything, Henry. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
He smiles at me softly, the glowing reflection of my lamp flashing across his irises as his gaze meets mine.
“Yes you could have,” he whispers, wrapping a muscular arm around me and enveloping me in his warmth. “You could do anything you set your mind to. Anything. You are the smartest person I know, Georgia.”
His eyes flicker to the lantern in his hand, which has been carefully wrapped with a memorial card for his father.
“James Michael Anderson,” he reads, his voice hoarse as if he’s trying to hold back tears. “I still can’t believe you did this for me.”
“It’s the least I could possibly do, Henry. Your dad was your biggest inspiration. I wish I could do so much more. I wish I could take the pain of him being gone away from you and bear it all myself.”
The words leave my mouth faster than I can think – but I don’t regret them. I mean every word, every syllable. Over the past few months, I’ve watched Henry’s eyes glaze with tears at even the slightest mention of his dad. Though he would never express how badly he was hurting, I could feel it.
Seeing him in pain kills me.
Eleanor’s amplified voice suddenly cascades over us, distracting me from my thoughts, as she yells a greeting into her microphone andsignals for us to prepare to let go of our lanterns.
“Howdy, everybody! Thank you for joining us here at Glow in the Garden, a festival dedicated to the memory of Mr. James Anderson, former captain of the fightin’ TU Titans and loving father to current captain, Henry Anderson. We are so glad all of you could be here tonight! If y’all are ready to release those lanterns, let me hear you!”
The crowd of families, couples, and kids all cheer excitedly, anxious to set their glowing lamps free.
“Alright, y'all – on the count of three! 1…”
“Look at me…”
Henry’s voice is soft and vulnerable as he cradles a roughened palm against my jaw, tilting my head gently upwards to face him. His eyes are glossed with emotion, though his features are free of all tension.
“2…”
“Georgia… I’m in love with you.”
“3!”
The skies above us are instantly blanketed in the warm glow of hundreds of floating lanterns, igniting the tree tops in an amber hue. Henry doesn’t wait for my response, pulling me hungrily into his embrace and clasping his lips to mine. His muscular hand trails up my back and cradles me closer to him, immediately causing my breaths to quicken as I reach up a hand to cup the edge of his jaw. The field is quiet aside from the soothing lull of country music, with the crowd around us observing their floating lanterns in awe.
When we finally manage to pull away, Henry’s green eyes instantly meet my own. His breaths are slow and labored, as if he’d been waiting his whole life to kiss me at this moment.
“I-I love you, too, Henry,” I whisper, incredulous that the words are leaving my mouth.
How did this happen? How did everything change so quickly? Henry Anderson loves me?!
A mischievous smirk creeps across his lips.
“I know,” he murmurs.
“You do?”
I look at him quizzically, a partially-frozen eyebrow raised. He nods.
“You only do all of this—” he pauses, gesturing towards the dedication to his father on the lantern in his hand and to the greater field around us, “—for someone you love. Come to think of it… in a way, it’s like you said it first–”
“Uh-uh!” I interject.
His raspy laughter surrounds us both, engulfing us in its warmth and joy, as I playfully punch his arm.
“Alright, alright,” he reasons, grasping me into a bear hug as he releases the lantern from his hand. “We’ll call it even.”
As his lamp rises above us, illuminating our faces in its tawny glow, Henry pulls me in for one more kiss – and I swear to God, in this moment, my life is perfect.