Page 24 of Marrying the Guide
“Wouldn’t be the worst thing.” I attempted levity but failed miserably as another wave of tears blurred my vision.
“Go, Onno,” he urged again, and this time, I forced myself to step back, to disentangle myself from his hold.
“Okay.” I nodded more to myself than to him. “Okay.”
With a final, lingering look, I turned and walked toward the security checkpoint. I didn’t dare turn back, knowing that one look would unravel me completely.
The tears streamed down my face as I took my place in line, my shoulders stooped, my chest heavy, my breaths labored. I felt like someone had died, and in a way, maybe they had.
“Onno!” The urgency in Howell’s voice sliced through the ambient noise, sharp and clear, commanding every ounce of my attention.
I spun around, breath hitched in my throat. There he was—Howell—pushing his way through the crowd with determination. His eyes locked onto mine, shining with pure love and raw vulnerability as bright as a beacon in the dark.
He reached me and, without regard for the curious eyes of strangers, sank to his knees on the polished floor of Sea-Tac Airport. The world stilled and the chatter fell away until there was only Howell, looking up at me like I was his True North.
“Marry me,” he said, his voice quivering. “I love you, Onno. I can’t let you go. I know it’s only been three weeks, but they were the best weeks of my life. I don’t want to be without you, sweetheart. I’ll do anything, everything, to make you happy for the rest of our lives.”
His words hit me with the force of a tidal wave, flooding me with shock and awe and indescribable warmth that seeped into the marrow of my bones.
Tears welled and spilled over. My throat tightened, but the words I’d never dared to say clamored for release. “Howell, I—” A sob choked off the rest, but I fought through it. “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
People stopped and watched, but they didn’t matter. Nothing mattered. The world could’ve crumbled around us, and it wouldn’t have mattered. The only thing that mattered was Howell and his faithful brown eyes promising me a future I’d stopped believing in.
“And I’ll move here,” I said. The decision crystalized with a certainty that surprised even me. “To the US, to wherever youare.” I felt light, buoyant, as if the weight of years had been lifted from my shoulders. Was it reckless? Maybe. Did I care? Not one bit.
“Yeah?” Relief washed over Howell’s face, mingling with his tears.
“For you, for us, I’d cross oceans.”
He rose, and we hugged and kissed, and we cried and kissed some more. We were a spectacle, two grown men clinging to each other in Sea-Tac Airport, but it didn’t matter. Not when every whispered promise and gentle touch spoke of a love that had blindsided me, a love that was worth every risk.
“Oh, sweetheart”—Howell pressed his forehead to mine—“I can’t believe this is happening.”
“Believe it,” I whispered back, reeling from the intensity of our connection. I tasted the salt of our tears as they continued their silent descent, marking the trail of emotions we’d unleashed.
“Let’s not waste any time.” Howell pulled back slightly, his gaze steady and strong. “I’m going to marry you as soon as possible. We’ll get started on your visa the moment we’ve said our vows.”
A laugh bubbled up through the tightness in my chest, more from joy than disbelief. “After that proposal? You already know my answer.” I leaned in and stole another quick kiss, a promise of all the ones to come. “Yes, let’s do it. Let’s start our forever.”
“Then it’s settled,” he said, his grin infectious. “We’re doing this. And, Onno?” Howell’s voice dropped to a husky whisper. “Once you’re here for good, I’ll make sure you never doubt how much you mean to me—not for a second.”
EPILOGUE
HOWELL
Six Months Later
As it turned out, marrying right away was not the smartest course of action. A fiancé visa was easier and quicker to obtain than a spouse visa. That meant Onno had to return home since he couldn’t apply for one from within the US. Saying goodbye was still hard, but we had a goal now, something to look forward to, and that eased the pain. A little.
We filed the paperwork—endless forms of questions—and the waiting game began. I let my parents and sister know what was happening, and they were over the moon happy for me, not wasting a single word on the fact that Onno was a man. They assured me they very much looked forward to meeting him.
After four weeks, I couldn’t stand it anymore, and I booked a flight to Amsterdam to visit him for a week. I met his mom, who was the sweetest ever and immediately accepted me, although she was sad that her other son would also be moving abroad. So I told her she could visit as often as she wanted. I also got to know Onno’s friends. Seeing him through their eyes only made me fall in love with him more.
Once that week was over, I had to return to Forestville, where I spent time with Joost and Brianna and got to know them better. Another month passed, and I flew back to Amsterdam. Apparently, four weeks was the maximum time I could stand to be separated from Onno, even when FaceTiming daily. I needed him like I needed oxygen, and he felt the same way.
While grocery shopping, we ran into Gerard, who I recognized from pictures Onno had shown me. Even if I hadn’t, the way Onno tensed would’ve clued me in. So I kissed him passionately until Gerard got the hint and disappeared, and Onno looked at me with stars in his eyes.
It took four months to get the letter that his fiancé visa had been approved, which meant he could book his ticket, and we could get married. Finally.