Please Don't Forgive Me

“Are you cold?” he asked wrapping his arms around me tightly and protectively.

“No, not even a little bit,” I smiled up at him. “How did you…” he cut me off.

“How did I know you’ve always wanted to see Pier 17 in the snow?” I nodded and took a sip from my Starbucks hot chocolate. “You’ve only talked about it since you were sixteen and you were in Manhattan during a snow storm. You got to see Central Park and you said you thought that Pier 17 would be beautiful in the snow.”

“How did you remember?” I laughed leaning against the rail on the boardwalk.

“Because I love you. Because I always have.” I smiled as he leaned over to kiss my cheek.

“I love you too. Always have always will.” I smiled as the ground began to turn white with an early December snow.

“I love you more,” he smirked.

“No, I love you more.”

“No, I love you more.”

“No, I love you more,” I laughed. I spun in his arms to kiss him and he pulled back. “What’s wrong?” I smiled.

“Nothing,” he smiled pulling a box out of his coat pocket. “Happy Birthday,” he smirked, kissing me softly.

“What is this?” I asked as he handed me the wrapped box. “And it isn’t my birthday yet,” I laughed.

“It’s twelve-oh-one. Happy twenty-fourth.” I smiled and opened the box slowly. It was a Tiffany heart with his initials engraved on it. “You’ll always have my heart.”

“I thought I already did,” I smiled.

“You did, but now you’ll never doubt it again.” I smiled and turned for him to close the clasp on the necklace.

“I still love you more,” I laughed.

“No. I love you more,” he smiled. I sighed and put my head on his shoulder.

“Not true!” I laughed loudly. “I’m seriously convinced I love you more.” He rolled his eyes and laughed.

“No, I love you more. End of story. I love you more.”

“Prove it.” He smiled and kissed the tip of my nose.

“I love you.” He kissed my cheek. “I love you.” He kissed my other cheek. “I love you.” He kissed one ear, said it again and then kissed the other. “I love you.” I giggled and he finally kissed my lips and whispered it again. “I love you more than anything. I would do anything for you; I would die for you.”

“That doesn’t prove you love me more, but were even for now.” He laughed and kissed me again.

“Alright. Fair enough. We should start heading back. We have to leave soon and it’s getting cold.”

“It was cold when we left,” I joked hitting his shoulder.

“You know what I mean,” he smirked. I nodded and turned to walk on his side. His arm found its way back around my waist and my head fell to his shoulder. And like that we walked away through the Manhattan snow.

“Subway or Bus?” I asked with a laugh.

“Subway,” we both said at the same time. We began to laugh and continued to walk up to the ‘one’ station at South Ferry.

“What happens if he comes back?” I sighed.

“Then we deal with it.”

“What would have happened if he never showed up in the first place?” I asked seriously.

“Explain. Elaborate,” he said throwing out his Starbucks cup. “Mm, first more hot chocolate.” I nodded in agreement and walked across the street to the coffee shop.

“If he hadn’t showed up would we have ended up together? Would we have Emma, Morgan and Addison? Would I have ever gone on that tour with you guys?”

“I think it happened because it was supposed to. As much as I hate him and as much as I hate what he did, I think it happened because it was supposed to. If he didn’t show up and hurt you how he did, someone else would have.”

“You really think so?” I sighed.

“I really think that we would have ended up together no matter what. I think that we would have Emma and Morgan and Addison and we would be having this baby. I really think this was exactly what was supposed to happen.”

“I guess so.”