The Bride

I slowly parked my car in the empty parking space just a few yards away from the deserted place. I turned off the car and grabbed my phone before I slid out into the chilly January, Arizona air. I shivered slightly and held my cardigan closer to my body as I took the first step toward where I knew exactly where John was. It didn’t take me long at all to find him. He was standing in the middle of the field with a guitar strapped around his neck, and holding onto it tightly. Black skinny jeans, black boots, an over-sized white t-shirt, and a fedora adored his body. He looked like a slightly more nervous John than I was used to. I giggled lightly, and he smiled once he saw me. His crooked smile reached his eyes, making my stomach churn in that way he has always been able too.
“That was a wild goose chase to this?” I questioned.
John smiled, but didn’t answer me. He started playing on the guitar.
I walk the tight rope,
On my way home,
You're my backbone.
I know you're somewhere close behind me.
He was playing me my song, our song.

I walk the fault line,
In a dirty field in the springtime.
I feel the wind start to remind me
I giggled, looking around the dirty field that we were currently standing in. My smile grew as I watched the man I love sing to me.

Of you (you)
And the sweet talk
On the sidewalk
It's true (true)
All know is...

All we have is what's left today.
Hearts so pure in this broken place.

'Cause we are, we are, we are
Who we are, we are, we are.
Lovers lost in space,
We're searching for our saving grace.

And I still remember
How your lips taste
On holidays.
You leave in December,
What can I do to make you stay?

'Cause we won't fade away
We'll find peace while other change
And I know you're somewhere close behind me

And it's true (true)
Oh, the sweet sound in the background
It's you (you)
All I know is

All we have is what's left today.
Hearts so pure in this broken place.

'Cause we are, we are, we are
Who we are, we are, we are.
Lovers lost in space,
We're searching for our saving grace.

Oh yeah...
We're searching for our saving grace.
Oh yeah...

Keep on searching
Keep on searching
Keep, keep, keep, keep

Keep on searching
Keep on searching
Keep, keep, keep, keep

I walk the tightrope,
You're my way home,
You're my backbone.
You'll always be here right beside me.

All we have is what's left today.
Hearts so pure in this broken place.

'Cause we are, we are, we are
Who we are, we are, we are.
Lovers lost in space,
We're searching for our saving grace.

“We’re searching for our saving grace.” John whispered the last part before he slowly took off the guitar. He sat it down on the blanket set out bedside him. I walked forward until I had my arms wrapped tightly around his torso. I cuddled deep into his chest, and he chuckled. John kissed the top of my head, and rubbed his hands up and down my back slowly.
“God, I love you,” I mumbled before I pulled away and looked up at him. “All of that was for me?”
John blushed slightly and nodded.
“Of course it was,” He replied. “I needed to do something special for you. The proposal was in front of my family, but think of this as the second part to that,”
“You didn’t need to do anything for me, Johnny. All I needed was you…which I have.” I replied, feeling my heart beat faster. “How did you do all of this?”
“It took me for forever to do it. I planned out everything obviously when you were in New York,”
“I love the homecoming.”
“I try,” He laughed before pressing our lips together. “Come on, I’ve got a lot planned out.”
I just shook my head before we walked over to the quilt and sat down on it. He got out some food from In-N-Out, making me laugh at him before we cuddled while we ate.
“I love that you chose our field.”
“Where else would I choose? We haven’t been here in forever.”
“Five years to be exact,” I nibbled at a fry. “As of….um….yesterday?”
“That’s so weird.” He laughed.
“What is?” I questioned.
“How easily you remember dates and stuff,”
“John, I’m not going to forget the date I lost my virginity,”
“I didn’t forget either,” He stated, wrapping an arm tighter around my body. “That was a reason why I asked you to marry me yesterday,”
“Because of that?” I asked, looking up at him.
He was staring off into the distance with a big smile on his face.
“Exactly. Dorinda, that was the night that I fully realized that I was deeply, truly in love with you,”
“You realized it then?” I asked.
“Well, I had a hunch before but…” He trailed off, his green eyes meeting mine. “I’ve been in love with you for so long, Dia.”
“I-I think I’ve loved you just as long,” I said. “I just…I didn’t want to be that stupid girl that fell in love with her best guy friend. I didn’t want to ruin our friendship…”
“Me either,” He chuckled. “But I’m glad that you finally told me.”
“Hey, I only told you first because you’re way too shy to admit your feelings to anyone. I was impressed when you made such a huge scene at your wedding.”
“Thank you for pushing me,” He mumbled, nuzzling his head into my neck. “I was being stupid.”
“It got me to understand that I loved you, didn’t it? Don’t ever apologize for almost marrying Julie.”
“Why not?” He asked me, looking confused.
“Because we probably wouldn’t be here today. If you didn’t ask Julie to marry you…yes we would probably be planning a wedding, but we would be tip toeing around each other. We just…we would probably still be stuck in that friends stage…even if we were planning a wedding. Without you almost marrying Julie, we wouldn’t be engaged.”
“That makes sense…in a fucked up sort of way.”
I laughed, resting even closer to him.
“Thank you for playing me my song.”
“I did write it for you,”
“Obviously,” I laughed. “It was the December that my dad and I flew back to North Carolina right after we shared our first kiss.”
“I was a heart broken teenager.” He laughed. “But I wrote it a year or two ago, when I didn’t know what else to do with myself on tour,”
“Regardless, I really love that song,”
“Regardless, I really love you,”
“I know.” I smiled, kissing his jaw lightly. “You’re the best, John.”
“I try to be romantic. How well am I doing so far?”
“You get major brownie points for this one.”
“And the song?”
“Don’t push it,” I replied playfully. “But this couldn’t be more perfect.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that just yettttttt.” He sang playfully to me. “I’ve got a few more surprises up my sleeve.”
“Like what?”
“How about you take a walk with me, and we’ll find out?”
“Okay.” I whispered. John was the first to stand up, offering me his hand. I gladly took it and we walked slowly in the open field until was stopped at his old, white truck. I smiled, looking at it. “I can’t believe you still have this thing.”
“I didn’t exactly get rid of it…I just gave it to Ross.”
“I know. I just can’t believe that Ross let you borrow it.”
“Me either, but he did.” John smiled before he released my hand. He reached into the open window and turned on the cd player his younger brother had installed. Slowly, one of my all time favorite songs came on. It was I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing by Aerosmith. I smiled widely at him as he offered me his hand for the second time. John pulled me close and we started to sway softly to the beat. I rested my head on his chest, and held onto him as tightly as possible. “Don’t wanna close my eyes, Don’t wanna fall asleep because I miss you babe. And I don’t wanna miss a thing.” He sang along softly with Steven Tyler’s voice.
“Cause even when I dream of you, the sweetest dream would never do. I’d still miss ya babe, and I don’t wanna miss a thing.” I finished with a wide smile. “My favorite song?”
“I thought that it would make this night a trillion times better.”
“Good choice…because you’re right,”
“You and that love affair with Steven Tyler.”
“I’d marry his voice if it was possible.” I laughed, joking as the man sang in the background.
“I don’t wanna miss one smile, I don’t wanna miss one kiss. Well, I just wanna be with you, right here with you, just like this. I just wanna hold you close, feel your heart so close to mine. And just stay here in this moment, for all the rest of time. Don't wanna close my eyes, Don't wanna fall asleep, cause I'd miss you, baby. And I don't wanna miss a thing,” He sang as we swayed to the music. My heart my beating out of my chest. John truly did always knock me off of my feet, no matter what. This was just perfect. It was more than I would have ever asked from him, yet everything I expected it to be. “Those lyrics are so true.”
“I love you so much,” I whispered, playing with the hair poking out from under the fedora he was wearing. “This is fucking perfect.”
John’s head bent down until it touched mine.
“Only for the best for you, baby.” He whispered, pressing his lips fully to mine in a long kiss. Our lips moved slowly to the soft rhythm of the classic rock song. Before long, we pulled away, the smile never leaving my face.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” He whispered back, using both of his big hands to push hair out of my face. “You’re so beautiful,”
“You’re too good for me,” I blushed, never breaking eye contact.
“No you’re too good for me. There have been so many times that I’ve fucked us both over, yet you put up with my ass. I love you more than I do anyone. You know that. You, Dorinda Grace, are my saving grace.” He replied.
“No, you, John O’Callaghan, are my saving grace.” I whispered, pressing my lips to his again.