Kiss Me Tenderly

“Jack?” I called, throwing my backpack onto the couch. My socked feet padded across the floor, barely making a sound as I looked for my boyfriend. As I passed the wall of pictures Jack and I had spent nearly three hours one day putting up, I smiled. I slowed to admire all the pictures of Owen, Missy, and Sassy, the pictures of Jack and I, stopping fully when I realized my favorite picture of us was missing. My forehead creased.
Where could it be? And where are the kids? My heart started pounding and panic began to overtake me as I raced around the house, looking for the kids.
Not in Owen’s room.
Not in the girls’ room.
Playroom?
I pushed the glass French doors open, praying they were hiding somewhere in the room when, on top of a little plastic pink play table set for tea, I spotted a piece of paper, folded up, my name on the front. My trembling hands reached for it, my brain still working in overdrive.
Dear Alex,
Sorry for scaring you but the kids are with me and they’re safe and sound. We decided to send you on a scavenger hunt for all the things you’ll need for tonight and I have a question for you: Where’s the first place we kissed?
Have fun, Jacky <3
I laughed in shaky relief; the kids were with Jack. He must have snuck them out of the house right when we got home while I was in the bathroom. That sneaky mother fucker. But why was he sending me on a scavenger hunt out of the blue? And what was tonight? Collecting my thoughts, I took a deep breath and headed for the living room. For some reason, nervousness and anticipation was pounding through my veins, making me jittery and smile like a fool.
Once I got there, I found everything just the way it was when I left the room, not ten minutes ago, my pack thrown on the cushions of the couch, Princess Di laying in her dog bed. But there was something laying on the coffee table and as I got closer to inspect it, I saw it was a piece of wood, a block about ten inches long, two inches wide, and an inch thick. My fingers ghosted over the top, feeling the top and noticing that it looked like someone had taped a piece of a picture on the front of it.
I squinted at it, recognizing an elbow, the shape of a cloud.
Did Jack really just vandalize a picture of us so he could play a game?
Fuck, he did.
“Goddamnit Jack,” I mutttered, not caring about my swearing since the kids weren’t home. I picked up the block and flipped it over, finding another letter taped to the back.
Alex,
Good job! I’m glad you remembered :3 The kids wanted a part in this too and when I said yes, but they had to find a place to hide your next surprise, they thought long and hard and this is what they came up with: What’s our (the kids) favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
My lip screwed up in the corner as I thought long and hard. What did those kids like to eat? I shrugged and got up to rummage through the pantry.
Bagels? No, Owen doesn’t like the raisin ones.
Oatmeal? Wait, no body likes oatmeal except for me and Jack.
Cereal? It’s got to be cereal. Hesitantly, I grabbed a box off the shelf and shook it. Cereal rattled around in it. That can’t be it. It ended up being the mini Wheaties box that did it and yeah, the kids did like mini Wheaties in their breakfast bowl and sometimes in a plastic baggie for lunch. I withdrew another block, similar to the first one, except with another part of the picture on it, the opposite side this time.
The kids are gettting very antsy so I better make this quick. This also isn’t something I should be showing the kids so: You gave me a blowjob for this one.
I laughed at Jack’s bluntness and made a beeline for Princess Di. She was snoring in her bed but blinked at me sleepily when I pushed her bed aside in search for the missing block. I petted her head and she put her head back down on her hands with a bump and a sigh.
Alex,
Okay, I’m getting antsy too. Just go to our bedroom.
My head spun. This scavenger hunt was making me crazy, I just couldn’t think about why my family was sending me on this hunt for these… Blocks? But I headed upstairs anyways, pushing our bedroom door open with a little bit of trepadition. Would Jack be in there? My heartbeat sounded even louder as I peered in, my eyes adjusting to the darkness caused by the drapes.
No, he wasn’t in our bedroom, waiting for me. But across our bed, lay an outfit that I had no doubt that Jack had a part in choosing. My mouth fell open, touching the sky blue bow tie laying innocently on a crisp white button down, the steel gray jeans folded neatly next to it. A fourth block , the last piece of the picture glued to the front was laying on the plush white comforter, another letter taped to it.
Alex,
Okay, this is the last piece. Look out the window for me before you go any further.
I did and gasped. A stretch limo was parked in front of our house, the chauffer standing next to the door, obviously waiting for someone. I could almost feel the neighbors staring at this long black vehicle in front of our house, wondering who in the world it could be for. Was this for me? Blinking back tears, I went back to the letter.
Yes, it is for you, ‘Lex. Okay, I want you to put on the outfit I laid out for you and go down to the limo. The driver knows where to take you. Oh, and uh, bring the blocks.
Love, Jack.
A watery smile spread across my face at my boyfriend’s silliness. He’s so cute, I bet he’s taking us all on a date tonight. My fingers flew, buttoning, tying, zipping, pulling, tugging everything into place. My fingertips tingled with excitement and happiness. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror in the bathroom and had to stop and stare for a second. My cheeks were flushed pink, my hair was all sorts of fucked up, my outfit was perfect, and I had on the goofiest grin I had ever seen myself wear. Ever. I was just excited to ride in a limo. That Jack had ordered for me. And me alone. God, he’s so fucking cute.
On my way out the door, I threw the wooden blocks into my backpack, slamming the front door behind me. I fumbled with the keys, missing the first few times but managing to get the key in the slot and turned before flying down to the sidewalk where the limo was.
Breathlessly, I asked the man, “H-hi. You know where to take me?”
His impassive face split into a wide grin and he opened the limo door for me. “Yes sir. In you get, your chariot awaits.”
Thanking him I slid into the plush leather, admiring all the work Jack must have gone through to arrange all of this for me, without me even noticing. There was a bouquet of roses on the seat next to me and my heart swelled to bursting as I reached out to touch a velvety petal. There was a short note attatched and it just said I love you. My emotions were sent in a whirl: where was he taking me, what’s going on? Happy, confused, nervous, anxious, swirled in the pit of my belly and I couldn’t help but fidget as I watched the city lights pass me by.
Wait. I know that place.
And that one.
Realization filled me as a very familiar street passed us by, I remember because Jack and I had made fun of the name when we passed it… On our first date.
He was taking me to where we had our first date? How cheesy. And romantic.
At this point, I can’t tell if my face hurt because I was smiling so much or if it was just nerves getting to me.
The limo purred to a stop in front of the restaurant and I gripped the strap of my bag when the door clicked open. The smiling face of the driver appeared.
“Here we are sir,” he told me, holding a hand out to help me out of the car, my visibly shaking hand in his. I was just gathering up the courage to walk in when he called after me. “Sir! Your roses!”
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Roses in hand, I walked in to the hustle and bustle of the restaurant, overwhelmed. Everything was overwhelming right now and wait- was that my mom? And is that my dad?
No it can’t be, they hate sushi.
I don’t know about Jack’s parents though and I can definitely see them, Jack’s mother’s smile a mile wide and oh! There’s Jack! He stood up and grinned at me, wearing an identical outfit to mine, right down to the bow tie. The kids looked adorable, dressed in sea foam green, ocean blue, light gray and rose, sitting primly at the table. There was a book? sitting on the table, looking like a picture frame that was waiting for something to be put into the front.
Jack lead me by the dumbfounded hand to the table, pulling out the chair like any gentle man should. I returned his smile, albeit, rather shakily. Jack is so cute, oh god, I don’t deserve this. I could see his lips moving but I couldn’t hear him speak, I was just so shocked that he’d go through all this trouble for this very unremarkable Friday evening.
“…The blocks? Put them in the front of the book.” Jack’s voice was gently directing me and as though I was swimming through syrup, I pulled them out one by one.
The first one goes in snugly, right up against the left side.
The second goes on on the right side of the picture frame.
The third goes next to the first one.
The fourth completes the picture and it’s us, dumbly making faces up at me, the blue of the sky peeking out from behind our enormous heads. But, oh, it won’t go in all the way. Frowning, I pushed down on it, hard until it slid all the way in, feeling a click.
Mesmerized, I stare as the book swings open, just like in the beginning of the Disney movies and there’s a small square cut out of the book, a little black square set in it.
I can’t.
What is this writing around it?
“Marry me?”
Jack’s shaking hands withdraw the box from the book and I very dimly register that he’s kneeling.
“Alex, you are the most perfect person I’ve ever met. You’re sweet, lovely, beautiful and I love everything about you, your little freckles on your nose, how much you care about the kids, how much you love Princess Di. You complete me in ways I never thought were possible and I am so glad to call you mine, that I get to wake up next to you ever day…”
The rest of his speech was lost on me as tears welled up in my eyes, the feeling of undescribable and unbound joy surges through me but I tuned in to the last part, knowing if I missed it, I would be so angry later on.
“I love you so very much and I have one last question to ask you. Will you do me the great and grand honor of letting me call you Mr. Alex Barakat?”
My fingers are curled in fists, pressed against my lips, tears pouring down my cheeks. Happy, relieved, love rushing through me, overflowing.
I nod.
“Yes,” I whisper. “Yes, I will marry you, Jack Barakat.”