I lazily traced the details of the carving of our names, and let the sweet, summer air sweep over my skin. Lunch was served on the blanket he had given me as a graduation gift—before I knew him—and we playfully wrestled and chased each other barefoot in the grass. Jared was working overtime to prove to me that our lives could be as normal as anyone else. Even with the bad dreams keeping us apart at night, he had figured out how to get around them and made it seem that nothing was different. The air smelled of fresh grass and sunshine, and coupled with Jared’s scent, it felt a little like Heaven. Summer soaked into my every pore, and I could see that Jared was enjoying my mood. He sat next to me, waiting for me to catch my breath from chasing him. “Having a better day?” he asked, running his finger lightly across my wrist. “Exponentially,” I said, digging my toes into the grass. “I feel like I did at Little Corn.” “Speaking of that…have you given any more thought to returning to that perfect little chapel we came across there?”
