Daddy squeezed my hand. His touch brought me back to his worry, his fear. “Poppy,” he said sternly.
Before he could say any more, I leaned forward and kissed him on his cheek. I looked him in the eye. “Daddy, I understand the risks. I’ve been fighting this a long time. I know you’re worried. I know you don’t want me to be hurt. But staying trapped in my room like a caged bird for one more day … that is what will hurt me. I’ve never been one to stay inside. I want this, Daddy. I need this.” I shook my head, feeling a sheer sheen of water fill my eyes. “I can’t spend whatever time I have left locked away for fear it’ll make me worse. I need to live … I need this adventure.”
He sucked in a stuttering breath. But, eventually, he nodded his head. A light dizziness flooded through me. I was going!
Jumping on the spot, I wrapped my arms around my daddy’s neck. He hugged me back.
I kissed my mama then looked to my aunt. She had her hand held out. I took hold of it, just as my daddy said, “I’m trusting you to look after her, DeeDee.”
My aunt sighed. “You know this girl is my heart, James. You think I’d let anything happen to her?”
“And they stay in separate rooms!”
I simply rolled my eyes at that.
My daddy began talking to my aunt. But I didn’t hear it. I didn’t hear anything as my gaze went through the open door, and down to the boy dressed all in black who was leaning against the railing of our porch. The boy in a leather jacket who was casually bringing a cigarette to his mouth, all the time watching me. His crystal-blue eyes not once straying from mine.
Rune blew out a cloud of smoke. Casually tossing the butt to the ground, he flicked his chin and held out his hand.
Releasing Aunt DeeDee’s hand, I closed my eyes for a brief moment, committing to memory how he looked, right at this moment.
My Norwegian bad boy.
My heart.
Opening my eyes, I rushed through the door. Reaching the top step, I then jumped into Rune’s open arms. He enveloped me in his embrace. I giggled, feeling the breeze on my face. Holding me tightly, my feet still off the ground, Rune asked, “You ready for that adventure, Poppymin?”
“Yes,” I replied breathlessly.
Rune pressed his forehead to mine and closed his eyes. “I love you,” he whispered after a long pause.
“I love you too,” I said, just as quietly.
I was rewarded with a rare smile.
He carefully lowered me to the ground, took my hand and asked again, “You ready?”
I nodded, then turned to my parents, who were standing on the porch. I waved goodbye.
“Come on, kids,” said DeeDee. “We got a flight to catch.”
Rune led me to the car, holding my hand as always. As we settled in the backseat, I looked out the window as we pulled away. I stared up at the clouds, knowing that soon I’d be soaring above them.
On an adventure.
An adventure with my Rune.
*
“New York,” I said breathlessly, reading the screen at our gate.
Rune smirked. “We always planned to go. It’ll just be briefer than we’d always thought.”
Completely speechless, I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head on his chest. Aunt DeeDee returned from speaking to the woman at the desk.
“Come on, you two,” she said, waving her hand toward the entrance to the plane. “Let’s get you onboard.”
We followed DeeDee. My mouth fell open when she showed us to the two front seats in first class. I looked at her and she shrugged. “What’s the point of being in charge of the first-class cabin if I can’t use the perks to spoil my favorite niece?”
I hugged DeeDee. She held on a little longer than normal. “Go on, now,” she said and shooed me to my seat. Aunt DeeDee quickly disappeared behind the curtain of the attendants’ section. I stood, watching her go. Rune took my hand.
“She’ll be okay,” he soothed, then pointed to the window seat. “For you,” he added. Unable to stop the excited giggle leaping from my throat, I sat down and stared out of the window at the people working on the ground below.
I watched them until the plane was fully boarded and we began to roll away. Sighing happily, I turned to Rune, who was watching me. Wrapping his fingers in mine, I said, “Thank you.”
“I wanted you to see New York.” He shrugged. “I wanted to see it with you.”
Rune leaned in to kiss me. I stopped his lips with my fingers. “Kiss me at thirty-nine thousand feet. Kiss me in the sky. Kiss me amongst the clouds.”
Rune’s minty breath ghosted over my face. Then he silently sat back. I laughed as the plane suddenly gained speed and we soared into the air.
When the plane leveled off, I suddenly found my lips being brought flush to Rune’s. His hands clasped my head as he took my mouth with his own. Needing something to keep me grounded, I gripped onto his shirt. I sighed against his mouth as his tongue dueled softly against mine.
When he pulled back, his chest heaving and skin warm, I whispered, “Kiss eight hundred and eight. At thirty-nine thousand feet. With my Rune … my heart almost burst.”
By the end of the flight I had lots of new kisses to add to my jar.
*