David and I walk together along the western railing of the Golden Gate Bridge, watching the Saturday sailboats tacking back and forth across the mouth of the bay. I haven’t told him why we’re here. When he asked where I wanted to go on our first official date, I said I wanted to show him something on the bridge. We could decide where to go from there.
When we reach the south tower, I glance down and see the letters scratched in the concrete but don’t say anything yet. Instead I stand at the rail and hold out the Magic Wand, letting it bounce around in the wind.
My seventeenth birthday party was at the Silver Sands last night—family and friends mixing with the residents—and I’m sure Judith is still regretting it. Not only had the Beachfront Lounge never held so many teenagers at once, it had never had a karaoke machine in it. Connor and David escaped the mic, but not Declan. Holly dragged him up with her more than once, though I don’t know if her whispers to him were threats or promises.
Zumi, of course, was unstoppable. In a night of unforgettable moments, the high point had to be Zumi and Mr. Terrance Knight singing Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You Babe” to each other.
On the bridge, David and I look out over the water in comfortable silence. The traffic is pretty loud, actually, but it seems farther away than it really is.
I get a text from Holly.
Movie Roulette tonight?
I let David see it. I hold the phone so he can watch me type.
Can’t. Busy.
Is that so? Bring him along. ;)
Next time. Have fun!
Don’t make any little girls cry!
You too! Later. :)
David leans on the rail next to me. “How far we going?”
He doesn’t mess around. Straight to the point. I like it.
I pivot and point down. “Nolan did that. When he was eleven and I was eight.”
David squats. “N, A, H. Is this why you were here when I … picked you up before? To look at this again?”
I nod.
“Aaron? Alex?”
“Paul. Nolan Paul Hannigan.”
David looks puzzled. I take a deep breath. I want to do this, but …
“Those aren’t his initials. They’re both of ours. His first name, my first name, and our last name.” I swallow. “Mel is … just a nickname.”
“But …” He stops. Then he stands. “What’s your real name?”
“I want you to know, but …”
David steps closer.
“When I was born, Nolan couldn’t pronounce my whole name. Just the Mel part, and he couldn’t even say that right. So everyone called me Mel. Later, he could say my whole name and sometimes did, but everyone had been calling me Mel for so long … He started out being the only one who couldn’t say my real name, then he became the only one who ever did.”
I pause. David takes my hands.
“Then, after the accident, I couldn’t hear it without losing my mind. Grandma Cece told the residents to never say it. I haven’t told anyone, not even Zumi. I haven’t gotten a driver’s license because … you know. Only Connor found out, him and his damn Web searches. He kept it secret for me.”
“Connor’s a good guy,” David says. “All your friends are great. Even Zumi.”
“Yeah, even Zumi.” I smile. “Anyway, I want you to know it, but I’m not ready to hear it out loud. Soon, I hope.”
“I won’t say it till you tell me it’s okay.”
I nod but don’t say anything.
“I know it’s got M-E-L in it,” he prompts. “And it starts with an A.…”
“And it ends with an A. And there’s an I in it. That’s all.”
“I like it,” he says. “I hope I get to call you that soon.”
“Me too. You’ll be the first to know.”
“I feel like you’ve given me something,” he says. “I hope you weren’t secretly hoping I’d get you a birthday present. You made me promise not to.”
“I don’t like getting stuff.”
“Doesn’t seem fair.”
“I said no presents. I didn’t say you couldn’t give me anything.”
I tip my nose up a little. He leans forward and kisses me.
It’s every bit as wonderful as the first time. And the second. And all the other times last week. I lost count.
Then he pulls back and says, “All right, I can’t take it anymore. This is a new hoodie, isn’t it?”
“How would you know? You haven’t seen half my clothes.”
He reaches behind me, peels something off my back, and dangles it. It’s a long thin clear sticker covered in black Ms.
“Oh! Oops.”
“I think someone broke your ‘no presents’ rule last night.”
“What? No! I refuse them if anyone tries.”
“Really?” he says. “Even if it’s someone who also wears black hoodies with big white letters?”
I pull on the hem to flatten it out. It says: BORN TO BE WILD.
“This wasn’t a birthday present. It’s just friends buying stuff for friends. Getting it at the party was a coincidence.”
“What if I give you something, just by coincidence?”
“Too late now—I’m wise to you. I said anyone who couldn’t resist giving me something could make me a card. You had your chance. Too late now.”
He holds out an envelope.
I snatch it from him and open it. On the front of the card is a watercolor of a woman in an old-time dress riding a bicycle. Inside it’s blank except for David’s handwriting.
Happy Birthday, Mel.
Looking forward to the other 90%.
David
“Thank you.” I kiss him. “Same to you.”
I carefully set the Magic Wand down at the base of the tower, next to Nolan’s marks. Then I grab David’s hand. “Come on.”