Tiffany:
We celebrated our first month anniversary with his brother and parents. It wasn’t the way I would have planned it, but Harry’s graduation from culinary school happened to land on the same date.
“One more,” Harry’s mother, Marie, said as she snapped a picture of us in front of the school.
“Marie, we’ll miss our reservations,” Nigel said gently as he took the camera away from her.
“All right. I’m just so proud of him!” Marie gave Harry another kiss on the cheek, and Billy nudged me in the arm.
“I’m not sure. Do you think she’s proud of him?”
I smiled politely, but I understood why Marie was so happy. This was a big day for Harry. Not only was it our anniversary and his graduation, but the night before marked Harry’s official two years of sobriety. This was more than him armed with a degree that would initiate his career. This was Harry having his life together.
We went to the Italian restaurant in town and enjoyed too many courses. Harry and I split the tiramisu because I didn’t have enough room to eat a whole one by myself.
“So, Tiffany, a year from now we’ll be celebrating you! Are you excited to graduate?” Nigel asked.
“I guess so. I’m not really sure what I’m going to do after graduation, so I still need to figure it out.”
“You’ll find your path, honey. No need to rush things.” Marie flashed her warm smile in my direction.
“So, you still planning on coming home, then?” Billy asked Harry.
My stomach tightened at the notion. I knew Harry wanted to cook in Manhattan. That was his dream—a dream I wanted him to have. But hearing we’d be apart was still difficult.
“I’ll see if I get any offers,” Harry said coolly, clearly trying not to cause me any alarm.
“I’m sure you’ll have your pick of restaurants,” I said to Harry, trying my best to be the encouraging girlfriend. He smiled and offered me the last bite of tiramisu on his fork. Normally, I would have been embarrassed by the gesture in front of his parents, but for some reason, Harry feeding me felt like a moment they would see a lot in our future. I took the last bite, watching his eyes sparkle as he pulled the fork gently out of my mouth only to stick the fork in his own mouth and lick it clean.
“That’s it,” Billy said, tossing his own fork onto his dessert plate. “You two are officially making me sick.”
“Remember when we were like that?” Marie said with a sigh.
“What do you mean were? Where do you think the lad learned it from?” Nigel said right before swooping in and kissing Marie full on the mouth.
After a moment of shock, Harry and Billy picked up their forks and clinked their glasses to encourage their kiss, and I couldn’t stop laughing.
While the men went to fetch the cars, I sat with Marie on a bench outside. “I didn’t know if this day would ever come. I owe it all to you.”
“Oh, don’t be silly!” I was shocked by how much stock she put in me. “Harry was on route to graduation when we met. You would still be here tonight, even if I wasn’t.”
“Maybe, but there wouldn’t be this level of happiness.” She reached out and took my hand. “You make my boy shine again. He’s been dark and lost for years. You breathed new life into him and gave him what no one else could.” She squeezed my hand. “I’m so grateful he has you.”
I shrugged and said softly, “All I did was fall in love with him.”
“Love that only you can offer was exactly what he needed.”
“I still haven't told him how I feel. I mean I did once, a while back.” The memory of telling him I loved him while he told me we couldn’t even be friends seemed like a lifetime ago.
“But not since we’ve officially started dating. I’m afraid of spooking him.”
“You won’t spook him. He’s been in love with you for months.” She winked as Nigel pulled up in his rented car with Harry behind him in his jeep. Billy jumped out of the jeep, gave Harry a handshake and a pat on the arm before walking over to us. “I guess it’s time to say good-bye.” Marie pulled me into an embrace.
“I’ll see you at the wedding,” I said as she squeezed me tighter.
“The wedding is over three months away! I better see you sooner than that!” She walked over to say good-bye to Harry.
Billy gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Have a good night, Tiff, and thanks for making my little brother so happy.”
I beamed back a smile as Nigel gave me a kiss on the cheek. “All right, when school is over, come have a visit so you can beat me again in chess.”
The Archers got in their car and drove away to their hotel. “They adore you,” Harry said with an enormous smile on his face.
I slipped my hand in his. “And I adore them.”
He kissed my temple. “Still, I’m sorry our one month anniversary was spent with my parents,” Harry said shyly. “Not exactly romantic, huh?”
“Harry, it’s your day! This is about you. We have the rest of our lives to be about us.”
He wrapped his arms around my waist and drew me close. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Yes, you do.”
“Well, I had enough celebrating me for today. The night’s still young. What would you like to do?”
“I just want to spend some time alone, at your place. Is that okay?”
“You sure? It’s a beautiful night. We could drive somewhere. I want tonight to be special for you, too.”
“I don’t need to go anywhere for it to be special. I only want to be with you. In fact the Yanks are playing tonight. We could catch the end of the game.”
He wrapped his arm around me and walked us over to his car. “Ahh, you really are the perfect woman.”