Do you remember our eighth night?
Gideon smiled.
He took the notebook.
Unfortunately.
Rosalie laughed.
He looked pleased.
She wrote:
You nearly scared ten years off my life.
He wrote:
You nearly pulled my ear off.
She gasped.
I saved your life.
You used sewing tweezers.
She laughed again.
Gideon watched her.
Then he wrote something more serious.
I was afraid that night.
Rosalie looked at him.
Of the creature?
He shook his head.
Of dying alone.
Her expression softened.
He continued.
Then you came closer.
Rosalie took the pencil.
I was afraid too.
He waited.
She wrote:
But I wasn’t afraid of
you.
Gideon read the words.
Then he closed the notebook.
He reached for her hand.
Their fingers intertwined.
The sun disappeared behind the mountains.
Rosalie rested her head against his shoulder.
For a long time, neither moved.
Then Gideon touched his right ear.
