Once in the spring

“Good morning, my builder.” A light, weightless kiss was imprinted on Natalie’s cheek. “Mmm…”, Natalie tried to hide under the covers. “It’s time to wake up, sleepy head!”, Nia ruthlessly pulled the blanket off her girlfriend. Natalie sat up in bed and looked with a sigh at the one who interrupted her wonderful dream so shamelessly. She dreamt of beautiful white dresses with long trains, the pleasant fragrance of fresh flowers and the ringing of church bells… “Well, early bird,” Natalie could not be mad at Nia. “Why did you wake me up so early?” “You know I just can’t lie in bed all day. Besides, you have a day off today, and I don’t want to waste it. Let’s have some fun,” Nia was full of energy and thirst for entertainment. “Your words make sense,” Natalie smiled. “Then let’s have breakfast and then hit the road!” “Great!”, Nia was delighted. “And I have a surprise for you. Wait a second.” Nia ran out of the bedroom and returned a moment later with a tray full of food. There was a cup filled with fragrant coffee and a plate with a tall stack of pancakes. “Oh, you shouldn’t have…” Natalie began, but Nia quickly leaned over, kissing her on the lips. “I just wanted to please you. And I know that there is nothing better than breakfast in bed! “But I owe you now,” Natalie began to eat. The pancakes were melting in her mouth. This was the perfect morning: a day off, a delicious breakfast and a loved one nearby… Natalie would like to capture these moments in her memory forever. When breakfast and the morning routine were over, the girls left the house. “I know where we can go. Recently, an amusement park has been built in our town. I’ve already been on some rides, but I’m sure you haven’t yet,” Natalie offered. “An amusement park? Really? I thought you had a small quiet town here…” “Well, in general, it’s not so busy as you may think. When I first came here, there wasn’t much entertainment. So much has changed during my time here. Now tourists really have something to see,” Natalie said with a touch of pride. “I am sure that you have made a huge contribution to the improvement of the town! You’re a great builder after all.” “Thank you,” Natalie smiled sheepishly. “We all worked very hard to make life in the desert more comfortable and, apparently, not in vain.” The girls reached the amusement park in half an hour. It was located in a huge canyon, which made it even more mysterious than it was. There are usually a lot of tourists here in the morning, so Nia and Natalie had to stand in line for tickets to the roller coaster. “Ugh… it’s pretty hot in here,” Nia started fanning herself with her hat. “Yes, but when you’ve lived here as long as I have, you’ll get used to the constant heat,” Natalie grinned. Nia suddenly looked a little sad. “Well, you know… I can’t stay here forever. After all, my home is not here, and someday I need to come back.” “Come back? But for what? I understand that you need to finish your studies, but then you’ll be able to return, won’t you?” “Well, it turns out that way. But don’t worry, I’ll visit you as often as possible anyway.” Natalie wanted to say something else, but then it was their turn, so she had to buy tickets and go to the attraction. The girls got into the one of dragon-shaped carriages and held hands. The train started moving and almost immediately picked up breakneck speed. The carriage was shaking continuously, as if it was about to break, and the girls screamed either with delight or fear. The carriage made a dead loop and finally stopped. “Wow, that was awesome!”, Nia exclaimed. “My knees are still shaking!” “Yes… I liked it too! Let’s go for a ride on that carousel with horses, just like in childhood!” The amusement park brings together both adults and children. This place gives unforgettable emotions to everyone, regardless of their age, because here everyone can get an adrenaline rush and boost their mood for the whole day. Therefore, visiting the amusement park is one of the most popular activities among tourists. Nia and Natalie also succumbed to the temptation to have some fun and plunged back into childhood. When the girls returned home, Natalie went to the bathroom to take a shower. When she came out, Nia had been waiting for her for a while. “Yes, my sweetheart?” “Come with me…”, Nia took the girl by the hand and pulled her into the town garden. It was the most beautiful place in the whole town — an oasis. Around a small pond filled with clean crystal clear water, low trees grew, which nevertheless cast a shadow in which people took shelter from the scorching sun rays. The oasis was a small corner of life and hope in the middle of a vast desert. “Here,” Nia said softly. Natalie saw the swings she had once made herself. But now they were decorated with large pink flowers. When Natalie got closer and saw their petals, she noticed that they resembled a heart in shape. “Oh, Nia… It’s just wonderful.” “Shall we go for a ride?” The girls sat down on the swings. “You know, I want to tell you something,” Nia said. “I woke up especially early this morning because I had a terrible dream. We were running along the endless road. I tripped and fell, but you kept running on, and then you disappeared. I called for you, but you didn’t come back,” Nia sobbed. “But I understand that this is just a dream, and I really have nothing to fear as long as I’m with you. I love you, Natalie.” Her heart skipped a beat. Natalie tightened her grip on her girlfriend’s hand. “And I love you. I never want to leave you either. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time.… And today at the amusement park, when I realized that you could leave, I became even more convinced in the correctness of my intention. Nia…”, Natalie looked straight into the girl’s eyes. “Let’s be together… forever.” Natalie took out a small box in which a ring with a blue sapphire glittered. She gently took Nia’s hand and put a ring on her ring finger. Nia slid her arms around Natalie’s neck and kissed her. Swinging on the swings with a loved one is what happiness is.