"I do, but that doesn't mean I don't find simple things interesting too."
"You must have seen my scars. I got most from working or playing around here. I'm not a natural, in fact, I'd say I'm the opposite of a natural. While I've always lived around nature I was never good at manual stuff. But like everything, I've learned how to do them by being a stubborn bastard. Every cut, every bruise, every wound taught me something. One day I decided I'd love to have part of the mountains–the forest specifically–with me at all times. Nature has been my true love all my life and it felt right to have it with me, to have the leaves, the branches with me. And covering some of my scars is a bonus.
"You told me there would be no story, but there is!"
"Well, it's not that deep of a story, is it?"
"I disagree," she says with a smile. “Thank you for letting me.”
"Let's eat." I nod towards the kitchen table Bethany set up. I've never bothered to cover it with a towel but she managed to find one, probably embroidered by my grandmother from the looks of it. My grandpa always said she loved sunflowers and tried to include them everywhere when he spoke about her. 'Did you know she once embroidered one sunflower in my boxer briefs? I called her crazy! But then she made me wear them.’ he said once and I remember how much he laughed reminiscing on that time. I decide to share it with Bethany. It's strange how much I want to share that with her.
"Oh really? She must have been so fun! I'd love to have met her."
"Me too. I did, but I don't really remember, I was too young."
"I'm sorry, Marcus. Thank you for sharing that with me. I bet she'd be proud of you for keeping this house so spotless."
"Thank you."
"You never thought of starting your own family?" she asks as we finish up our plates. We must have been hungry; while we’re eating we didn't even utter a word.
"There are not a lot of opportunities when you spend most of your time on your property. And especially when you're someone like me."
"What do you mean?"
"Someone who doesn't know how to speak to people."
"I've been speaking with you perfectly fine."
"As I said before, you're special."
"So you'd like to start your own family, then?"
"Yes. But it's not something I work for. I really don't want to meet new people so it's easier to stay as I am. I'm fine being a single man all my life."
It’s the second lie I’ve told her. Being happy as a single man all my life would’ve been true if someone had asked me two days ago, but now? I’ll only ever be fine if I get to spend my life with her. Or at least near her. Close enough that she can keep brushing her leg against mine. That’d be enough.
"I want to have a big family! I'd love to have at least two kids. Working with kids is hard so I imagine how hard parenting can be, but I can't seem to let that deter me from this dream. SoI'll probably be that person who is surrounded by kids both at home and at work.
"That sounds nice."
"It does, doesn't it?"
I imagine what our kids would look like. Their mother looking beautiful holding their hands. A familiar pang in my chest reappears with the thought.
I've spent these past few years shoving this dream in the darkest corners of my soul and one conversation with Bethany is enough to send them to the light. She really is sunshine. And sunshine this bright will surely get me sunburnt. So I decide it's time to get into the shadow by asking the question I've been holding close to my chest.
"Are you leaving?"
She jumps, turns her face and there's a hint of hurt in them.
"Do you want me to?"
"No. But I figured the bet is off now that you understand how dangerous it'd be for the kids to have access to the lake."
"The bet is off? No way!" She sounds outraged that I'd even consider it. "I'm going to sleep outside in that tent and prove to you I can do it. Unless you want me to leave."
"No." It comes out rough, so I try to articulate what comes next better. "I don't want you to leave. But you don't have to sleep outside. You can sleep here."
