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It was a warm summer night in Salt Lake and Gina and EJ were on their way home from a party at Ashlyn’s or so she thought.
“It’s a little too on the nose, don’t you think?” Gina chastised, but deep down she was loving what she was seeing.
EJ had taken her to a lake up north and it was beautiful this time of the night, reflecting the starry sky above. It was also not lost on her that this whole scene seemed like something out of The Little Mermaid as she wore a blue summer dress with a matching bow in her hair, while EJ, sitting on a canoe, wore a white dress shirt and black pants.
For his part, EJ just smiled slyly at her, like he knew it too, and Gina loved him all the more for it.
“Well?” EJ asked, as he held his hand out for her to take, which Gina gladly accepted and the two started making their way to the middle of the lake.
They sat in comfortable silence, just enjoying the view and each other’s company.
However, as the minutes passed, Gina noticed EJ nervously drumming his fingers on his lap, growing more restless.
“Eej,” Gina says softly, “What’s going on?”
EJ lets out a long sigh, checking his watch, “It was supposed to go off by now.”
Confused, Gina asks, “What was? Fireworks?”
“No, no,” EJ says rapidly, the panic in his voice rising, “Well, yes and a little extra, but it’s already late, and god, just my timing, huh? I promised you fireworks, twice, and I still can’t get it right after all this time.”
“Eej, that doesn’t—“
“Yes it does,” EJ argued, “You deserve to be with someone who can keep his word and not keep letting you down like this.”
“Hey, hey,” Gina says as she steadily takes his hands in hers, “You planning something like this already shows how much you care and just because this one thing didn’t go according to plan… that is not going to change how I feel about you.”
EJ looks up at that as Gina continues, “I still think you’re one of the best people I know and that no one else makes me laugh like you do… and gosh, EJ, you bought me a freaking plane ticket that gave me a home and…”
Gina pauses, her face growing solemn, “You came back for me, even when I had hurt you. Maybe I’m the one who’s not en—“
EJ cuts her off by tackling her in a tight hug, catching her off guard, “Please don’t… You mean the world to me and… just please don't say that again.”
He lets her go slowly and regains his composure as he begins, “That summer… there’s a lot I would’ve done differently. Maybe tonight was even my attempt at that… I wanted to go back and redo the moment when things went wrong.”
“I’m sorry,” Gina says, with a quiet tone, “I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
“No, it’s okay.” EJ reassures her, sounding more confident, “I realize now that I don’t want to go back, because it got us here. To a place where you know me, the good and the bad, and accept and love me anyway.”
Gina nods at that, “Yeah, I do.” And slowly, finds her confidence too, as she looks EJ straight in the eye, full of determination and so much love as she says, “We are better now and I want you to know, that you are absolutely who I want. And I’m not going anywhere.”
"Me neither,” EJ says as he leans in and kisses her softly.
Once they pull away, Gina whispers, “I love you.”
“I love you too.” EJ says back.
A few moments pass and just as the two were about to call it a night, the sky suddenly lit up with bright neon white lights.
“It’s beautiful!” Gina exclaims, enjoying the show, until something else in the distance catches her eye, “What is that?”
EJ follows her line of sight and his face lights up in recognition, “Better late than never.”
“What did you—“ Gina began to ask, but saw more of the mysterious object come closer, catching onto what EJ had planned, which made her heart melt even more.
“Lanterns. They’ll always help you find your way back home.” EJ says, admiring the view.
“Yeah,” Gina agrees, not even looking at the sky anymore and just at EJ before pulling him into a hug, “Thank you.”
EJ squeezes her back and places a soft kiss on her forehead. They let go as Gina places her head on his shoulder and relaxes against him, watching the lanterns float off into the sky.
In that moment, they found comfort, safety and a sense of belonging. They knew that this was where they’re supposed to be and that they were sticking together for whatever was coming next.