The Secret Island
Chapter 67: Our Trip

After a long exhausting journey, it took them hours to drive and find the resort that Celine had booked. Once they got into their room, Celine threw herself on the bed, totally ignoring Martin, who was still unpacking. He didn't mind. He simply took out the stuff in the luggage and arranged them in the closet. He was acting strange after our kiss in the car-when she turned to look at him from the comfort of her bed, it was at the same time he turned to look at her. He blushed and smiled. That was unexpected to see. She didn't know what had happened to him. Maybe it was something she did again and not knowing the effect it had on him.

Nonetheless, she smiled at that. She found the image of him blushing somewhat cute. We had become so close. And just being together brought her so much joy of being in the now. Just to see him standing there felt a little more than a miracle to her. She had been dreaming of this for years, and sometimes, she even pinched herself a couple of times to see if she was dreaming-it wasn't a dream... it wasn't a dream after all. She had been waiting for way too long for this, it seemed almost unfair, but it was all worth it in the end.

"Why do you keep standing there? Aren't you tired as well? Come here and maybe take a nap, will you?"

The room had a king-sized bed, and she occupied some two-thirds of the area with her position. But she guessed he didn't feel that comfortable sleeping on the same bed as her and just casually talking. He still retained that uptight trait and was still very reserved in his demeanor. She kind of like that about him.

"Just come here and take a nap, Martin. Besides, I really miss my side pillow at home, and they don't have it here. You know, I need to hug something. Otherwise, how can I sleep comfortably?" It didn't take long for him to willingly lay down beside her and let her hug him.

As always, when we were together like, being very close together like this, she could hear his heartbeat that was beating faster in her arms. He was sleeping there very still as if he didn't want to bother her time of rest. This felt like a dream. All she could do was hug him tight and remind herself over and over that this was reality. He was here. And he was not going anywhere. Oh, how she wished he would not disappear anywhere ever again.

Truthfully, what we had at this moment in time definitely was not a dream. In a dream, there must not be his warm body in her arms, and there must not be his gentle hand that caresses her back. In her dream, there must not be his soft lips that kissed her temple and the calm and constant rhythm of breathing that brought her so much comfort.

Whatever happened here right now was real. This was definitely not a dream.

****

After the sudden kiss and her words of affirmation that surprised him, Martin could not really keep calm and continued his day as if nothing had happened. Great things had transpired between us just then, and it changed him. He didn't know how to keep his cool. It was probably the feeling of accomplishing what one most wanted, and he didn't know exactly how to handle those feelings. He looked at Celine, sleeping soundly beside him. She was tired from driving both of us here. He felt a bit guilty for not helping much on this trip. Although it was he who asked, she was the one that planned out the trip in detail and booked everything; where we should stay, the restaurants we should go to, and the places we should visit... All he did was do the easy work of packing and unpacking.

For the past many days we spent together, he could see that she tried her best to finish all the works she had in order to clear out her schedule and spend time with him; for us to spend our holiday together. That was more than he could ask for.

This was not exactly a holiday. Celine brought her laptop and many documents with her. He would consider that she simply moved her office here and worked remotely.

"What exactly are you dreaming, darling?" Martin whispered to a sleeping body beside him. He didn't want to wake her. Celine looked so peaceful when she was sleeping like this. He knew she hadn't been sleeping well for many days. So, he let her sleep soundly. He tried to take a short nap as well, but his body couldn't comply. Maybe the coffee he took this afternoon was too strong.

"How about you wake up and talk to me? I miss you greatly. Wake up to complain about whatever. I just miss you." He whispered to her while she was sleeping. This was rather pointless and a strange request. But he only said what was on his mind-he misses her. Although she was here with him in his arms, he still missed her. He didn't know since when she had become everything to him. Because of her, he wanted to smile more, and he wanted her to smile more. He wanted to do everything in his power to make her smile. But maybe he was just too dumb to know how to do it. At least he was trying every way he could, but for someone who hadn't experienced real love as he, it was so difficult to comprehend a way. This love was so important to him that he wanted to be a better man, but maybe that idea was too conceptual. He didn't know how to erase his past; he still couldn't comprehend his own mistakes nor make sense of his experiences. His thoughts circulated on the same thoughts, the only progress he had was his new goal in life, but he didn't know how to act on it.

"I love you..." He said that to her one more time.

"I love you so much that I want to be a better man." Celine once said he just had to be good enough for himself and himself alone, but he knew in his soul there was so much more... ...He just wants to be better for her...