Gerald rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Kim so tight. Both of them could not stop crying. Gerald could not get enough of Kim and was trying to pull her in closer. Kim was doing the same. They could not believe that they were in each other’s arms, breathing in each other’s scent and feeling like their world was finally complete.

Gerald: I’m so sorry baby. I’m so sorry.

Kim: I’m so sorry babe. Please forgive me. I’ve missed you so much.

Gerald: There is nothing to forgive. I’ve missed you. I’m sorry to have put you through this.

Kim: Don’t apologize babe. It’s not your fault. I know that. I’ve known that.

Gerald: Do you know how good it feels to hear you call me babe?  (finally releases Kim from his embrace and holds her face)  I love you more than I can ever find the words to tell you.  You are a part of me.  You are my heart and being away from you these past 3 months have felt like a part of me was missing. My heart was missing. I love you baby.  I love you Kimberly Sue Yap Chiu.

Kim: (with fresh new tears) And I love you Gerald Randolph Opsima Anderson Jr.  You were right. I was miserable without you. I didn’t know how to come back and I think Tanya knew that, thus the set up. I’m sorry to have put you through this. Yes… I was hurt but my pride was also the reason that kept us apart.

Gerald: I don’t care as long as you came back. I would have waited for you forever.

Kim: Forever? (raising an eyebrow at him, smiling)

Gerald: well, maybe not forever… I was actually ready to kidnap you and demand that you return to me but I think getting together with our friends was a much more non criminal way to do that. (smiling down at her) Lord how I have missed you.

Kim: I’ve missed you so much. I’m sorry babe for putting you through this. For taking so long to come back to you.

Gerald: Baby it’s okay. It’s okay. You’re here right now. You are here in my arms and I’m keeping you forever. (holding her closer, whispering) Babe… can we get out of here? I want you all to myself.

Kim: (smiling up at Gerald) Let’s get out of here. I want to go home.

Gerald: Home?

Kim: I want to go back to our place.

Gerald: (smiling) I don’t know if I can wait that long.

Kim: (laughing at him) You can wait 2 hours. Are you too tired to drive?

Gerald: No… wherever you want to go. How about the nearest hotel?

Kim: (laughing) I want to go home. I want to go where your scent is on the pillow. You’ve waited 3 months. You can wait another 2 hours. (smiling at him) I promise it will be worth the wait.

Gerald: (whispering into Kim’s ear) I’m going to have you wishing we went to the nearest hotel by the time we get back home. Come on, baby. I love you. Did you bring a bag?

Kim: (with a catch in her breath) Yes. It’s right over by the door. Let me leave a note for Matt and Mel.

Gerald: Okay. What are you going to write?

Kim: How about ‘Love you guys! Thank you! Sorry we left’

Gerald: Add ‘Everything is okay. We’re okay.’

Kim: Is that enough for them to think we’re okay?

Gerald: We should let mess with them and let them think we had a fight.

Kim: We should but then I think about all that effort. Mel cooked a new recipe and made homemade dessert.

Gerald: True. Let them know that we’re back together. We are, aren’t we?

Kim: (holds Gerald’s hand and squeezes it tight) We are.

Gerald: I haven’t kissed you yet.

Kim: And you’re not going to.

Gerald: Huh? Why?

Kim: Because with the way both of us are feeling… I don’t think we can control ourselves. Let’s go home. Or else we might embarrass ourselves in front of Mel and Matt in the middle of their living room.

Gerald: Smart woman. But 2 hours!

Kim walked out of Matt & Mel’s place laughing. Gerald walked out behind her smiling and thanking God that he was hearing her laugh once again. Gerald began the drive back to campus.  During that time, they talked about everything that happened during their 3 months they were apart. Gerald talked about how his classes were going. Kim talked about the tutoring job she took on. Gerald shared that he joined a basketball league on campus. Kim shared how she took dance classes for fun. They both realized that they were both trying to find something to keep their minds off each other.

Gerald: Babe, can I ask you something? …

Kim: Always.  What’s up?

Gerald: How come you never took off your promise ring?

Kim: (looks down at her promise ring sparkling right back at her – quiet for awhile) Because I wanted to make sure you knew that I hadn’t stop thinking about you. I was also afraid that if I took it off you would take it as a sign that it was over and it wasn’t.  I just didn’t know how to fix it.  I wanted you to come and fix things but what was wrong with the picture is that I asked you to stay away.  So I didn’t know what to do.  I wore the ring to make sure you knew I was holding you to your promise.

Gerald: I love you baby.  Thank you.  Every time I saw you around campus that was the first thing I looked at after I made sure you were not with some guy.

Kim: No one could compare to you babe. They tried but no one. It would be, their hair wasn’t this beautiful shade of brown or it wasn’t thick like yours. I love your hair. I love running my fingers through it. Or they weren’t as tall as you or too tall, not the perfect height you were. Or they weren’t smart like you or they were too nerdy.  They couldn’t hold a conversation like you or they weren’t as funny as you were. They were not as athletic as you or they were too much. No one could compare.  I thought to myself I was going to end up as an old maid.

Gerald: I was thinking the same thing myself.

Kim: (teasingly) That no one was better than you? Or that you were going to be an old maid?

Gerald: (laughing)  Ha! Ha! You’re funny. Sassy girl. I missed my sassy girl. (pulls Kim’s hand to his lips and kisses it) What I was trying to tell you was that I thought I would be a bachelor for life. I think I was rude to a lot of girls. If they were trying to talk to me or trying to be cute, I would just sometimes get up and leave or just walk away without saying anything.

Kim: No you didn’t?! Well, actually I’m glad you did. Sort of. It was rude but somehow satisfying to me. You’re mine. Mine only.

Gerald: (smiling) Only yours. No one measured up to you. Baby, you’re the only one for me.

Kim: I love you baby. (with tears running down her face)

Gerald: I love you too. And no more tears.

Kim: Tears of joy. (smiling at him) And I can’t seem to stop.  It feels like all that pain is just spilling out of my heart. You were the cure babe. Sounds corny but I needed you to fix the hurt.

Gerald: Let me fix whatever you need baby.

Kim: (smiling) hmmmmm… are we almost home?

Gerald: (knowing what she was thinking) We’re almost home baby. 

Kim: (smiling) I have some other things that I need fixed.

Gerald: I think we both do.

Kim: Babe… we need to get home soon.

Gerald: The next exit is ours. (taking a deep breath)