Chapter Text
December 27th, 2016
Penny is finally asleep, though I cannot rest. All good things, of course! So I’ll use my insomnia to write down everything that has transpired today, to the best of my abilities.
I awoke early to make us a nice breakfast. I planned on bringing it to Penny’s bed (I even had the tray all set up!), but she came into the kitchen as I was placing the finishing touches. We ate at the table, as we usually did, though she said she was touched by my gesture.
I asked her if she would be up for a day in the city. She seemed surprised to hear it, but she said yes! I then told her she should pack a small overnight bag, as my plans would include a stay at a nice hotel for tonight. I saw her eyes budge and her face turn crimson, but she still said yes.
I lent her a bag so she could pack whatever she would need for tonight, and in the afternoon we were driving down to Zuzu City.
I had a lot of plans once we got there, and luckily there wasn’t much traffic on the highway, even if it was so close to the end of the year! The drive took about two and a half hours, and Penny remarked she’d never been inside a car for so long. I had asked if she wanted to make a pit stop somewhere, but she said she was actually enjoying looking at the changing scenery.
Once we got to the city, I noticed she was craning her neck to look up, clearly mesmerized by all the tall buildings. She said she had never been to such a big city before, and it was a lot different than she had expected. I smiled, though I was somewhat apprehensive about what she would think of my plans.
We checked into our hotel (which was definitely not as easy to book as I had expected… of course, my impulsive decision to impress her forgot to take into account the end of the year, and the little availability of many hotels in the city) and I was amazed by how opulent the room looked!
I had purposefully chosen the best room they had, complete with a very salacious and suggestive bathtub in the bathroom. Penny seemed nervous when she saw it, possibly because the bathroom was quite open to the rest of the room. She did not make any comments, though. I told her she should get dressed for our date, as I wished to change as well.
I feared I might have been a tad overdressed in my suit, but this was a special occasion, and I would not be caught dead looking anything below marvelous! Penny, however… my, did she surpass me on every level!
She had put on a white long-sleeved dress; with the black tights I recall from the cat costume, and a very elegant green coat. She wore ballet flats, for she had not quite enjoyed wearing heels like the cat boots had (to be fair, she often preferred going barefoot), though I thought it did not matter either way.
She did not dress up often, but it still suited her splendidly. She gave the clothes a layer of sophistication, of modesty and elegance I quite liked.
I complimented her, after spending far too long ogling, and she said I looked quite handsome too. I had to agree, for anytime I wore my nice maroon suit combined with my tan coat, I felt completely in my element!
And so, we were off to begin our date.
I had toyed with many different avenues for it. I thought about taking her to dinner and a movie; – a classic, for certain! – I thought about seeing a play or a concerto; – sadly tickets were either already gone or exorbitantly expensive, and I’d much rather spend that money on the hotel room – but in the end, I chose a rather interactive experience, and I took her to the Ferngill Natural History Museum.
When I mentioned it to her, she seemed confused, and she told me we already had a museum in Pelican Town. I had to laugh, and explained to her that she was about to experience what a real museum looked like. Gunther was dedicated to his work, but the collection in our town unfortunately left much to be desired.
So we perused the many exhibition halls, and I watched as she gasped in awe over every single thing she saw. She read through all of the plaques, pointing out little things she found interesting. She even mentioned how it was as if the pictures from the encyclopedias she so admired had come to life!
She did become rather glum when we reached the deep sea exhibit. There were bones of ancient creatures beyond our imagination; and many pictures of specimen that lived so deep most humans will possibly never see them in person!
There were also depictions of sea myths, such as the krakens and the mermaids, though obviously there were no bones from those. I saw tears in her eyes, and I commented how odd it was that many cultures, though deeply divergent, all seemed to agree on a few certain things, and sea-dwelling fantastical creatures seemed to be one of them.
Penny smiled, and said that it truly was odd.
We ended our visit at the gift shop, and I let her get one small trinket, as a little souvenir. She refused at first, and so I decided to flip it on its head, and ask her to suggest something for myself, and I would buy it.
She hesitated, but then silently picked up a plush dolphin. I must say, it was quite cute, though I wonder why she’d chosen it. I do not understand her strange relationship to the ocean. I believe she fears and loathes it most of the time, but sometimes I truly feel she actually loves it. There is a longing for it inside of her. I see it, for I feel it myself quite often too.
I purchased it, as promised, and I hailed a cab to our next destination: dinner at a very fine sushi place! I have not been there in a long time, but from what I recall, they served some of the best sushi in town!
Yes, it was somewhat expensive, but I assured her she would not need to worry about the price right now. That would be a problem for 2017 Elliott (though hopefully it wouldn’t, and I’m crossing my fingers my book sells well enough).
Penny was shocked and pleasantly surprised to find out sushi mainly consisted of raw fish! I knew how much she loved fish, and I figured there can be no better way to savor it than in its purest form! We shared a large plate, with many different types of sushi! She fell in love with the salmon one, but said that tuna was still her favorite!
It was dark once we’ve exited the restaurant. I asked her if she wished to go for a walk at the park, or if she was ready to return to our hotel room. She chose to leave, and so we did just that.
Only once we were back I started to feel the butterflies completely settle in my stomach. I noticed Penny would not face me, and I figured she was just as nervous. I had to do something about it, so I suggested we had a soak in our large tub. She did not like that suggestion one bit. I told her if her issue was modesty, we could simply wear our underwear, but she was adamant in her refusal.
I decided to not press it, so I switched tactics. I turned off the main lights, leaving only the indirect ones on for a more intimate ambiance. I cupped her cheeks and brought her in for a slow kiss. She did not pull away, but in fact pulled closer, hands clinging to my arms.
My thoughts raced with the gravity of our actions. I have never felt this nervous before sex, not even on my very first time! I tried to recall the practical things: take it slow; listen to her; do not push. And if everything did go according to plan, I had protection (I was not about to plan this entire day simply to fumble right at the end).
I pulled away, but I stayed close to her, feeling drunk in her warmth. I asked her if she wanted this, if she was truly ready. She said yes. I lifted her in my arms, and carried her to bed.
I wish I could put into detail every single second of that moment. I wish there was a way I could capture how it made me feel, and store it somewhere so I might open it and feel it all over again later. Words fail to describe how wonderful it was. They are not enough to explain the feel of her skin against mine; the beautiful sound of her sighs and gasps of pleasure; the intense feeling in my chest that grew and grew and grew, until I could no longer hold it back.
And as we both calmed ourselves, I let slip the only thing I had been thinking all night: “I love you.”
A cliché? Most certainly. This entire day was a cliché of the most egregious variety. Though there is beauty in a cliché, especially if one’s never experienced anything like it before. I know I have not, and I believe she has not, either.
I waited for a response, and though it took but a second, to me it felt like years had passed before she said “I love you too.”
I smiled. I am smiling even now as I recall it. I do not think I’ve been this happy in ages… I never thought anyone would ever love me. I thought I had cursed myself into living out my days as a lonely man up in that lighthouse, but now…
Now I am here. And I am not alone. I am with the most unbelievable woman I’ve ever met, and I cannot wait to see what the future will look like for us. I can only hope that
Unsent letter #4
Dear Elliott,
The truth will come out eventually. If not by me, she will tell you, or you’ll figure it out. I wanted to write you this letter before the year was out, but this isn’t about you. You won’t care. I know you. This is about her. I want to see her, and I want her to know.
But I can’t do it. She probably hates me for what I’ve done. I don’t want her to know, I need her to. So this letter will end up crumpled up in the corner with all the others. I hope someday I can find the guts to let her you know.