Chapter 8: Gareth
I woke up with a smile on my face and I was both amazed and overjoyed that Becca agreed to spend the weekend with me. Despite the calm aura I projected when I asked, our relationship has been rocky enough that there was a possibility that she would say no. My palms felt slightly sweaty as I prepared and as I left the room, I promised myself that I wouldn’t mess things up with her again.
I made my way to her room and knocked. We had a full itinerary for the day. Becca had helped choose most of the places and activities on the itinerary, and she seemed really excited about some of them. However, I soon found that I hadn't known just how much she was looking forward to the day's activities. Her door swung open so fast that it seemed like she had been waiting next to the door for me to knock.
"Are you ready?" she asked, and her blue eyes twinkled with joy as she looked up at me. I swallowed a lump in my throat as I nodded. Something about the way she looked this morning took my breath away. The lighting in the hotel is bright, so the warm lighting from her room bathes her figure, surrounding her head like a halo. She was dressed casually this time, wearing a simple white tee shirt and jeans. In comparison, my buttoned-down blue shirt and slacks seemed a bit staid. But it was too late to change anything, so we headed down to the hotel's restaurant together.
A quick visit from a waiter later and we soon found ourselves eating. I put away my meal fast, but I was shocked by how quickly Becca finished her meal. She ate quickly, and although she didn’t say anything, I could practically feel the joy rolling off her. I caught a glimpse of her legs under the table, tapping away with what I could see was restrained excitement.
We left the hotel and she directed me straight to the first item on the agenda; seeing Big Ben. If it wasn't too late to book a tour, it seemed like she would want to visit the palace too. She was determined to live the tourist life, and I was happy to go along with her.
I stifled my amusement at how entertained I was by an activity I would roll my eyes at on a normal day. However, I couldn’t deny that I was enjoying our little walk around the tourist traps. And I knew that the reason for this was Becca.
She walked beside me with a wide smile on her face and I laughed at how wide her eyes were. She couldn’t stop swiveling around, like she was trying to capture every moment and burn it into her memories. Her every move spoke of joy and zest for life that was contagious, and I soon found myself smiling back at her.
"We can't be in London and not see the Thames," she said in a lilting tone as she dragged me towards a ferry. I didn’t say that it was just a ferry and nothing special. I didn't want to rain on her parade, so instead, I smiled indulgently as I followed her.
"You don't understand how big this river is. It had such a big impact on London, and it still does," she whispered to me, moving closer as the cold air reached us. I wasted no time and swiftly took her into my arms. The ferry ride ended with us back in London, however, we were still holding hands.
We headed to the Tate Gallery under Becca's insistence, but we didn’t stay long. Despite how beautiful the art was, she quickly grew bored. As if to make up for the short gallery visit, Becca soon hustled me to a local pub.
"Since we're already here, it would be a shame not to sample the local cuisine," she said with an excitement that was only matched by the enthusiastic way she greeted the server as she ordered two lots of fish and chips.
The food arrived soon, and to Becca's surprise, she finished everything on her plate.
"I didn't even notice. Now we have one last thing on the agenda," she said in a low voice, blaming herself for forgetting her father's words.
"What's that?" I asked, ready to go anywhere.
"Well, my dad used to talk about a jazz club nearby. I know it's getting late, but can we please go?" she asks, her big blue eyes seeming to reach into my soul. I couldn't resist following her to the jazz club, and I was rewarded by the smile on her face as she tearfully talked about how much her father had told her about the bar, and how glad she was to see it in person.
Once we got there, she paused for a moment, touching the door to the club almost reverently before we went inside.
The jazz club was dark with a laid-back atmosphere and even during the day, there was something about it that seemed removed from the hectic streets waiting outside. It was like we had stepped into a new world the moment we entered. Despite how uncomfortable I felt at first, the laid-back air that everyone there carried seemed infectious. We found ourselves getting lost in the smooth sounds of the music.
I could tell that I was in for a long day, and yet, all I could feel was joy bubbling within me.