“Alright,” he said with a pang of longing, wishing she could have said the words to him. “Now, remember the colors I told you? Those wisps disappear sometimes quickly…”
“You’re serious.”
“Believe, Mary… you’ve got to believe.”
“Alright, alright. I believe.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, Jax… I’m sure.”
“You sound skeptical.”
“Maybe because I’m not sure how my wish will come true,” she admitted, looking nervous. “It was a big wish.”
“The ones straight from the heart usually are – which is why you have to give it everything you can,” he smiled tenderly.
“I’m ready,” she nodded.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, now look hard and don’t forget your colors. Think of your wish and what you wanted, say a prayer, and stand back,” he cautioned.
He waited until she was just out of reach, winding up his arm and launching the bottle as far as he could throw it. He pulled Mary to him, wrapping his arms around her, and whispered against her hair to ‘believe’as it plopped audibly into the ocean some distance away.
They both stood there, waiting… and a part of him held his breath, as if they were genuinely making a wish for real.
Just as he was about to say something or crack a joke… his knees faltered, and he heard Mary’s exclamation of surprise as a faint rainbow appeared in the distance.
“No waaaay…” he breathed, reeling, and stared at her shocked expression as she turned to look at him in disbelief, her hands trembling as she clenched his hands in hers, trying to get his attention from where he was staring at the colors against the sky.
“What were the colors again?”
“Pink wisps are emotional wishes, like for love,” he repeated, stunned. “Green wishes are for money, purple is for children in the future, blue is for long life, and yellow is for health.”
“And a rainbow?” she choked out, swallowing, her eyes shiny and bright with so much hope that he felt humbled, really wanting to know what she was wishing for at that moment. “It was a rainbow, Jax! What if I saw an entire rainbow? What does that mean?”
“That we are blessed – and that our fondest wishes will come true someday,” he breathed, pulling her to him and kissing her breathlessly there in the surf.
CHAPTER15
MARY
She was absolutely shockedto see the rainbow appear over the horizon – looking almost as stunned as Jax’s beloved face was. They stood there for quite a while, holding each other and kissing. Personally, she was afraid to leave the oceanfront because she desperately wanted her wish, but had bravely written it down.
A life with Jax someday
She never thought to elaborate, because she didn’t care what that life looked like, so long as he was with her. Hearing his laugh, seeing his smile, knowing deep down in her heart he was such a beautiful soul, she couldn’t imagine that they would be anything but happy despite it all… and for the first time in her life?
Mary was ready to take a chance.
As they packed up everything into the plane, she set her beautiful roses on the back bench seat, before moving to his side where he was fidgeting with something, before shutting the panel and locking it.
“I thought you were climbing in?” he smiled.
“I’m really not ready to go,” she admitted, stepping into his arms and hugging him. “This has been the best escape ever, and I cannot thank you enough for bringing me.”