Chapter 16: My Anchor and Firm Foundation – October 10 – 16, 2021
“Yun, I want to marry you on my birthday.” He was sliding his fingers up her palm. Then he intertwined them with his own. “You are the best gift I’ve ever been given.”
He pulled her hand up to his mouth and kissed the back of it. Then he opened her fingers and planted another kiss in the very center of her palm. As desire blossomed in the pit of her stomach, she wondered if they could marry today.
They were sitting side by side on her bed again. She turned to gaze into his eyes. Seonghan had never made her feel the things Tae was causing to erupt within her right now. It was all because she knew he was her safe place. The edge of excitement that had been the dangerous gleam in Seonghan’s eyes was missing from Tae’s smile. But something infinitely more precious was beckoning her in his gaze.
“You’ll finish school a couple weeks before my birthday, so we’ll have time to attend to the last-minute details. We can get married in the evening, so our working friends can still attend. I don’t want to wait one moment later than my birthday, though. I want our baby born after we’ve married. I want a few days alone with you before our little darling joins us.”
Tears were leaking down her face once more. How had she and Tae arrived here? How had she come safely through the storm of her own making?
Tae. Tae had been there all along. Guiding her through. Holding her when the waves looked too high. Steering her boat when she was cowering beneath the wheel. Tae was her anchor. Tae was her lighthouse. Tae was her safe harbor.
—
The following Saturday he came to pick her up for lunch. After enjoying a comfortable meal, they spent the whole afternoon shopping for baby stuff. And evading the rains. Although, he had been tempted to pull her into his arms and dance in the rain with her once more. But today was a cold day, and he cared for her and their little princess too much to let Yun risk catching a chill. However, the skies began to clear around three o’clock.
After they’d dropped everything off at her house, he took her hand and whispered in his velvety voice, “Come with me.”
He led her to his car. A few minutes later, he pulled into a parking space near the pier where’d they’d first met. He opened her door and slid his hand into hers. He tugged her towards the dock. They walked the length of it. Then he pulled her down with him as he sat on its very edge, his feet dangling over it.
It was a crisp, fall day. Much cooler than the day they had first met here. Behind them and also across the water were trees blooming with dark shades of burgundy, burnt orange, and gold. The landscape had been painted with autumn’s most beautiful brush. And the reflection of that variegated beauty bounced off the calm surface of the water surrounding them. So colorful. Just like her face. Her rose cheeks. Her green eyes. The lovely golden hair that framed that beautiful countenance. She was a masterpiece.
He gazed down at her.
“Yun? I have something for you.”
He pulled a tiny, velvet box from his pocket. He held it out to her. Very carefully, she accepted it and held it firmly. She was nervous. She didn’t want to drop it in the water. She opened it and gasped as her eyes filled with tears. Could Tae read her mind?
“I had it custom-made for you. I know it’s a bit of a strange engagement ring, but I wanted something to remind you that I’m your safe harbor from all the storms of life. I’ll be your anchor to ground you and your lighthouse directing you safely home. If you’ll let me be, Yun.
“I know when things have hurt you, you’ve run from me, but this is me begging you to talk to me. To tell me when something I do or say hurts you. Because…I never want to hurt you, Yun. I just want to bless you.
“And I don’t ever want you to feel like you need to run to someone else for solace. Please, always come to me. Don’t ever turn to someone else for comfort. I want to be the one who has the privilege of comforting you.”
She stared down at the silver band. In the very center of that band, a silver lighthouse had been molded to it. And a glowing diamond had been set inside its window as its sparkling light. To the right of the lighthouse, a little anchor had been inlaid into the silver band. The anchor was mother-of-pearl.
“Tae.” She swallowed. “I don’t have words. You…”
She began to weep. For he understood her heart so well.
“I’m so sorry, Tae. I’m sorry I turned to Seonghan. I…”
“No, Yun. Don’t speak of it. Not ever again. The past is past. It is water under the bridge. It will not pass this way again. I just want you to know that I’m your safe place from here on out. I will never give you another reason to chase another Seonghan ever again.”
“Tae, it wasn’t your fault.”
“It was. I neglected you. I didn’t treat you right. I had an amazing girlfriend, and I forgot to cherish her and to tell her how much she meant to me. I got bogged down in the past, in what I thought I’d lost. But, truthfully, Yun, Eunji was never the right girl for me. She was always like my little sister. I was just too close to her to see it. It took you to open my eyes.
“You have never felt like my sister, Yun. But I wasn’t ready to face my feelings for you even though you were so good to me during the year and a half that we dated. I’m so sorry that I messed our storyline up by abandoning you to mope over an old broken heart. I didn’t listen to my closest friends. I didn’t listen to my heart when it told me to chase you. To fight for you. I left you unguarded. And Seonghan preyed upon your broken heart.”
She could see a lone tear gleaming in the corner of his eye.
“I’m just so glad you’re here with me now. I’m so happy we got a second chance. Will you marry me, Yun, and let me spend the rest of my life being your secret place?”
Her face melted. “Tae…of course, l’ll marry you! I’ve already promised to.”
He reached into the box and pulled the ring out before sliding it onto her finger. “You’ve made me the happiest man alive, Yun. You and our precious baby girl. Got any idea what you want to name her?”
She glanced out at the water. It seemed almost blue today. Like a foundation made of gleaming, sapphire gems. The storm had passed; the waters were still now. She gazed down at their reflection in it.
Nature’s looking glass was like a blue bedrock to build a future on. Something solid. Something that wouldn’t give way under the pressures of life. She prayed that would be the embodiment of her baby’s spirit. A firm foundation stone. Unshakable. Immovable. A fearless conqueror. Unmoved and undefeated by the storms that rose up against her.
Perhaps, if Yun and Tae did a little research they could find the perfect name for their little darling.
—
A few minutes later, as they both studied their phones, Tae suddenly hollered, “I found it!”
“You did?” Her eyebrows rose as she turned her head to meet his eyes. “What is it?”
“Seulgi.”
“What does it mean?”
“The first character means blue jewel, like the sapphires you mentioned! And the second character means foundation!” he answered excitedly.
“There’s actually a name that means sapphire foundation? Oh, Tae! That’s beautiful! Is it okay if we name her Seulgi then?”
“It’s more than okay. It’s wonderful. And the perfect complement to our relationship. Being each other’s safe place will give our children the secure foundation they need to lead peaceful lives.” He bent his head and claimed her lips with his own.
“Tae,” she murmured against his lips. “But something is ruffling that calm surface right now.”
He frowned and queried, “What is it?”
She smiled. “The butterflies are back. And it seems to me that they’re bringing more butterflies with them again.”
He grinned, and she deepened their kiss.
Only Tae could give her butterflies butterflies.
