Sorrowed Souls

"Andy... Are we there yet?"
"No"—He reached out, successfully stopping your hand from reaching your face—"And don't take off that blindfold!"
"Well, you're driving like you have a blindfold. This better not—"
"Not be the best day of your young life?" he countered. "Wait a few more minutes—it best be!"
Ugh.
You knew it was getting darker—of that, you could tell. So...
Where to, miss?
To the stars.
You found Andy's shoulder and tap-tap-tapped on it. "Hey—"
"We're here."
He pulled the emergency break, taking your hand a moment later and helping you out of the car.
With one hand on your back, he guided you around half of some square pathway before you stepped up on some... porch?
Okay, some type of housing complex. A door was opened, and Andy gently ushered you inside.
More steps were taken.
This felt familiar...
A few handfuls of steps later, and you stopped, a door sliding open in front of you.
Just where were you going?
A violin sounded, the sound long and beautiful. Music?
The blindfold was unveiled, slipping away from your eyes and revealing...
Something beautiful. Your family, your friends... Everyone gathered around your backyard, dressed... so nicely. Just as nicely as you and Andy.
And you knew why. Or you could guess why, at least.
This was a gathering of hearts.
They wanted you to know they cared.
And as Andy took your hand, leading you to the open dance floor, tears came.
They didn't break from your eyes, delicately balancing in place as Andy twirled you. And as you spun, your family blurring, you realized something.
Something profound, something new. Something you'd needed to hear for a while now.
Healing comes from the deepest part of your existence, planting a seed that watered with time, unearthing and eventually blooming something new. Something real. Something downright beautiful.
You smiled at Andy, giving a grin that reached up enough to crinkle your eyes. Because it didn't matter where you had been or where you were going... with him, everything came together.
With him, you were home.
Minutes later, he bowed, planting one delicate kiss to the backs of your fingers. And you gave the biggest grin possible, the grin that would set you upon a new start, a new era of your life.
He was yours, and there wasn't a single thing you could do about it.

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