When Love Is Silent {An Uncommon Love: Chapt. 9}

“This is so good. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. Like a good romance novel, only this tale is true.” ~ Darlene Schacht of Time-Warp Wife.

(*Here’s Chapter 9 of An Uncommon Love: Our True-Life Love Story. If you’re new here, you can catch up with Chapt. 1, Chapt. 2, Chapt. 3, Chapt. 4, Chapt. 5, Chapt. 6, Chapt. 7, and Chapt. 8.)  

 Chapter 9
When Love Is Silent

Maybe you think it should be enough.

Enough that he took me to lunch. Presented me with a bottle of perfume. A rather special bottle of perfume.

Perhaps your opinion is that I was asking for too much. And you might be right about that.

But, my friends, I’m telling ya . . . I was hoping for words.

Yes, I needed to hear it from his own lips.

Not merely left to guess it.

Wonder at it.

Or even to smell it.

No, I desperately wanted him to say SOMETHING. What did he think of us? How did he feel about me? Was he interested? Attracted? Hopeful?

Because for all I knew, he often went around giving girls – who happened to be in town for a week – a pricey bottle of perfume. Maybe that’s just the kind of thing he did. Go out to lunch and randomly hand out bottles of perfume.

How could I know?? 

On Top of the Mountain

And while we’re talking about girls who were in town for ONLY a week? This girl’s week was nearly done.

Now it was Wednesday and I was leaving . . . on Friday morning.

48 Hours left.

No pressure, dear.

Okay, maybe a little.

After leaving our lunch on Tuesday, he suggested we go to dinner on the following evening. Grab something to eat and then come back to my parents’ house for the basketball play-offs. L.A. Lakers vs. Portland Blazers. Should be good.

I consulted my hauntingly empty calendar and casually agreed.

Dinner with a handsome, interesting, godly man? Yeah, I could manage that.

So he picked me up and we started winding our way up the beautiful, snow-covered  Mount Hood. He’d decided on The Ivy Bear, a lovely, European-styled restaurant toward the base of the mountain. I’d only been there once before, so was rather excited to get to dine there again. Especially with him.

But when we arrived, the restaurant was locked up and closed down.

How disappointing!

I mean, there aren’t a lot of dining options along the mountain pass. Sounded like Dairy Queen to me, and by that time, I didn’t even mind. A hamburger? An ice-cream? As long as we were together . . . and talking.

But he drove right past the DQ and on up the mountain. Up and up, until it seemed we couldn’t go any higher.

Until we reached the historic Timberline Lodge.

Nestled somewhere between the snow and the clouds.

Dinner for Two, Please

We were quiet now.

The only sound was the crunching of our feet through the deep, deep snow. Making our way to this wintry mountain retreat. Passing the two Saint Bernard dogs who guarded the place with a friendly wag of their tails. Climbing up the stone steps and entering the historic building. Huge wooden beams and three fireplaces at the base of a 90-foot chimney.

All of this just waiting for the two of us.

The dining room was pleasantly empty, inviting and warm. I watched as he scanned the room for the right table for us.

But he seemed dissatisfied.

And I couldn’t figure out why. In such a dreamy, romantic setting, what could possibly be missing? 

But the mystery was soon solved as he began rearranging the furniture.

Yes, I’m serious.

He picked out the perfect table for two and then pulled it up in front of the gigantic, crackling fireplace. Him and me. Alone on top of the world. With nothing better to do than gaze into each other’s eyes.

Oh, and share a gourmet meal together.

A Strange Silence

Would you believe I can’t remember what we talked about that evening?

I can remember the snow, the dogs, the wood and stone, and the fireplace. I remember the animated conversation and lots of laughter. But few other details.

Except his eyes and how I thought they were the most beautiful pair of eyes I’d ever seen in a man.

Other than that, I mostly remember what he did NOT say.

He didn’t say, “I like you.”

Or, “I wish you lived closer.”

Or how about, “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me”??

And certainly not, “I love you.”

Oh, no. He could wax eloquent on nearly every other subject.

Except about me. About us.

He was strangely silent on that subject.

By the time he drove me back to my parents’ home, it was late and we’d missed the basketball game. Not that I cared anymore about such things. There was only one thing – one person – I cared about right then.

And I was waiting for this particular person to say goodnight to me.

We stood in the driveway, only a few inches from each other, and I thought . . . maybe . . . just maybe . . .

But then the most unexpected thing happened . . . 

That ruined everything.

Sorry, but I promised him that he could tell that part? (Now, please, don’t be mad

What I can tell you, however, is that I walked into the house and went directly to my room where I wrapped myself in my favorite blanket and, well, cried my eyes out.

To be continued . . . . See you next Wednesday for Chapter Ten then?

In His grace,

P.S. If you’re enjoying this series, we hope you’ll share it with others! Thanks, friends!

*Chapter One: If He Was the Last Man On Earth
*Chapter Two: Where Is She? Searching for My Forever Girl
*Chapter Three: What Happens When Mr. Right Walks Into the Room
*Chapter Four: What A Smile Can Say to Him
*Chapter Five: What to Say If You’re Ever Invited on an Adventure
*Chapter Six: The Night I Fell in Love
* Chapter Seven: 1,000 Ways to Win Her Heart
*Chapter Eight: A Gift for the Woman I Love

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100 Ways to Love Your Husband: A Life-Long Journey of Learning to Love

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