The Wall of Winnipeg and Me

by Mariana Zapata

“Stay here tonight,”

The dog let out a sharp playful bark that sliced through the air. I got to watch as four emotions flash across Aiden’s features. Confusion, recognition, surprise, and elation.

“I know you said you don’t have time for relationships, but there’s no way you can’t make time for him.

“I’m starting to understand that you can always make time for the things that matter.”

Or maybe it was just Aiden that I found so attractive holding a puppy that he was clearly enamored with.

Apart from those were four flashlights in various sizes and colors; pink, red, teal, and black. I picked up the metallic pink one. “They reminded me of your hair colors.” Oh no. “Aiden—”

I haven’t bought anyone a present in years—”

Then it hit me: it was a ring.

“You could have just given me a band. I don’t care what everyone else thinks,”

“I don’t care either, but I got it for you anyway.”

Zac nodded, his smile easy. “He’ll make sure you’re fine.”

Look, don’t worry about him and me; I’m not the one who’s got his ring on my finger. You two are gonna be fine.” Wait a second…. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “You know what.” He winked.

Walking toward us, he tipped his chin down to nuzzle the puppy before stopping in front of me and dipping his cheek to plant a soft, dry kiss on my cheek that had me rooted in place.

“You don’t ever have to worry about me not wanting you somewhere. Got it?”

So I did the only thing I could think of that he would understand, I lowered my waving hand, placed it in front of my belly and I raised up my middle finger like I had all the other hundreds of times I’d done it in the past when I thought he wasn’t looking. And with his helmet still on, The Wall of Winnipeg shook his head, and I knew that was pretty much a laugh.

“He’s my husband.”

More waving. Help me.

“Hi, big guy. I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to come back or not, but—”

“Stop.” Aiden ducked his face at the same time those massive hands came up. One went to my cheek, the other went to cup the back of my neck. He kissed me.

Aiden kis...

“That’s nice,”

“How do you feel about heading up north?”

North? “How far north are we talking about?”

“Indiana… Wis...

“I can live just about anywhere. I’ll just have to buy better winter clothes.” “You think so?” Why did his voice sound so amused all of a sudden?

“Yeah. Some winter boots, a scarf, and some gloves, and I’ll be fine. I think.” “I’ll buy you a dozen jackets and winter boots, if that’s what you need,”

“Van, I’ll buy you a jacket or ten if I want. We’re in this together.” Ovaries. Where were my ovaries? “Aren’t we?” Aiden suddenly asked in a hesitant voice.

“Yeah. Of course. We’re Team Graves.”

It was the way he held his broad shoulders, those long legs that carried that confident stride, and the cocky way he held his head that said more than enough. The way his arms rested at his sides and that thick neck confirmed The Wall of Winnipeg was really here. Aiden was here.

“You came,”

In that moment, I don’t think I had ever loved anything half as much as I loved Aiden.

My friend. The keeper of my secrets. My moral support. My paperwork.

“No,” the familiar, deep voice answered unexpectedly, right before he dropped a metal chair into place right next to me. “She’s mine.” And he went for it. My heart went for it too—over the cliff that is.

“When did you start looking?”

“Yesterday.”

Ahh, hell. I knew I might have laid it on too thick when he’d driven me to the airport. It might have been me telling him, “Stick my hard drive in the microwave if I don’t come back,” that did him in.

“Yeah, I know, but still. I shouldn’t have cried so much about it or made you think—” “—you were going to have things thrown at you.” He let out a low chuckle that was all playful and totally unexpected. Aiden reached over and set his palm on my knee, careful not to touch me with fingers that had sauce on them. “I went to bed worried.”

And just thinking about it filled me with smugness that he was legally my husband, so all these jealous women could eat shit…

“Everything I care about is in the States.”

“You haven’t left me when I needed you. Why wouldn’t I do the same for you?”

“I can’t believe you’re Aiden’s Vanessa.”

I wished.

“Guys like that don’t like girls like me, big guy.”

His nostrils flared and his shoulders drew back. “Guys like what?”

“Like me?” he asked in a low voice. “Not you-you, necessarily. I just mean… look, it doesn’t matter. I know what I have to work with.”

“When you can pretty much date whoever you want, and most of you guys can, I’m not going to be at the top of anybody’s list—” “Shut up, Vanessa,” he snapped. I scoffed. “You shut up.”

The corner of his mouth was tilted just slightly up in what was half a smirk and half a smile, all Aiden.

I was barely aware of Aiden shifting his grip, after who knew how long, to practically cradle me. I was dozing, more asleep than awake.

“I got you,” he whispered in that quiet, grumbling voice.

That big hand reached up to brush my hair away from my face, gentle, gentle, gentle, those long fingers catching on a few soft pink tangles. Slowly, he moved across the bed, leaning toward me, pressing his forehead against mine, and all I could do was close my eyes, taking in the warmth of his body and the tenderness of his gesture.