Two women approached the door to Curtis Johnson’s manor. One, a friend of his using the alias Melanie Hewitt. The other, someone he hadn’t before seen. There was something about this new girl that he found deeply interesting. He couldn’t put his finger on what it was, but there was an obvious attraction. An attraction so real that images of Sir Isaac Newton testing his gravitational theory in 1687 come to mind. What did it mean?

The two were introduced shortly thereafter, her cheeks flush with reciprocated interest. He knew that she could feel it too. This began their mutual courtship. Each using their talents in an effort to woo the other. The perennial peacock flourishing his feathers with the confidence his forefathers had instilled in him while his target did their best to seem uninterested. This back and forth dance they were in continued for what felt like years but had only lasted a few seconds.

Both entranced and drunk on future possibilities, they went along with the night’s plans entertaining other guests out of necessity, but each obviously distracted by the presence of the other. The gala ended early that evening, but their futures had forever been changed. Like the tide rolling in with the changing of the moon, there was a force bigger than themselves at play that would be unstoppable.

He walked her to her horse drawn carriage, offering a hand up as she set off. “It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance Ms. Brown” he said. “As was yours” she said in response. With that, her driver took the reigns and off she went into the night.

Their dance continued through nights spent apart sending telegraph after telegraph to each other while eagerly waiting to decode the next message. Eventually they couldn’t take it any longer and set a date for a formal dinner. Beri travelled back into town by way of the local steamboat, Dan had purchased her a ticket using money he’d saved up working overtime in the local steel mills. He planned on taking them to a local Italian restaurant, knowing her penchant for gnocchi.

She arrived into town late, the steamboat had run into Friday afternoon ship channel traffic. It was of no consequence to Dan, he would wait as long as he had to. He saw her pulling up to the restaurant. His mind and knees suddenly blank and weak. He would have to rely on his dashing looks in a moment of lost wit. She looked even more beautiful than he had remembered. Long dark hair accented by her ruby red ballroom dress. He suddenly felt inadequate. Cursing himself for wearing his best suit in the place of a rented tuxedo.

They were sat almost immediately, the waitstaff eager to serve the radiating couple. The manager had kept the table by the window open knowing it was the best table in the house, and in an attempt to lure more high-class couples into their establishment. The restaurant ambiance was inconsequential, the two were only focused on each other. Dan recovered enough of his wit to maintain his side of the conversation. Beri’s conversation was educated and entertaining, orated through unflappable confidence.

The two could barely eat, their stomach’s full of butterflies. They had sat long enough that the restaurant was near closing. The waitstaff would’ve stayed the entire night to provide space for the romance blossoming in front of them. Beri needed to return to the shipyard to catch the last steamboat home for the night. Dan again walked her out to her carriage, again unable to find any words to say. He helped her into the carriage, but before the driver whisked her away, they shared their first quick kiss. Into the night she went. Dan decided to walk home that evening. Glowing from the night’s happenings, he walked light footed back to his home. The moonlight lit the path in front of him. He walked looking upwards at the stars wondering if they had always been that bright and wondering what those same stars had in store for their future.

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Dan and Beri 💖

Dan and Beri 💖

He put a ring on it 💍

He put a ring on it 💍