He nodded and forced another smile for me, silently showing me he wasn’t ok, but he was going to keep it together. It was a start.
***
“Oh my God!” I gasped. I could not take in what was before me. I had been excited enough to see Navy Pier. I had heard of it, of course, but I had never been, not even before I had been taken. It looked like the most exciting place I had ever seen in my life as we drove toward it. I had seen a huge Ferris wheel amongst the buildings, and I had squealed from between Kyle and Matt in the back of Kade’s car, in excitement. I knew we were there for Kyle, but I was excited and couldn’t keep it in. It had been a very long time since I had been on a fairground ride, and the idea of doing it had me so thrilled I almost burst.
If I was annoying Kyle I would have tried to tone it down a little, but he was laughing and smiling at my glee. It was a relief to see him finally relax, and so I decided to maintain my excitement.
Kade had the tough job of letting me down gently, telling me the wheel didn’t operate in winter, but promising me he’d bring me to ride it the second they reopened it. I’d been disappointed, but Cole assured me we would find something fun to do, as he chuckled from the front passenger seat.
Now we all stood inside the entrance of the building Kade had just paid a ridiculous admission for us to enter.
“Pretty cool, right Cariña?” Matt asked as he leant in and held my shoulders from behind, pulling me into his front. I couldn’t turn to look at him, or even answer. I was completely and utterly speechless at the scene in front of me.
Directly opposite where I stood was a Christmas tree, but not just a normal tree, not like the one Keira and the guys had decorated with me weeks before. No, this tree was huge, like fifty feet tall. It sparkled with millions of beautiful twinkle lights and decorations adorned it top to bottom. It was so beautiful it took my breath away and that wasn’t all that was in the huge building we had walked into. The whole place was a Christmas paradise, or ‘Winter Wonderfest’ as the signs had called it. There were carnival rides, an ice skating rink and holiday decorations everywhere you looked. I could hear people on the rides screaming and laughing all around me and holiday music blasted in the background.
I looked to my right and saw huge models, one of a snowman grinning down at me from where it stood at least twenty feet tall and further down the building I saw polar bears, Santa Claus and his sleigh and hundreds more trees all strewn with lights and decorations.
“Livy, you ok?” Cole asked as he moved in front of me and put both hands on my waist. He crouched until his eyes met mine and I felt bad at the worry clear to see on his face. I needed to speak before I freaked them all out any more.
“This is the most wonderful thing I have ever seen.” I whispered, still dumbstruck. Cole studied me a second longer, then grinned, the smile lighting up his handsome face.
“I knew you’d like it.”
“Like it? It’s amazing, like a freaking dream!” I squealed. I put my hands on his forearms and jumped up and down, wriggling from Matt’s hold in the process, and allowing the child within, bursting to be free, a little play time.
“Do you think anyone here realises Christmas was weeks ago?” Matt laughed from behind me.
“It’s the last week it runs.” Kade replied, but I didn’t care if it was still Christmas or not. I just wanted to get in there and see everything there was to see. It was so exciting.
“Come on then guys, what are we waiting for?” Cole declared, always the first to jump into something completely childish. Before I could move a muscle, he caught my hand in his and set off running, dragging me behind him. I was laughing as we went, overcome with happiness and trying to convince myself it was actually happening.
Worried I hadn’t heard Kyle say anything, I glanced behind me as we went. The guys were following us, but slower, walking rather than running. I locked eyes with Kyle and he smiled widely. It was enough to settle my worries about him. He seemed happy to be there.
We all went on several of the carnival rides, including the smaller ferris wheel and a ride where we lay side by side, on our fronts and were spun around like we were flying. I absolutely loved the exhilaration of the rides, and could not take the huge smile from my face if I tried.
Next Matt and Cole dragged me to the tubing hill and we shot down it together again and again, laughing our asses off each time. Kyle and Kade even joined us for a few runs near the end, all five of us laughing and smiling the whole time, and just having fun. Cole was just like a kid at the carnival, running from one ride to the next and I was right there with him having the time of my life. The guys all joined in too, but they seemed to try and act a little more adult than Cole and I were. I didn’t miss the way Kyle and Kade constantly watched our surroundings, their heads on a swivel looking for danger, but I tried hard not to let it worry me and
