The Educator

Elliot was true to his word when he said that this day would just be for the two of us. No cellphones for business, just for taking photos. I was wearing a thin white round neck shirt and a pair of high waist black shorts. Elliot is wearing just his swim shorts and packed an extra white shirt in my bag. We board the yacht and start sailing. I see the edge of the island and the different resorts the surround the island itself. There were only twelve people on the yacht: Elliot and I, the captain and four of his crew members and the chef and his staff of four. I go down to the lower deck and there is a bedroom. Elliot comes up from behind me and whispers, "I hope you like it"

I turn to him, "I can't quite make a verdict just yet. I mean we just got here"

He sighs, "You know I don't get why I try to even impress you. You make it hard for me to be romantic" he complains but with a joking tone. I place myself on the bed and feel the sheets.

The sheets feel so soft and from afar, you could smell the fragrance. "Well, that's something you have to work on then" I say slyly at him. I then rest my back against the pile of pillows. Elliot smiles at me and we are silent for a moment.

"So, what do you have planned for me today?" I ask him. He lays next to me, his biceps rub against my lower legs.

"Island hopping, seafood buffet in the afternoon, a movie marathon tonight, maybe?" he says.

I smile at him, "Elliot, I really appreciate this. Thank you"

He takes a hold of my hand and kisses it lightly. "You're welcome.". He prompts up, faces me and leans on the pile of pillows beside me. He takes my hand in his and we intertwine fingers. He touches my wedding ring and he sighs lightly. I knew what he was thinking. He feels as if there is something missing between us, as if something in our relationship that could have turned out differently out turned out differently. He continues to play with my wedding ring until he finally asks, "Eli?"

I look at him, "Hm?"

Elliot sighs and for a moment, there's dead silence. He places my hand down and says, "Would things have gone the same way if we went on a date first?" he asks.

My brows come together in the middle, "What?" I ask, confused.

"Would you have dated me before?" he asks.

I press my lips. I think for a couple of seconds and then I finally say, "Elliot, honestly, with the time I spent with you, Elliot you're exactly what every girl wants. You're a gentleman, you're considerate, you're smart you taught me things, you opened my mind to different perspectives. Elliot, you're everything a woman wants" I tell him. Elliot is silent, taking in the qualities that I have mentioned.

"But would YOU have dated me if I asked you the first time around?" he asks.

I look at him, "Yes, Elliot, I would have. If things started differently, hell, I would have

actually wanted to marry you, me, deciding for myself" I tell him.

"Do you remember the first time we met?" he asks me.

I smile to myself, "Vividly, Elliot. We met at the charity gala. I think I was sixteen or seventeen at that time, right? You were with your siblings and couple of your cousins."

"Yeah" he says and smiles to himself, "and you looked really annoyed being there, like it was the worst night of your life" he adds.

"Fun Fact: that night was the same night my first boyfriend broke up with me. I didn't want to go alone, of course" I start to tell him. "and then, my mom asked me to go because it was part of the company's corporate social responsibility, it was good marketing and it was a way for me to get to know the business and who the company does business with, all that stuff"

"And?" he asks

"And so I went. I just put on that dress that was hanging in my closet for months. I was so honestly excited to go with my date. The night went by and I couldn't take it anymore, I cried in the bathroom" I said while laughing a little.