LITTLE GIRL LOST by SARAH BETH LEE (bill gates books to read TXT) 📖

look to start some traditions of our own.”

Hannah leaned against his chest and nodded her head before letting him lead her back to the tree. She watched in child like wonder as he began to take out trinkets and ornaments out of the boxes. Hannah broke the silence that had settled over the room.

“So what was the long version?”

Nick continued to lay stands of garland and pearls on the floor by the window. He began to speak in a low almost dreamy voice. “Well I want to know everything about you and to tell you everything about me. I want to show you what the world has to offer and together we will see what we’ve been missing by hiding in our own shadows.”

Hannah felt her pulse quicken at his words. “So where exactly would we go?”

Nick began to smile at her question and his voice grew thick with emotion. “I remember my mom telling me the story of her and dad’s whirlwind romance before they got married. He had known her well forever so after they graduated college he asked her to marry him but she refused.”

Hannah found that surprising. “Really she said no? Then how did you get here?”

Nick could hear the teasing in her soft voice. “Well she told him she would only marry him after she had been to all the places on her list of places she wanted to see before she got married or died whichever came first.” Hannah noticed how his voice hitched on the word died she reached over and placed a comforting hand on his arm. He smiled a sad smile and began to speak again. “So he asked to see her list but she wouldn’t show him; now my father was never a quitter so he called my grandmother and asked her if she had any idea what was on mom’s list. My grandmother knew exactly what was on the list as it was hanging on her bedroom wall in the exact same place it had been since my mom was eleven years old. My dad immediately went to mom’s house and copied the list.”

Hannah could feel her heart pounding with the wonder of what he did next. “So what happened?”

Nick began to hang ornaments on the tree while Hannah handed them to him. “Well my father showed up at her door one sunny summer afternoon and told her they were going on a date. My mom had always been adventurous and spur of the moment so she placed the blindfold he handed her on to cover her eyes. My father started the car and with no questions asked off they went. My father refused to tell her where they were going and what they were doing but after an hour’s drive they boarded the family’s private jet. My mother removed her blindfold and looked at my father in stunned silence unsure of what exactly to say. My father eased down on the seat beside her and took her hands in his and kissed her softly on the lips. He then showed her the planes manifest and he could see the tears in her eyes glistening in the overhead light.”

Hannah asked breathlessly. “Where did they go?”

Nick smiled. “Everywhere that was on her list. They went to Maldives a small island far from the prying eyes of the rush of everyday life; you could walk the whole island in fifteen minutes. This was like their very own island paradise with palm trees and white sand dunes. They walked on a traditional Maldivian Dhonis with a glass bottom that allowed them to walk around the island and see the underground beauty and wonder. He then whisked her away to Cairo to see the pyramid of Cheops at Gaza which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World so they took a cruise down the Nile River as the sunset illuminated the pyramid. “

Hannah handed Nick another ornament as she tried to imagine what that must have been like. “That must have been amazing.”

Nick nodded his head. “I’m sure it was but as I have never left the country I wouldn’t know.”

Hannah was surprised at this and she wondered why he had never traveled to see these places he had heard so much about. “So you never had the urge to discover these places for yourself?”

“Patience is a virtue Hannah. So after Cairo they went to Morocco also known as The Red City. They took in the vibrant splashes of color, the acrobats performing in the city streets and the storytellers on every corner, the warm summer nights filled with dancers and musicians. My mom said it was a tropical paradise with aromas of exotic flowers and a feeling so magical that it was impossible to put the experience into words that it had to be seen and felt.

After that it was off to India the Taj Mahal at sunset with the white marble palace drenched in shades of pinks and then to Oia Santorini, Greece the ideal place to contemplate the sunset in one of the most romantic places in the world according to my mom.

Then it was off to Paris the city of lights they went to the ancient bridge The Pont Neuf, Paris. My mother wanted to see the alluring sight of the sunset as they fading light drenched the riverside buildings and the lavender and pink flowers on the bank of the river in shades of gold. They spent a week in Paris taking in the local cafés, museums and the Eifel Tower.”

Nick paused in his recollection to see Hannah hanging on his every word with a look of wonder in her sparkling eyes. “How many places were on her list?”

Nick laughed. “Ten so we’re over half way through. They visited Italy next first Isla Bella an island of pure beauty and colorful explosions of color. Then to the Road of Love, Cirque Terra, Italy, the road of love an enchanting walk along the most beautiful place on earth. There was a local legend that only married couples could walk this path or the lovers would be cursed with misfortune but my parents somehow proved that folk lore wrong.

The last place they visited abroad was Venice, the city of cobblestone streets and graceful palazzi and the romantic gondolas under the starlight. They visited the island of Giudecca with its panoramic vistas of the lagoon and palace. My mom said it was breathtaking. They headed back to the states after a week or two in Greece.”

Hannah looked alarmed, “But you said there were ten and that was only nine.”

Nick wagged a finger at her, “Patience, I didn’t say that was all just that they returned to the states. My mother had put Central Park on her list and my father saved that one for last. They arrived in NYC and took in all the sights ending with Central Park on their last day. My father took her on a carriage ride through the park as dusk began to fall over the city. He then took her to Per Se an exclusive Manhattan restaurant perched at the top of a sky rise with a view overlooking Columbus Circle the entrance to Central Park. They were seated at a cozy table by the fireplace with a perfect view of the busting lights below and the park. They dined on oysters, caviar and truffles and as the night drew to an end my father ordered dessert and as the waiter placed a plate on the table my mother’s eyes widened in surprise at the diamond solitaire staring back at her. My dad told her she had seen every place on her list and that now it was time that she fulfilled the one thing on his list to do before he died. She looked at him unsure of what he was talking about and he got down on one knee and took her hand and simply said, “Marry me.”

Hannah wiped the tears that were falling and wondered what that must have felt like to have seen so many exotic and amazing places, experienced so many vastly different cultures and then to have the man sitting beside you say that all he ever wanted was you. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine what that must have been like and felt like but she had no idea. She knew Nick was now standing by her side and she felt him place his hand on the small oh her back in a very intimate way and turn her to face him.

“Hannah please stop crying, I didn’t mean to make you sad.”

Hannah shook her head as he placed the pads of his thumbs on her face and began to wipe away her unexpected tears. She finally found her voice to speak. “I’m not sad I am overwhelmed by the story of your parents love. You must have had a really happy childhood and I am sure that you were loved more than life itself.”

Nick knew she was right and that was just one of many reasons he felt so guilty for their deaths. “Yeah I was my mom and dad loved me and my sisters more than words could ever describe. I know I was loved above all else and that is just one of the reason I have felt such enormous guilt.” Nick ran his hand up and down her arms and tried to explain what he meant. “I always feel like I should have died to and that it’s not fair for me to be here enjoying life while theirs’ was cut so short.”

Hannah placed her palms on each side of his face and forced him to look her in the eye. “Nick I know how you feel but you didn’t do anything wrong so you need to stop blaming yourself.”

Hannah nibbled on her lip and wondered what he would think if she told him the truth. Nick whispered in her ear. “Well I get the unmistakable feeling that you blame yourself too and obviously it wasn’t your fault either so will you stop blaming yourself?

She nodded her head slightly. “I’ll try if you will.”

He smiled and nodded. “Agreed but back to the point of this long epic tale of love; I grew up hearing my mother tell me this story of how she traveled the world with my dad and saw all that life had to offer but in the end it would have meant nothing without him. My mother would have been happy anywhere as long as my dad was there too. That being said I always knew that one day I would journey to all of those places and I would feel what they felt and see what they saw. You asked me if I ever dreamed of visiting all of those places and the answer is yes. I knew that one day I would travel the world over and see everything they saw, hear what they heard and fall as helplessly in love as they did. The reason that I have not done so is because I knew that one day I would meet the one person who would make it the most unbelievable experience of my life. Hannah I know that if I had gone