2.293 Boo Thang

Dwayne asked me out. We’re in a relationship now, but it still made me feel all gushy inside. I’d forgotten how fun dating was, waiting for them to call, wanting to be with them all the time, thinking of places to take them. It’s such a mysterious yet invigorating time. But it’s different with Dwayne. We know each other. And we don’t have the pressure of “where is this leading?” hanging over our heads. We’re just enjoying each other’s company, however that looked for us. And for right now, that looks like a whoooooooole lot of kissing.

It was past 3:00, and my kids were already home. He knew that and insisted we made a quick stop before I went home; he had something to show me. To my surprise, we ended up back in Newcrest, around the corner from his house.

“I know you’re still exploring this city, but I needed to show you this place,” he said.

“What is this?”

“Our new community center. It opened up a few months ago.”

While I appreciated him bringing me there, I wondered why he did. My children aren’t babies anymore and may soon fly the coup. I didn’t necessarily need a place like this anymore. It didn’t hurt to look, though.

The tour began outside. There was a kids’ play area, grilling area, a community garden, and a recycle zone. Really cool!

So far, everything I’ve seen in Newcrest is next level. Whoever is in charge is a forward thinker. The inside of the community center blew me away even more. This place had everything a community needed for recreation and skill-building! It had a small library, gym, activities for children, an art room, computer room, a nice break room, and an outdoor area for table games on the upstairs patio.

But when we got to the last room, I saw the reason for this visit. It had a small crafting room! They seemed to cram everything they could into one tiny room, but I really loved the way they did the workbenches. It was one large bench with storage underneath. You could do everything there. Make candles, arrange flowers, and even excavate treasure. The best part about the stations was how neat they were. Someone definitely looked after this place.

“I know it’s not far,” he said, “but I figured you’d appreciate not going to Willow Creek every day.”

“I’m so glad you showed me this, Dwayne! It’s really great!”

I don’t know why, but I felt super special. He didn’t have to walk me around that building. I would have discovered it at some point. But he made sure I knew I had options. I just felt really…cared for, I guess. Not that I needed a reason, but my lips found their way to his again. Except this time they were hungry. I wanted to go back to his place and devour him.

But I’ll wait. Every time we’ve been together, it’s been super intense and quick because we burned for each other and lived in tension. But we’re together now. Our first time—as a couple—is going to be magical. I want us to take our time and cherish each other. I want to make love to him.