New Year's Proposal

I took a sip from the crimson liquid and sighed happily. Though the metallic taste did take a bit getting used to, this stuff was definitely something to die for. I set my glass down and glanced at the television. The reporter was babbling on and on about some celebrity performance, something I couldn’t care less about. What I was interested in was the tiny box in the lower left corner of the screen--the countdown until the New Year. There were just five minutes left. 

I turned to the right, where Drew sat, currently unconscious. Not for long, I thought to myself excitedly. 

I dug out the tiny Ziploc bag with her dosage inside and unzipped it. I took her glass and dumped the contents into it. I stirred it with the spoon I’d left beside it, and the white powder slowly dissolved into the liquid. 

I touched her hand, and my fingers immediately started sparking at their tips. My sparks jolted her awake.  Drew gasped, startled, and water started dripping from her ears. “What the--”

“Sorry for startling you, love, but I had to wake you up somehow.”

She frowned. “Love?” I held up my hand, and on my middle finger was a band of gold with a ruby at its center. I then pointed at her own ring, this one silver and with a sapphire. She blinked in surprise. “Are those…?”

I nodded, and then I winked at her. “Don’t worry, I’ll explain it all to you soon enough.” I glanced at the television. There were four minutes left now. I looked at her drink and stared deep into that red pool as if it had the depth of the ocean. I then shook my head, snapping myself out of my trance, and picked it up. “Come now, unless you want to miss it.”

“What’s ‘it’?” Drew asked. 

I took her by my other hand, and she flinched as the tips of my fingers burst into flames. Water unconsciously poured from her own fingertips, dousing my fire. I only smiled. “You’ll find out.”

We reached the top of the staircase that led down to the basement, which was currently dark as hell. I grinned as I thought of the surprise waiting for her down there. I turned as she stiffened. Frost began emanating from her palms and started crawling up her arms, as well as mine since I was still clasping her hand. 

“I don’t want to go down there,” Drew whispered. “It’s a bad place.”

She’d remembered something. I looked down at the glass I was still holding. A fist of fear and apprehension squeezed my heart, and I took a deep breath. I then turned to her and gave her one of my winner smiles. “There’s nothing to be afraid of, love.”

Drew slowly nodded, casting a suspicious glance at me (something I’d grown used to by now), and I led her down the stairs shrouded in shadows. “Why is it so dark?” she asked. “And where are you taking me?”

I didn’t reply. I couldn’t tell her, not yet. I had to wait until she was in the basement itself. Otherwise, she might get a whiff of the surprise. Despite her amnesia, she was still quite the smart cookie. 

We reached the bottom of the stairs. I handed her the drink. “What is this?” she asked. 

“You’ll find out soon enough.” Before I could release her hand, ice began to form around mine, linking us together. “What are you doing, love?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer. 

Drew thrust the drink into my hand. “Drink it,” she commanded. 

“Love, that’s your drink, and yours alone.”

She raised her brow. “Really? And why are you so afraid of drinking it yourself?” 

I sighed and took it from her. I took a sip, hoping it wouldn’t harm too much. I handed it back to her. “It’s not poison, love, if that’s what you were thinking.” It’s just drugged. 

“Tell me, why don’t I remember anything? And who are you?”

“Like I said before, I’ll explain that soon enough.” I glanced at my watch, which glowed just enough in the dark to illuminate its hands and numbers. Shit! There was only a minute left! “Now release me, please.”

“Why should I?”

“Because I’m pregnant with your child.” Before she could completely register that statement (and realize how absurd it was), her ice melted away, and I quickly moved away from her. I glanced at my watch. Damn it! I had to hurry! 

I rushed over to the VCR and made sure the tape was inside before pressing play. The television screen lit up as images started racing across the screen--random ones I’d plucked from history for dramatic effect. 

It then transitioned to a single image of Drew tied to a chair. I grinned, remembering this part. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth was gagged. The video started, and she started screaming, the sound muffled of course. I then appeared and sauntered over to her, a knife in hand. She instantly shut up. 

“What is this?” the Drew beside me asked, her voice trembling. 

“Just wait, love.”

“Love,” Drew muttered under her breath from beside me. 

I smiled. She’d soon see. 

My video self started taunting her with threats, and Drew kept turning away, squeezing her eyes shut in agony. Then finally, we both burst into uncontrollable laughter.

“What the hell?” Drew muttered beside me.

Video Homura ungagged her partner, and they kissed each other passionately. I smiled wistfully as I remembered how sparks had literally flown between us. And then when our lips met, our fire and water had crashed into each other, and water vapor had emanated from both of our bodies. 

“Sorry, love,” Video Homura said toward the camera, finally composing herself. “I figured it’d be funny as hell if you thought you’d been kidnapped, or something crazy like that.” She then turned to the woman behind her, who was still cackling like a maniac, and rolled her eyes. “Of course, giggle-box over there had to ruin it. Oh, well. I’m sure you were amused. Okay, maybe not. You might actually be pretty pissed off, actually. Anywho...uh…” She then smacked herself upside the head. “I totally forgot what I was going to say,” she muttered.

Drew then leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Video Homura’s cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. “Drew!” she exclaimed as her hair caught on fire, but Drew only laughed.

“That’s me?” Drew in real life asked in a quiet voice. 

I nodded and then realized stupidly that she couldn’t see me. “Yeah,” I replied. 

I turned my attention back to the television. Video Drew kissed Video Homura on the cheek, her eyes filling with sadness, the smile gone. “I’ll leave you now,” she said.

Video Homura nodded as all of the joy left her face. “Yeah.”

Video Drew left, leaving me alone on the screen. The me on the screen tried smiling, but it came out too damn sad, so she just dropped it altogether. “Okay, Drew,” that me said, speaking directly to the present Drew. “This is going to be a bombshell for you. A real big one. 

“You see, you’ve got amnesia--well, you will have it. I mean, you’ll remember how to do ordinary stuff like making a sandwich or driving a car, but you won’t remember the important stuff. You know, the important events in your life. The…” Video Homura’s lip trembled. “The people you love.”

She took a deep breath, and I remembered how close I’d come to bursting into tears. How back then I was terrified that our relationship would forever be changed, and not for the better. I was terrified our relationship had ended the moment we’d heard the news. Even after all these years, it still scared me to my very core.  

Video Homura shook her head, clearing her thoughts. “Well, that’s why I came up with this idea for a video. We don’t really know how exactly your upcoming amnesia will affect you, but we’re both certain that you’ll eventually forget yourself entirely. When that happens, you’ve got this video to remind you. Anyway, before we start, I want to tell you something: I will always be there. Even when your memory’s gone and even when you think I’m some kind of axe murderer because I’m just a stranger to you, I will be there. Even if it takes years for your memories to return, or if that never happens, I’ll be here through it all. Baby, I love you. I hope that somewhere deep within your memories that will soon be locked away, maybe forever, I hope that fact will stay there. I hope deep down, you’ll just know.” 

I closed my eyes as the memories started playing, every single picture and video on her that we could find, all the way from birth to adulthood. I didn’t need my eyes open. I knew each and every one by heart. I’d had years to commit them to memory. 

All through them, I also heard Drew’s voice. She was narrating every single one, giving context behind every single thing that no one else could provide. My lips moved with hers even though I couldn’t see them. I had become in sync with her words to the point where they were ingrained within my very soul. 

I opened my eyes the instant I heard my own voice once more. She was wringing her hands, on which there timid, gray dancers of fire with electricity crackling between each one, and I knew she was anxious beyond comprehension. She took a deep breath, and said, “Drew, I recorded this without you ever knowing, so there’s no way you’ll know what I’m about to say, and you’ll probably forget it anyway. Still, I want to at least say it.

“Drew, I have a proposal to make. This part of the video I’m going to add every New Year’s Day to the usual dosage of memories. New Year’s means a new beginning, which is why I’ve chosen that particular day.” Video Homura blushed and smiled slightly. “There’s another reason, too. You see, that’s the day I first knew I was in love with you. Or at least I was beginning to love you.” Her eyes grew misty as she looked back on the memories. “We were only friends then. So many years I was stuck in the friend zone.” 

She shook her head and got back on track. “Anyway, we were at a party together. You know, celebrating the New Year that was coming in about an hour. I was outside, I think. Yeah, because I had my hand on the trunk of a tree. There was a heart with some initials inside it. Something about it made me angry, though I don’t remember why. Fire was dancing on my fingertips and burning the wood underneath my palm, but I didn’t care. Then I felt your hand on mine, and my flames were doused. In that one moment, I felt a spark - not one of mine, I reassure you - fly in toward me from your fingers. It shot through me and traveled all throughout my body much like how the electrical current within me runs, except that one spark somehow seemed so much stronger. Anyway, that’s when I first started having feelings for you.” 

She then smiled as she held up her hand, which had my wedding band on it. “And now, ten years later-” Twenty, I corrected absentmindedly, “-we’re together, bound for life.

“You’re probably wondering just what my proposal is. It can’t be the marriage kind, since, well, you know. So what the heck is it? Well, here goes. 

“Drew Anna Evangeline Dickerson, it feels like we’ve known each other for eternity, and maybe our souls have. Maybe they still do, even after your mind has forgotten me. Maybe you’ll remember again. I know what the doctors have said. I know there’s no chance in hell, but I still can’t stop hoping. That hope somehow grows stronger and stronger with each day that passes, rather than growing weaker. And it is intertwined with this proposal of mine. 

“Before I say it, I’m going to tell you this straight out: you can only say yes if you get your memories back. I’ll explain in a minute. Alright, so here goes.”

Video Homura squeezed her eyes shut, took a deep breath, and opened her eyes. “Will you have a child with me?”

Drew’s eyes widened, and I heard water gushing out of her ears, and ice freezing her hands over. I sensed her turn to me, and I knew she was about to open her mouth to speak, but I beat her to it. “Hold on, love.” I then added, “Please.”

She turned back to the screen and didn’t say anything. Video Homura swallowed and continued, her face now beet red and her body crackling with electricity. “Wow, I thought that might come out a little better…” She shook her head. “Never mind that. Uh, you see, we’ve been together so long, and I think the next step would be to start a family together, and so I was going to ask you this. Well, that was until we found out about your amnesia. I mean, it wouldn’t be fair to have a child whose mother wouldn’t even remember him or her. But despite everything, I didn’t want to lose hope, so I made this part of the video.

“I know it’s stupid, but there’s still a part of me that’s hoping that one day, you’ll recover. That you’ll remember again. It’s idiotic of me, but I can’t help it. Anyway, if that day ever comes, only then can you say yes...well, you know, if you want to. And I’ll ask you this question again, only this time it’ll be in person. 

My past self’s face then burst into flames, and her cheeks reddened to the color of her fire. “Uh, I hope you don’t think I only want your memories back to have a kid together. I mean, we could do that now. Well, actually we couldn’t. Well, we could, but it wouldn’t be fair for the kid.” Video me shut her rambling mouth and took a deep breath, her fire vanishing. Then she continued. “Well, you know what I’m trying to say,” she said with a small grin. “You always know.” 

She then laughed quietly and facepalmed herself. “Wow, this part of the video has gone to total shit. Sorry about that.” Her smile broadened and her eyes softened. “You wouldn’t care, though, would you? You’re amazing for that, you know that right? You’re able to see the beauty in things that others, including myself, would perceive as garbage.” 

She cleared her throat. “Well, I guess I’ve said enough. But Drew, I just want you to know that whatever happens, I love you. I will never stop loving you. And this proposal of mine...well, I’m ready to wait an eternity for your answer. Maybe even forever. Or maybe never. Just being able to propose this to my soulmate is enough for me.” 

The screen then went to black. 

I turned the lights back on and turned to Drew, that tiny worm of hope that was growing smaller and smaller with each year looking for something. Anything. 

As if she knew what I was thinking, Drew shook her head. “I’m sorry, Homura.”

“I know,” I replied, and I felt her fingers touch mine. 

A spark traveled from her hand to mine, and I felt it course through my being much like how it had that December night so long ago. Then, it had felt more powerful than all of my powers combined, but now, it barely jolted me. Whatever force keeping her love for me alive despite her memories being gone was slowly dying. It took time to truly feel love, and I suppose the opposite was true now that the memories were gone.

Why did I bother to keep playing this video every New Year’s when she would never be able to answer my question? Why did I feel the need to keep proposing to her every year?

I knew the answer to that. 

She was and still is my everything. I am nothing without her. My hope, foolish as it might be, is the only thing that keeps me alive, because it knows she is the only one who can keep me alive. If I lost that hope, I’d lose her. And if I lost her, then there’d be nothing left worth living for. 

Drew wrapped her fingers around my hand and whispered my name into my ear. I felt tears of frustration prick at my eyes, and my fingertips burst into flames. Her water immediately doused them, and a spark of familiarity ran through me. 

“Don’t burn the tree, Homura,” she whispered with the faintest smile on her lips before taking a sip from her glass.