"We're out of compact cars, but we have an SUV for no additional cost."
We had arrived in Destin, Florida for my birthday. It was a place I dreamed of visiting for a while. I imagined the white sand and sunshine and it's all I wanted for my birthday. It was rare for me to plan a trip for myself so this was a vulnerable experience. On top of that, I was recovering from a bad ptsd episode. I was not at my best, but I would be near the sea.
I thought fast. "Do you have any convertibles left?" I asked.
"Let me take a look," he replied.
Earlier this year, my boyfriend really wanted to rent a convertible. We were going on a road trip through the Baltics to celebrate the longest day of summer. Driving a convertible through Europe was an item on his bucket list. Unfortunately, the cost was too high so we opted to wait for another time.
"We have one left," he said.
"We'll take it!" I said. My boyfriend couldn't believe this was happening. He was beaming.
We got into the car and put the top down. It was late and too cold to use it, but we didn't care. We drove away from the airport with our hair in the wind and the night sky above us. I put my arms up towards the stars as the crisp air hit my face.
I met his eyes and we both smiled.
I looked up at the sky and thought, "If I died at this moment it would be okay."