A Honeymoon in Outer Space

I can be a killer, too, as I watch it progress into outer space. I took your hand and told you not to be afraid. You don’t have to worry about breathing here. You trusted me. That was a good thing. This was just the beginning of the adventure. We would see things through and through like magic. Take this bus ride all the way home. Paint it pink and send it off like a sling-shot into outer space.

I saw, at least briefly, the way it was supposed to work between us. Some caricature of me I had a dream about one day like a flashy, bold cartoon. I imagined Thor, because he was the only super-hero with hair like mine. That wasn’t conceit, just a way to build my self-esteem. I would’ve mentioned the Silver Surfer, but he doesn’t have any hair at all, despite traveling at the speed of light through space, which I like. But I’m getting off the subject.

You were my courageous little princess. The funny thing about you was I just needed that smile. You gave it to me many times with those big brown eyes of yours, so that was all the strength I needed. You were my little hammer, like Thor. I was strong, plenty strong, I thought, but not nearly as strong until I could hold you in my hand. So, that made me want to be your provider and protector, a champion, here like every little myth and archetype history created for man and woman to be. We had a step above them, though, because we had our own definitions of each that we were living up to. That was the key. I had armor made from steel and sun beams. Still, I couldn’t do it without you.

“There,” I said, pointing to the night sky. “Look.”

You followed my gaze while my cape billowed behind me. You put your hand to my shoulder, and we watched as every star imaginable shot across the sky.

“That,” you said, “is a lot of wishes.”

“Aye,” I said, nodding.

These rivets were just the shirt I was wearing. I didn’t need armor at all. We can confuse ourselves into thinking the silliest things. So, I told you to hop on the back of this dragon. I was never meant to kill such a big, cuddly thing. We could train him, make him a household pet.

“Good,” you said. “What shall we name him?”

“Leprechaun,” the dragon said, and winked at us. All three of us started laughing.

“Hop on,” he said. “I’ll take you for a ride.”

“How’s that for agreeable?” I asked.

“Pretty cool,” you said, then asked Leprechaun, “Where are you taking us?”

“Past the sun and three times around the moon. I want to show you the rings of Saturn, too. And Uranus has these huge ice cliffs. I thought we could have a barbecue and watch Neptune rise in the sky. It’s pretty far-out.”

“I think this dragon is tipsy,” I said.

“Never been more sober in my life,” he said.

“In that case, lead on Leprechaun.”

He nodded and took to the sky.

“This is gonna be one hell of a honeymoon,” you said.

“But I haven’t asked you to marry me yet.”

“Well, what a better time to propose, on the back of a dragon, soaring into outer space. What girl gets to say that?”

“She’s got you there, champ,” Leprechaun said.

“We’ll have to stop at the store first and pick you out an engagement ring.”

“Can we try that pizza place on the mall first?”

“Of course. What do you say, Leprechaun? You hungry?”

“I love pizza!”

And that’s how I imagined our fairy-tale to be.