THE BEACH
PART 2
When she woke the next morning it took her a few moments to place where she was. The sun was streaming brightly in through the window by the bed. The smell of bacon frying wafted into the room. She sat up and stretched and as she did the memory of the night before came flooding back to her. She was in his house sleeping in his guest bedroom. She felt her cheeks began to redden as she thought of the events leading her to the place she was now. She had followed him as he had walked along the beach and now here she was sleeping in his house. Things like this just didn't happen especially to her.
Now whistling was coming from the kitchen, how could she ever get out of the bed and face him. The object of many teenage fantasies she had. She knew if she didn't get up soon he was going to come looking for her. So silently she slipped out of the covers and tiptoed over to her suitcase that was sitting in a chair near the door. She pulled out a pair of shorts and a sky blue sleeveless shirt and went into the bathroom just off her room.
She had just finished putting on her makeup when she heard a voice call, "Are you up yet?"
She took a deep breath trying to calm her nerves then went out into the kitchen. There he stood, a worn pair of old Levi cut offs and a white short sleeved shirt which he hadn't bothered to button. The white set off his deep tan; his curly hair was still tousled from his night of sleep. "Well good morning!" he exclaimed as he turned around to place bacon on two plates that he had set on the counter.
She smiled shyly at him, "Good Morning."
"How do you like your eggs?" he asked turning back to the stove.
"Anyway is fine," She said softly. She stood on one leg and leaned in the doorway watching him.
"I hope you like omelets cuz that is my specialty." He told her as he cracked eggs in to a bowl and began to mix them.
"I love omelets," she said barely above a whisper.
He began to hum a song that some how sounded familiar to her. He turned and saw her smiling. "Just a song for an old friend of mine."
She nodded and came closer to the counter. How did she ever get here, how could he have just invited her into his house she was a total stranger to him. But he had opened his home to her, he was what she always thought he would be like.
He slipped the first omelet on one of the plates and set to making the second. "There are forks in the drawer there by the sink," he told her. But she didn't move from the spot she had rooted herself in. The toast popped up in a toaster near her and she jumped and gave a nervous laugh. He grabbed them and stuck two more slices in the toaster. "Knifes are in there too."
She nodded as if she were in a dream, which she was sure she was. She opened the drawer and found the silverware. She took out two knifes and forks then saw a napkin holder and pulled out two napkins.
He slid the second omelet out of the skillet then picked up the two plates and proceeded out on to the deck, the same deck where they had had brunch the day before. She had really been there way too long. She followed him for the lack of anything else to do. He sat down the plates; there was orange juice and coffee already on the table. She stood in the doorway holding the silverware and napkins.
"Have a seat," he said. She had the deer caught in the head lights look about her again. "Am I going to have to stuff a whole cupcake in my mouth again?" He asked grinning.
She burst out laughing when she thought of the day before. He had done it just to make her feel at ease and now he had done it again. She sat down across from her and handed him some silverware. "I'm sorry."
He shook his head, "It's OK. So what do you want to do today?"
"What?" she asked he had caught her off guard once again.
"I thought I could show you some of the sites. Your first trip here right?"
"Well I was here as a kid but that was a long time ago."
"Good then I can show you all the neat spots." He said smiling at her. "Eat up so we can get started."
"Are you sure?" she asked as she picked up a slice of toast. "I really don't want to put you out. If you could just tell me where I could find a good hotel I would be happy."
"Hotel?" He said almost pouting. "Don't you like it here?"
"I-I-well-uh-of course I do." She said, now she had hurt his feelings. "But I don't want to put you out any more."
"Put me out?" He grinned at her. "I'm having a blast are you kidding? I haven't had this much fun in ages. I like the unexpected, spur of the moment that's what makes life exciting. There are so many places I would love to show you."
"But, but, " She stammered. "You don't even know me."
He nodded his head "Yeah I think I do. Or as much as I need to know for now. And I'm looking forward to finding out the rest."
She could feel a deep blush spreading over her face. "Are you sure?"
Instead of answering her he held out a jar of raspberry jam to her. "Here try this."
She insisted on doing the dishes herself but half way through he was in the kitchen right along side of her helping. She couldn't help thinking what a dream come true he was and how much she wished that he were hers. But she knew this was only for right now. So she decided to enjoy the time she had with him and not worry about tomorrow. If he wanted to be with her who was she to argue.
They spent the rest of the day going from one spot to another. He showed her places that most tourists never even saw. Once in a while somebody would recognize him and he would happily sign a few autographs before they continued on their way. He took her to a little sidewalk café for lunch and then they visited a few more spots before they called it a day.
When they got back to the beach house both of them were tired but happy. He flopped down in one of the lounge chairs on the deck and fell asleep leaving her to herself. First she walked along the beach then came back to the house and prowled around, looking a pictures on the walls and a photo album that was laying on the coffee table. She knew a lot of the faces in the album and it tore at her heart to think of the things he had been through.
Finally she got up and went to the guestroom; she was going to lie down but wasn't really tired. She was afraid that if she went to sleep she would wake up and it would all be a dream. So instead she went and took a shower, washed her hair, then dressed in a sundress. She went to check on him; he was still sleeping on the deck. That was when she decided that she would make him dinner. He had done nothing but taken care of her since they had met so now it was her turn.
He woke up but didn't open his eyes, he didn't want to. What a dream he had been having. He wished that he could go back and be with the lovely woman from his dream. She was so understanding, so sweet, and so shy. Why couldn't he meet someone like that? Why were they only in his dreams? Slowly he opened his eyes and looked out at the water. The sun was low in the sky; he had slept the afternoon away.
"Want some iced tea?" said a voice behind him. He sat up and looked at the pretty woman wearing a bright yellow sundress in surprise. She had two glasses of tea; a slice of lemon and sprig of mint adorned the side of the glasses. "I hope you don't mind," she smiled at him. "I kind of went through your kitchen."
This time it was his turn to stammer. "N-no of course not." He said swinging his legs over the side of the lounge chair and sitting up. He rubbed his eyes before he took the glass she offered him. She was real after all it hadn't just been a beautiful dream he had been having.
"You OK?" she asked looking at him closely, he was looking a bit dazed.
"Yeah I'm fine." He said smiling at her as he took a sip of tea. "I guess I really went sound asleep."
"You slept a couple of hours." She said sitting down at the table.
"I'm so sorry."
She waved away his apologize, "Don't worry about it. I kept my self busy."
He hiked his eyebrow up. "And just what have we been doing?" he teased her. "Looking for my secrets?"
She laughed, if he had said that to her yesterday or even earlier today she would have died. But she knew he was only teasing her. She felt totally at ease with him now. "Just your kitchen secrets."
"Ah you found my stash of Spaghetti O's uh?"
"How did you know?" She laughed again. "Got them warming up on the stove as we speak."
"Don't for get the garlic bread," he grinned at her.
"Never." She said as she got up going back into the house. Just before she went in she looked down at him. "You wait right there."
A few minutes later she came out carrying a big bowl of salad and two plates. She had a bottle of salad dressing tucked under her arm. He jumped up. "Here let me help you with that." He took the salad bowl and placed it in the center of the table. She sat down the plates and dressing, she started to sit down but he caught her arm.
She looked up into his blue eyes and smiled, for the first time not feeling shy. "Thank you."
"For what?" he said as he pulled her into his arms.
"Taking me in, showing me a good time, not calling the police on me." She said with a hint of humor in her voice.
He laughed, "I think it is I who should be thanking you. I was feeling sorry for my self yesterday day on the beach and you changed all that."
She shook her head. "I haven't done anything."
"Oh yes you have," He disagreed with her. "You showed me that I can be happy again."
"I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."
"Don't sell yourself short." He said leaning closer to her. "I believe that things happen for a reason." He brushed his lips to hers. "I think that you are my reason."
She started to protest but then she had a funny feeling that he might be right. She had never been anybody's reason before. Slowly she brought her arms up and placed them around his neck. He hugged her tightly. "I'll be your reason if you want me to be," She said softly.
He nodded then with out speaking he caught her under the chin with one finger and tipped her head up so that he could kiss her again. This time it wasn't just a brush but a long passionate kiss that left them both breathless when they parted. "I want you to stay here with me." He whispered in her ear.
"For as long as you want me," she said with out hesitation. She didn't know if he meant the rest of the week or forever but she was ready to spend the rest of her life with him.
He kissed her again and then scooped her up in his arms. The dinner sat forgotten as he carried her into the house and toward the bedroom. That evening the sun set over the ocean with two less people watching but they were making their own magic.
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The Epilogue
They sat on the couch in front of the fire. He was sleeping soundly with his feet in her lap and a throw over both of them. She brushed back a wisp of white hair from her forehead as she gazed at him. Even though his hair had gone snow white he still had that same sparkle in his blue eyes. She thought of that day they had met, that fateful day on the beach twenty years ago. Like he had said every thing happens for a reason and he had been right.
Three months after that meeting they had been married with his children at their side. Though they never had any children of their own she had treated his as if they were hers. Over the years they had many adventures and spent almost every second together never tiring of each other.
She loved him as much as she had the day they met and he felt the same for her. They had finally found their perfect matches. That one true love that never wavers, never veers from its path; that never grows old no matter how old the lovers grow.
He stirred in his sleep and reached out for her. She took his hand in hers and he settled back in to a sound slumber. She had promised him that she would stay with him as long as he wanted her and she was still there. She never had a second thought about what she did that day when she made him that promise. There was never a what if or a doubt in her mind. She leaned back a closed her eyes and dreamed of that day that they had walked along the beach hand in hand so long ago.
And even though she was now sixty and he was nearing his late seventy's they still once a year would go back to the beach and talk a short walk. Now days a young family lived in the beach house, they had seen the couple several times at sun set standing on the deck holding hands watching the sun go down just as they had many years before. She always smiled and squeezed his hand before they continued on down the beach. And she always said a little prayer for the young couple that they would be as happy as the two of them were.