“Coming to pick you up in ten minutes. Make your excuses, you have a blinding headache, the bathroom is flooding, and the kitchen is full of ants. Ok?”
“Wha…at?” She giggled, quickly looking at her calendar. She could take off a couple hours early, login later from home and finish up. She shut down her laptop, grabbed her bag and coat, hurried down the stairs to the front entrance. It was raining! Pouring! deluging!!! Just as she reached the door, she saw his car pull up , and she ran through the rain and climbed in.
“Isn’t the weather gorgeous?” he murmured against her lips, his fingers tangling in her rain sparkled hair. She sank into the kiss, he tasted fresh and cool, like the drops that clung to her skin. He helped her click in the seatbelt and expertly made his way through the local streets. Her favorite coffee blend steamed in the cup holder along with a few sprigs of lilies.
“Wow, I’m getting spoiled today. What’s the matter? What have you done?” She laughed and took a healthy gulp of coffee. He didn’t respond for a couple minutes, then glanced at her, his face serious.
“It’s been some time since I told you I really love you. For some reason today, when I looked out the window and saw the clouds and the wind, I realized I needed to be with you. We have become too busy to have fun now a days. I just wanted you to know …. You are amazing, and I love you.”
She stilled suddenly, aware of the intent quality in his voice, his face. Tears pricked the corner of her eyes, and she couldn’t speak for a moment. “I love you too, babe! I’m so lucky to have found you. And I’m so happy you decided to come get me and… umm where are we going?”
The single lane road they were on seemed deserted, winding through grassy farmland and low hills. She had not been this way before and it wasn’t really the kind of day they could go for a nice walk.
“Well, we are going to do something you had once told me you very much wanted to do.”
He had turned into a parking area, and she could see a lake just beyond. He circled the lot, then paused at the far end. “Hmm this is not what I wanted. I wonder…”
There was a rough service road along the edge of the lake, maybe for the occasional park ranger SUV. She felt the sedan butt against the curb, and then climb it.
“Seriously, it’s raining!! This is a car, not a SUV!! What are you doing?” She panicked just a bit. He turned towards her and looked her in the eye. “I really want to do this, today.” She saw the old mischief in him and gave a small nod. They would deal with whatever happened.
The car revved a bit, then deliberately climbed the curb. There was a large puddle just as the pavement ended and the unpaved service road started. He eased the car slowly off the concrete, and she shut her eyes. The car seemed to pause unsupported briefly then settled into the muddy path. His jaw firmed, and he smiled smugly as he carefully drove through the trees closer to the edge of the lake. The rain was even heavier than before, they could barely see three four feet ahead. He finally stopped between a grove of tall elms, facing the edge of the lake, turned off the car, and smiled at her. She was still a little shocked at what he had done, a little worried about the muddy terrain, the rain, how they would get help if they needed it.
“So, I seem to remember you regretted never having had the chance to neck in the back seat of a car as a teen. Wanna fool around with me, today??”
She looked back and saw he had stacked a pillow and a soft blanket along with a plush blue unicorn with a white sparkly horn. He was smiling in that way that made her heart melt, the rain seemed to shut out the world, the windows were already fogging up.
“You go first,” she answered, laughing. “I want to be on top”.
©alka
A rainy afternoon