A Chelsea Morning

Chelsea stood in her new apartment, squishing her toes into the thick, plush pile carpeting and staring out the window. Even after the work she had put into her graduation, the excitement and festivities, none of it felt real yet.

The hard work proved worthwhile. After sending only a few applications and demo tapes, she had been picked up by KCTV to start as their new meteorologist.

I can't wait,

she thought excitedly.

Her head was still spinning with the excitement of that phone call and the whirlwind of packing, plane ticket acquisition, taxi cabs, her new

apartment, an expense account, and the complete rush of these last minute surprises.

I feel absolutely dizzy! What a week,

She grinned to herself.

Kansas City was a far cry from New York, where she customarily checked the windows at night to make sure they were locked.

This is definitely an upgrade,

she smiled.

Chelsea opened the screen door and stepped out onto the balcony. Everything looked fresh and clean to her. The air was lighter and she could breathe more deeply than she had prior.

She hadn't realized how dirty the streets of New York were until she had gained this comparison. She sipped a warm coffee and clucked under her breath, "Sometimes perspective is everything."

A full moon rose in a night sky littered with stars, as though it were a personal greeting. She was rarely able to see stars in the city.

This is a treat,

she mused. Chelsea felt she had accidentally landed exactly where she belonged.

She stood, taking in her surroundings, in jeans and a light tank top, with a soft breeze whipping her blonde hair to and fro. It had been an exhausting day and she was glad to have a day to unpack before starting work. Chelsea was disheveled, hair tangled, wearing no makeup, and she felt completely content.

She stood in the shadows, smiling softly, chin tilted up in thanksgiving to the moon and stars, and whatever luck had brought her here, when a voice disturbed her reverie.

"Hello!"

Chelsea looked around unable to detect where it had come from. Then she heard it again and the whereabouts of the disembodied voice snapped into focus. She leaned out to peer onto a neighboring balcony to discover a large parakeet perched on the arm of a man.

"Hello!"

She threw her head back laughing at the silliness of the situation, and the delightful sound of her laughter made the man turn and lean out to view her balcony.

"Well, hello, miss. You must be my new neighbor."

Chelsea stepped closer to address the bird and its owner. "Hello. I'm Chelsea McMahon. Very pleased to meet you, and your bird," she offered, smiling.

"I'm Pete Scott and this is my parakeet, Axel. If you're not too busy unpacking, why don't we share a drink on the balcony,

unless your husband would object."

Pete held her eyes with his stare, holding his breath and waiting anxiously.

Chelsea glanced back into her apartment and stumbled, "I really should be unpacking." But the way he seemed to inhale her, his attention so focused, and his grass green eyes pulling her to him like a magnet, made her throw caution to the wind, "Okay, one drink. You're on!"

Pete disappeared into his apartment and offered a grateful thanks, "Good boy, Axel!" He picked up a bottle of wine, two folding chairs, and quickly appeared at Chelsea's door before she could change her mind.

The attraction was instant and before Chelsea knew it, they had talked until the hour had grown very late.

Pete hugged her firmly at the door, loathe to release the magnificent creature whom Axel had discovered. He kissed her lightly, still drinking her in, and said, "Let me be your tour guide when you get a day off. I drive a taxi. If you promise to sit up front with me and hold my hand, I'll turn the meter off and we can get lost - and found together."

Chelsea's mouth dropped open as she struggled for words. He stared into her eyes, straight down to the bottom of her soul, silently willing her to agree.

"Okay, it's a date and Pete, thanks for this evening." Pete replied, still holding her hand as he backed away slightly, "It's entirely my pleasure. I'm certainly glad that Axel had the good sense to greet you this evening."

Chelsea closed the door and leaned back against it offering up a silent prayer, "Thank you, God! My life is a fairytale!"

Pete retreated into his apartment where he sat for a long time, feeding Axel treats and recalling Chelsea's laughter, carried to him on a summer breeze, which had assuredly changed his life irrevocably this evening. He leaned back in a recliner letting happiness envelope him.

He had watched her unwittingly bewitch him in guileless movements; lightly swiping a windblown strand of hair from her face, her tinkling laughter at small absurdities, nothing like the women he had dated prior; all of them armed to the teeth with defensiveness and cloaked in resentment. There was a refreshing ease to being in Chelsea's company.

She was, Pete imagined, a woman who could drink champagne with executives as easily as enjoy a soda and a hotdog at a carnival. He patted Axel affectionately as he put the bird into a cage, whispering, "You did good, old boy! Who knew you had such good taste?"

Her first week at KCTV was wildly busy. Chelsea rushed to various assignments without even enough time to stop for a burger.

Evenings were filled with purchasing appropriate clothing for television, sitting with hair and makeup artists, lighting checks, reading from teleprompters, and making a mad dash from one destination to the next.

She had never had a challenge quite as demanding and she was determined to prove herself.

Pete watched her come and go, waiting and hoping. He hadn't wanted to make her first week more stressful than it was. Then, on a Saturday, late at night, he heard her sliding glass door slide open. He quickly retrieved Axel and slipped out onto his own balcony where he sat listening quietly.

Then he heard it; a voice barely audible, just above a whisper, "Pete? Are you there?"

Pete opened his mouth to respond, but Axel beat him to it.

"Hello!"

He quickly put Axel away and went straight to Chelsea's door. She greeted him warmly and Pete could see she was beyond exhausted.

Swiftly, he folded her into his arms protectively and she collapsed against his chest. He picked her up and carried her to bed. Kissing her lightly, holding her troubled gaze with his own, he whispered, "Trust me." She did.

Pete peeled off her shorts and tunic, and laid down beside her, careful to keep her encircled and safe. He gently held her against his chest, issuing, "Close your eyes. Rest. Let me protect you tonight."

Chelsea did as he asked with tears of relief stinging her eyes. She tried to speak, as the tension left her body, but Pete wouldn't have it. "Shhh, just rest," he comforted her, stroking her face, her hair, making no move to release her, and no move to indulge his own desires.

He closed his eyes against his own riotous emotions and physical need, knowing that the last thing Chelsea needed was an assault on her senses when she was this near to breaking.

In the morning, he made breakfast, which they ate on the balcony while he quizzed her about all she had endured this week.

Chelsea poured her heart out, feeling truly heard, seen, valued, and cared for. The feeling was entirely foreign to her; exhilarating and terrifying all at once. She struggled to make sense of it.

She broke down and related her first encounter with a tornado. She had heard many descriptions before, but nothing compared.

She explained to Pete, "I ordered the cab to stop and let me out. A brief fight ensued, with the driver calling me "a crazy lady" and finally, he slammed the brakes and let me out. I leapt from the taxi to film the beast, thinking,

My God! It's royaling, rotating, living evil, hellbent on death and destruction.

I've never encountered anything like, Pete, not it in my life! I wanted to get the best video I could, but mostly I wanted to run screaming. It's the most terrifying encounter I have ever had."

Chelsea paused for a sip of coffee, struggling to get past the lump in her throat, and continued, "I tried to focus the camera,but my hands shaking violently. I had to remind myself that I a job to do. I quieted my grip on the camera, but misjudged distance and speed, so I ran for the nearest shelter. Thankfully, some other people ran there too, and we did our best to protect each other, huddled together in a far corner of the building. That's the closest I ever want to get to a real life monster."

"Holy nightmare, Chelsea! Don't you ever risk that again," he ordered, panic stricken, and closing the gap to pull her into his embrace, continuing, "Just promise me! I know you're out to prove yourself, but that doesn't mean getting yourself killed!"

Chelsea didn't fight him. She curled into the safety he afforded her, whispering, "I promise, Pete. Honest. I'll get a telephoto lens so I won't have to get that close next time."

He tried to release her just long enough to look into her eyes, but he couldn't do it. The harrowing tale of nearly losing her made him lock her into his embrace.

Pete knew exactly what she needed. He had been without safety and succor often enough that he knew exactly how to show up for her, even though he couldn't bear the thought of there being a next time.

Chelsea had never received a gift of this magnitude before. It was her own, personal miracle and she suddenly realized that she loved him;

head over, to the depths of my soul, no turning back, love.

"I was planning to wait for a more appropriate time to ask you this," Pete whispered, "But it won't wait now. You need a stabilizing force in your life and I need you in mine."

He stopped, tilting her chin up to lock eyes with her, "Marry me, Chelsea. I know it's sudden, but I won't spend another moment without you if you will give me a chance. I'll be the best decision you've ever made. Marry me."

Pete paused, staring straight into her soul, silently willing her to say the answer he wanted.

Chelsea pulled away slightly to take both his hands in her own. Smiling up at him, she asked, "When?"

Pete heaved a sigh of relief and smiled brightly, replying, " Tomorrow looks like a Chelsea morning! We can make the arrangements today. Yes?"

With her eyes now smoldering with desire, she answered, "Yes, my love. Yes, now let's go celebrate."