Part I: That Saturday
It was a hot summer day, on the coast of South Carolina, I was out for a jog along the beachside. It was 84 degrees, a little humid for my liking, but the breeze along the ocean felt absolutely wonderful on my bald head. Sweat beading from the top of my head down to my eyebrows I had to stop and catch my breath. I pause, wipe my forehead with a bandana that I keep in my pocket.
Wearing a red polyester workout shirt was probably not the best idea, but hey, it matches my black shorts that are perfect for the amount of pocket space, but also not too long, or my pockets would hang loosely with my keys and phone. As I stop along the coast, I take in a deep breath and can immediately smell the salt in the air, as the warm ocean breeze hits my nose with a calming and almost, relaxing, scent of what can only be described as a mixture of saltwater and warm sand.
Closing my eyes for a minute to feel the breeze, she catches up, looking as beautiful as ever, my love of 5 years, the love of my life, my girlfriend, best friend and confidant. Long black hair, flowing, effortlessly, in the wind of the coast, she wears a white tank top, with a beige sports bra underneath. She has a small slender body with light blue running shorts, tightly gripping against her gorgeous thighs, you can see the outline of her curves perfectly. Not showing too much skin, but enough to make your eyes wander.
"Aww, what's the matter Jack? Tired already? We've still got 1 mile to go you know, and I'm a busy girl." She says teasingly.
"Yea, well it's pretty hard to keep up the pace when you've only just started working out again after 5 years of YOUR cooking." I say pointedly. "You know you're the reason I'm fat, right? It's because you're such a good cook I can't keep it out of my mouth." I wink. She smiles back at me, "Yes yes, I know dear, I've heard all the same cliché's for 5 years, don't you ever get tired of repeating the same lies?" She says to me. "Only if it ever stops making you happy." I smile.
I take off jogging again, "last one to finish the mile has to buy the other ice cream!"
She takes off after me. "No fair you didn't even say this was a race! Besides with your appetite, I'll be lucky to have a retirement fund!"
"That sounds like a YOU problem!!" I proclaim, laughing. Not paying attention to where I was going, I suddenly trip and fall over myself, and fall face first into the sand.
She starts laughing. "Hahaha, maybe if you'd pay more attention to your surroundings, you wouldn't be such a hot mess!" She runs over to me and lends out a hand.
I reach out and grab her arm, and pull her down with me, laughing. "H-hey! What're you doing?!" She lets out a small shout as she lands on top of me. "Yea, well if I pay too much attention to my surroundings, I'll easily get distracted by you." I say to her, smirking.
She leans in and gives me a kiss on the lips, and I wrap one hand around her waist. She pulls away. "No sir, not here. Not now anyway, but.... maybe later, if you wait, maybe I'll give you some dessert tonight after dinner..." She whispers to me. Leaving me speechless.
I look back at her, glossy eyed. "Okay well if that's the case then come here." I grip her butt firmly in my right hand. I've always loved the way she curves and fits so perfectly into my hands. It's like she was made for me.
I release and stand up, and reach out a hand to let her back up, as she takes it and stands herself back up. "Thanks hun." She smiles at me. We finish out the jog, and get to the ice cream stand at the end of the beach. We've been coming here every Saturday for the last 5 years, to our favorite ice cream stand that sits at the end of the stretch, a White, blue and red pinstripe sign above it that says "Tastes for everyone, anytime." "You do know it's pointless to eat ice cream after you've just worked out, right?" She says mockingly. "I do, and I also know that without ice cream, my life would be empty and incomplete." I say back to her, teasingly. "Wow so you would just ditch your woman for ice cream, just like that? That's so cruel, Jack." She says. "At least have the decency to give me your life insurance money if you're going to treat me like a peasant." She laughs. "There it is!" I laugh, there's the refined, yet vulgar woman that I have loved for all these years. I thought. "Maybe one day, if you play your cards right, and I make you my wife." I smile. "And then you get to mysteriously disappear one night?" She says jokingly, with an almost serious look on her face.
"What flavor do you want today?" I ask as if I don't already know the answer. The same as it always has been, strawberry vanilla swirl, with a touch of sprinkles, I think to myself. "The same as always, my love." She looks at me. "Strawberry vanilla...." She starts, "Swirl and a spoonful of sprinkles on top" I interject. She smiles at me. "I love you..." She says, "Love you too, angel." I return.
We get the cones from the stand and sit down on the nearest bench to eat our ice cream. "Hey can I ask you a question?" I start off, she looks at me curiously, with a bit of ice cream on her lip. "Sure, what's the matter babe?" She replies. "Well, I was wondering, do I make you happy?" I ask, "Of course you do! What makes you say that sweetheart?" She replies. "Well, I feel like we click, and I love you so much, but sometimes I can't help but wonder, why me? What can I do to make her happy? Why does she consistently pick me over every other guy in town? You could have any guy you ever wanted, Rebecca. You're beautiful, you're cute, funny, charismatic, and intelligent, anything a guy could ever want in his wife. And sometimes that just makes me feel a little, I don't know, mediocre?" I say to her, looking in her eyes longingly. "Jack, baby, we have got to stop doing this, and you KNOW I love you more than anything or anyone in my life, you're my best friend, and I couldn't possibly be happier with anyone else." She says to me, gazing into my eyes lovingly. "I wish there was some way I could prove that to you. I know you've been feeling down lately, but I promise you, nothing will ever change my love for you. I'm yours' and only yours, and that's all I ever want to be."
She gazes back into my eyes meekly. Our minds racing, hearts beating so fast, I could soon pass out. I lean in forward slowly towards Rebecca, locking eyes as if to say, only if you want it. She lunges forward impatiently and with deep fervor. We lock our lips together, she reaches out her open hand, and fingers spread wide inviting for my hand to take hers. I give her my hand in response. We hold hands while we are kissing each other, our tongues playing with one another gently. The passion increases, she lets out a gentle moan under her breath. She releases "Jack.... I love you." Her eyes widen, with a serious look on her face. Without replying, I lean forward once again to renew the kiss, lost in passion. As I lean forward, I accidentally bump her ice cream cone out of her hand. "Oh no!" I say as I reach out to catch the cone, missing it by inches. "I'm so sorry!" I frown. "It's okay...I promise" She comforts me, but then reaches forward and steals the cone out of my hand. "Besides, now we're even" She smirks. Smiling in victory. I let out a drawn out sigh. "haha, I guess I deserve that." I laugh.
After she finishes the ice cream, we walk back to hotel room, along the beach, holding hands and laughing together like 2 teenagers in high school. Swinging our arms together in harmony.