Tuesday night, after Bill left, Allison found the apartment empty. She had always loved the solitude of her own little space, but after a day of talking and laughing, it seemed almost eerily silent. She climbed into her big bed, snuggled down and tried to read, but kept thinking how naturally Bill had seemed to fit into her home and life. She could almost see him sitting on the floor in front of the new bookshelf, examining her volumes and approving. He seemed to be everywhere, she could even smell his scent, Obsession for Men. Whimsically, she imagined a life with him around every day. It sounded wonderful to her. She wanted to enjoy her memories longer, but she was tired from her busy day and her eyes kept drifting closed. Finally, she stopped fighting it and turned off the light and fell asleep.
The next morning, the sun was shining through the windows and Allison woke to birds singing outside her bedroom. She stretched and settled back into her nest, feeling at peace with the world and happy to be alive. It took her a few minutes to remember why she was so very happy, then Bill's face popped into her mind and she grinned. She giggled. She even sizzled a little, just thinking of spending the day with him. As she was remembering the conversations from Tuesday, her phone rang. Ally was smiling as she reached for it, her hello was bubbling with happiness, a laugh was evident in her sweet voice.
Bill basked in her voice for a second and then replied with a happy hello. They began talking as if there had been no break in time, telling each other about the rest of the evening and what they had done, wondering what to do today. Bill insisted he had so much to do and that Allison would be invaluable in helping him. She didn't care if they sat on a bench all day, as long as they were together, and eagerly agreed to be ready in an hour.
She jumped from bed and hurried to the shower. Ally used her new vanilla soap and lathered her body carefully, her mind wandering to Bill as she slowly moved the cloth over her body. She washed her hair and conditioned it, thinking it would smell so good and feel so soft for Bill. She was conscious of the height difference and knew her head would fit easily under his chin. She liked that. She liked the way they fit together so nicely. She liked everything about him, about them. After her shower, Allison dried her hair and pulled it back with golden clips, letting it hang down her back with loose, soft curls. She dressed with special care. First, the black satin and lace bra and panty set she had bought long ago and still kept wrapped in tissue in her lingerie drawer. She felt quite grown up in the fancy undergarments and, glancing in the mirror, thought she looked quite fetching too! The weather was sunny and cold, so she pulled on black tights and a black sweater, adding a short, bright, plaid pleated skirt that. Again, she felt very sophisticated, but looked like a delightful school girl. She added tiny gold posts and a spritz of vanilla scent and she was ready. Now she made her bed and straightened the room, nervously finding activities to fill the rest of the hour before Bill arrived.
When the doorbell rang, Allison's heart skipped a beat. She stood still, trying to catch her breath, trying to calm down and not succeeding. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were bright as she opened the door. He took her breath away. His smile was warm and welcoming. His beautiful blue eyes rivaled the sky for color. He was wearing dark brown corduroy pants with a pale blue shirt and beautifully knit Irish sweater. Bill reached for her hand and wrapped his large, warm one around it, pulling her out into the sunshine. She grabbed her purse and locked her door and happily followed him down the steps. She didn't really care what they did or where they went, she just wanted to be with him today.
It was the day before Thanksgiving and she thought they might buy groceries, but that wasn't part of Bill's plan. The first stop of the day was the family restaurant where they had gone on Monday night, after class. Again he ordered for them. Hot cocoa to warm them and fluffy vegetarian omelets with homemade biscuits and delicious fruit jelly. When the breakfast arrived, Allison insisted she could not eat even half of it, but as the conversation grew more intimate and engrossing, she found herself eating all the wonderful meal and enjoying it thoroughly. They lingered over a second cup of cocoa, still busily sharing thoughts and stories from their lives. It seemed moments later that the waitress asked if they might want lunch. They looked around and noted that, indeed, lunches were being served.
Both of them grinned and refused the meal, moving out of the booth and toward the door. The day was lovely, cool and breezy. Allison was interested in knowing what Bill had in mind, but was happy allowing him to set the pace. They walked along the street, talking and enjoying the day. Bill reached for her hand and enclosed it once again in his. She loved the feel of him. They walked by a park, and stopped to watch the people ice skating. He invited her to join him on the ice and Ally happily agreed. She sat on the bench as he rented the skates and then he helped her into hers, lacing them snugly. He took her hands to pull her up and they skated onto the ice. They were both quite good, skating smoothly and quickly around the rink. The music was lively and loud, the people all laughing and enjoying the beautiful day. The announcer called for a "couples dance" and the music slowed.
Bill pulled Allison into his arms and held her there safely as they skated slowly around the ice. They moved together well. When he twirled her, Allison moved skillfully and gracefully. Soon, most of the skaters stopped to watch the well-matched pair. The music seemed to go on forever as they slid so effortlessly around the huge rink. When the dance ended, they realized they were the center of attention and bowed and curtsied to the crowd. Again, Bill pulled her into his arms, snuggling her against him. Her head rested on his chest, his chin just grazed her hair. She felt his arm circle her waist and hold her warmly and Ally felt as happy as she had ever been. They skated effortlessly around the rink, just enjoying being together. Allison could hear Bill's heart under her cheek and she felt her heart was beating in unison. She looked up at him, smiling, to say something.
