Lynette sat at the table by herself. She gazed thoughtlessly over the railing across the calm lake. Her eyes fixed for brief moments on the occasional jogger, cyclist, dog-walker, stroller-pushing-mom and other passers by. She never gave these people a thought. She used these calm, quiet summer afternoons to let her mind relax from the pressures of the day. She sat by the lake, looking afar, sipping gently on a daiquiri.
She was not always alone on that patio by the lake. People would come and go, pausing from their busy day, but never lingering like Lynette. They would always arrive after her and leave before her, until one day...
One that day, another woman came shortly after Lynette arrived. Unlike everyone else, this woman stayed, also sipping a daiquiri, for as long as Lynette but she did not gaze over the lake, instead, she looked at Lynette. It was not a stare but it was with intent, curiosity and interest. They never spoke and Lynette never noticed her on that first day.
From then on, almost every time Lynette visited the lake, so did this other woman. Lynette eventually began to notice the other woman and occasionally sensed her attentions. Unintentionally at first, Lynette too began to watch the woman. They eventually played a silent game as they stole glances of each other.
On the day their innocent game was to end, the strange woman stood and walked across the patio toward Lynette. She walked straight and slowly and with great grace and confidence. Her eyes looked directly at Lynette. Lynette looked back at the stranger as she approached. She was uneasy but did not look away. The strange woman was taller, close to five foot seven. She was statuesque, rounded and very lovely. Her eyes were crystal green and they sparkled in the setting sunlight. Her long golden blonde hair gently swayed in the soft breeze and framed her beautiful face as it caressed her shoulders and swept down her back. Her white short sleeved blouse while not revealing, could not hide the evidence of well curved body. The yellow shorts hugged her long slender legs that carried her with such style and feminine grace.
"May I sit down", the woman asked after the walk across the patio. Lynette's eyes granted the permission even if her lips did not speak.
"My name is Shelly. I hope I am not intruding?"
"No, please sit", Lynette invited, speaking to the stranger for the first time. Her tone was strong, belying her uneasiness.
"I have been noticing that you come her quite often. You seem to enjoy the peacefulness and solitude", Shelly continued.
"I like it here very much. I get to think if I want or just relax and enjoy the view."
The two women chatted for about an hour and they became more comfortable with each other. They decided that they would share the afternoons together and over time, they became friends. They talked about many subjects but never violated the unspoken reason why they were there. They never talked about anything that would cast a shadowed light on the pleasant time that they were spending together.
All the while the two women talked, there was an underlying mystery that they unknowingly shared. It was the very reason why Shelly walked up to Lynette on that first day. It was the real reason why Lynette enjoyed Shelly's company. They each wanted the other to have that same hidden secrete but each was afraid that their new and still fragile friendship could not stand the strain of discussing the issue. As the days wore on and as they became fonder of each other, each grew restless about not knowing the answer to the one question that neither had the courage to ask.
Although Lynette was listening to Shelly on the day the question would be asked, she didn't actually hear a single word. Shelly's voice was soft and muffled as if it was coming through a far away tunnel. Lynette was very curious about her new friend and thinking very intently about her. She wanted to hold her in her arms. She wanted to hug her friend. She wanted to be hugged back. She was looking at Shelly while thinking about all of that. It was too bad she could not hear what Shelly was saying.
In soft sheepish tones, Shelly was saying, "I really look forward to our time together. I feel so good when we meet here and talk. I like you very much and wonder.....if.....we might....ah...be able to.....get to know each other better."