52stories

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She loved these early mornings. His tender backrubs, as the light crept slowly in the room from the rising sun. His touch on her back in this loving manner was one of the most sensual things she loved about him. She knew they had to get up soon, but for now she just stretched, yawned, feeling the touch of his hands as they caressed her most stressful points.

“I got you a present, sweetie, ” he purred.

She knew what he probably meant. He was a lovable man, but certainly had a one track mind. That was okay, today she was feeling it too. “I’m sure you do, honey”, she chuckled as she tried turning toward him. But he held her there in his arms.

“No, really. Can you go to lunch with me today?”

Excited even more by the prospect of a good lunch, she turned into his arms. “Sure. The only thing better than your back rubs are the places you pick for lunch. Where are we going? Any hints?”

“Nope. This isn’t a lunch for eating. I’m going to take you to see your gift.”

She kissed him hard, passionately. And the abruptly got up. “I need to get going then. I have to get in early if I want a long lunch.”

She stood up and strode toward the bathroom. Slightly wounded, he followed.

When he picked her up for lunch, he put a brightly colored cloth in her lap. “I’d like you to wear this, so you won’t know where we’re going.”

Tentatively, she opened the cloth, and realized it was a sleeping mask. The kind that kept out all the light.

“How long will it take? I really don’t like these.”

“Just a little while, maybe 10 or 15 minutes. Please, sweetie? It’ll be worth the wait.”

She slipped on the mask, adjusted it so she wouldn’t peek, and then reclined into her seat for the ride.

True to his word, the ride was mercifully short. When the car stopped, though, he asked, “Okay, keep it on just a little longer. We’re almost there. I’ll get you out of the car and guide you, okay?”

“Sure babe.”

He opened her door and took her hand, helped her up and out of the low car. His hands rested on her hips. “You just need to walk. I’ll guide you and keep you safe.”

“You better, buddy. I know where you live!” They both chuckled. He kissed her neck and urged her forward.

At first, she felt the hot, hard parking lot beneath her feet. After a few gentle turns, the ground turned softer. Probably grass, she thought. Then it was hard again, but with a different feel, and a different sound. She knew that sound from work. It was some sort of wood.

But now she heard another sound. Water? Lots of birds. Kids playing not too far away. The smell of a barbeque. Ew, and the smell of fish!

“What’s that awful smell, hon? It smells like fish. I hate the smell of fish.”

“I think the farmer in the next field just fertilized, ” he lied.

“Good. For a minute I thought you were going to walk me out on a pier and push me in the water.”

He laughed. “No, I’ve got better ways to get rid of you when the time comes.”

He walked closer to her now. After a few dozen steps, they took a hard left turn, and then stopped. His hand left her right hip for a moment, and she heard a door opening. Then his hands were back in place, and together they stepped through the doorway.

The door closed behind them, and he put his arms around her in one of their special hugs. “I love you, Lizzie.”

“I know, Johnny. Ditto! Can I take this off now?”

His hands moved up her sides, slowly. Across her shoulders. Onto her neck. She could hardly resist this, but played along because it felt so good. Finally, he moved his hands up, and gently pulled the mask from her face. She opened her eyes…
And stared at the most beautiful room she had ever seen. “Oh, Johnny…” she started, but choked up and said no more.

The room was finished like one of the magazines they had been buying for years, looking for ideas for the future. The walls were a pastel peach, surrounded by beautiful oak woodwork. The windows, that seemed to cover all the walls, were draped with beautiful cloth, full of brightly colored flowers on dark blue backgrounds.

To the left of the room was the sitting area, complete with an old wood stove. The loveseat was adorned with a pattern similar to the drapes, but of a heavier material. To the right was the bedroom area. A Murphy bed was folded on the wall, surrounded by built-in floor-to-ceiling bookcases. “For my books,” she whispered. His hands, now back on her hips, squeezed acknowledgement. In the center of the room was a wooden dining table, the one with the inlaid tiles on the top. Again, the tiles were perfectly coordinated with the colors in the room. Behind the table was the kitchen, not real big, but enough for the two of them. It seemed spacious in the way it was integrated into the entire room.

“What is this, Johnny?”

“It’s our retirement getaway.”

“I can hear water.”

“We’re right on the lake.”

“Oh, my gosh. Really? Just like we always talked about?”

She ran to the windows, looking out at the lake from several views. He wasn’t kidding — they were really on the lake. In fact, it seemed almost too close.

“Do you like it?”

She ran back to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love it, Johnny! When can we move in?”

“It’s ours, sweetie. Any time.”

She thought for a minute. With all that water, “How big of a yard does it have?”

“Nothing to take care of,” he suggested, hesitantly. She looked at him, wondering what she was missing. Then she walked out the door.

He could no longer see her, and wondered what her reaction would be. The little house, so beautiful inside, was right in the middle of a fishing pier. Right near the fishing boats.

Her peals of laughter calmed his worries. “Fertilizer my ass!” she screamed in glee.

He walked out and stood next to her.

“It’s all ours?”

“It’s all ours.”

She took his hand, and led him eagerly back into the little red house. It’s not ours yet, she thought. But it will be in a few minutes.