TAHITI
The sun was high in the sky, a light wind was refreshing the stifling heat.
The ship had just docked at the harbor and the crew had began to come down.
He was standing in despair, almost invisible in a corner of the pier, casual look: Hawaiian shirt, shorts, panama's hat, flip flops. A tourist among others, a part from the dog. In his mind there was only her. No more lab, nor blood, no more miniatures of any kind, but above all no more pain and death. In his mind only Sara, his Sara, the only woman he had ever loved, and the life he wanted with her. She was love and freedom, that part of his life he hadn't had in 50 years. She was his soul mate, his everything. He now knew what he wanted from life. He knew it clearly: he wanted her ... back.
But could it be too late? Could she have just moved on, as he had once suggested her?
He was waiting.... to find out, as the dog ran away barking.
The woman was waving her friends.
"Bye Sara" - A voice
"Bye guys" - She
"Good luck" – An other voice
"Yeah.. thanks.. "– She
"Call me" – Still another voice.
She gave the thumbs up.
Her vision kept his breath away. She was beautiful, suntanned, and relaxed. The dog came to her and jumped into her, almost making her fall.
She looked surprised, but immediately recognized it
-"Hank?! Hank!"-
It was wagging its tail happily, she knelt down patting its head while looking around.
-"Buddy what are you doing? Where is your....?"-
And then she saw him. A glance was enough for her to understand. He was in his best mood. She barely remembered the last time she saw him so,… so himself. She was sure, he was the Grissom, she felt in love with almost 10 years ago.
He was moving in her direction, hat in hand. She stood up. They found themselves in front of each other, for the first time after their last argument several months before.
They had changed in the meantime, they had grown. Now they wanted to be happy, as persons, as a couple, but they didn't know if this was enough to regain the lost trust and intimacy. Their relationship could stop now definitely or it could find new strength and hatch again.
Were they ready for the next step whatever it would have been?
-"Am I late?" – He asked her with a tremble in his voice. Nothing else, just this simple question.
-"Never" – She responded instinctively.
In that exact moment the world seemed to stop, his heart skipped a beat. But he had just done it, the worst had just passed. He smiled and leaned to kiss her. She stopped him with a finger on his lips. He understood immediately the reason.
-"I resigned... I am here to stay with you. I can't live without you." - Her brown eyes locked in his blue eyes. She couldn't believe what he had just said, she needed to know if this was real or just a dream. - "I ..... love you." -He said firmly.
These last 3 words let all her remaining barriers fall down. She smiled back at him. They kissed with a tenderness and at the same time a passion they hadn't shared in a long time. When the kiss stopped, he kept her face with an hand and stroking her soft cheek, he tried to continue with his apologizes.
Oh… His touch, his soft touch, an addiction to her. She couldn't resist it.
-"I' m sorry. Would you...?"-
-"Always" - She interrupted him. – "I missed you, I lied, …. I…. was unhappy" -
He nodded almost in tears. He couldn't believe how much he had hurted her. She was too good, he didn't deserve her. He promised himself, he would have spent the rest of his life showing her his love. She would have never doubted of it anymore.
She held him. He held her too. Her scent…. My Lord, it was a magic appeal, it thrilled all his body.
It was amazing to have her on his arms again, he now felt happy and complete; it was so natural to be in his arms again, she felt complete and loved.
She caressed his head. She needed to tell him the truth. He needed to know that her trip had ended before his arrival, that she had already taken a decision 2 days before, when she had found out "the novelty". Today she was in fact preparing to come home.. .She was coming to him, at least to let him know that in spite of everything their relationship had never withered. She reached his left ear and she spoke gently in it. He broke the embrace and looked at her with bright eyes. She was smiling. He smiled in return. He kissed her forehead and pulled her against his body and under the South East Pacific sun he held her tight. She had just confessed him her little miracle, well their miracle. A miracle she was hiding and protecting inside of her. He was truly happy and proud.
The dog was still near them, but it was tired of their lack of attention for it, so it kept barking and running in circle. They both laughed and hand in hand they started moving toward the hotel.