Authors Note:
Disclaimer:
I am in no way connected with anyone that has anything to do with the movie. I am merely borrowing the wonderful characters from Pearl Harbour and putting them in my own storylines for the enjoyment of my fellow obsessed Pearl Harbour fans.Rating:
This part will be fairly tame, but there will be some R action coming up in later parts.It had been almost three months…three months of complete and utter agony. It was still hard to believe that he was gone. Maybe it's because part of me didn't want to believe.
Rafe had died a hero, defending his country. He had died doing what he had done all his life…protecting me. And it was this realisation that I had lost more than just my best friend, but apart of myself, that I had to wake too every morning. I filled the two shot glasses, that resided next to his photo, with bourbon, and felt the familiar pang of grief strike my heart as I lifted the glass to my lips.
"Here's to you buddy", I said, downing the bourbon. Placing the glass back on the shelf, I traced the edge of the photo with my fingertip, tears welling in my eyes.
"Get it together Danny", I said, softly to myself as I grabbed a shirt and slipped it over my head, before making my way down to the beach.
I was not surprised to see Evelyn sitting on the beach at sunrise; she was always there, her long dark hair flowing in the wind, her face glowing from the light that had now started to fill the sky. She was the only one who I could talk to about Rafe, the only one who knew what I was going through. I felt comfortable in her presence and unashamed as she cradled me in her arms as the wave of emotion swept over me. Never in my life had I felt so close to a woman… Could it be that I, Danny Walker had fallen in love?
I never thought in a million years I would fall in love, least of all with Evelyn, but as we sat there each morning, pouring our hearts out to each other, I knew that what I was feeling was more than just friendship…more than just comfort.
I knew the others had started to realise my growing attraction to Evelyn, as every time they walked past us, they'd burst into a fit of giggles, and my hands would go straight to my pockets. She never seemed embarrassed. Maybe it's because she had known all along what was going on between us.
We had decided to go to the little cafe, down the road from the where local movie theatre was, and where I had absent-mindedly followed her out. We ate, and we shared stories about Raef, and then talked a little about ourselves. That's one thing I noticed about our relationship. We only ever really spoke about Raef; it was as if the bond we had each shared with him, brought us closer together, and which now had us looking at each other not as friends of Rafe's, but as friends of each other.
After Evelyn left, I sat alone in the cafe, trying to relive the moment, when I noticed that she had left her hanky behind. I wondered if this was some kind of sign. Or maybe even just an excuse to go see her again.
I wrestled with the possible outcomes of me going to return her hanky to her tonight. I always preferred the one where I told her exactly how I felt and she returned my feelings and then we ended up, bodies entwined, on her bedroom floor. It was the thought of this outcome that made every inch of me burn with desire and what got me through the gates leading up to her living quarters, that night, questions evident in my mind.
How could I tell her? I mean what was the right way to go about it? I mean, a lot of things could go wrong. What if she was still madly in love with Rafe? Would it be bad on my behalf to be going after his girl? My intentions weren't exactly honourable. But on the other hand, what if she felt the same way? This isn't the kind of oppurtunity I should let slip through my fingers. I mean, Evelyn wasn't the kind of girl I should let slip through my fingers.
"Danny?"
I looked up. Evelyn was standing near the door. Any thought of what was right or wrong left, as my eyes wandered over every inch of her.
"Are you okay?", concern evident in her voice. She made her way down the steps to where I was standing.
"I, uh, you forgot this", I said, fumbling around in my pocket for her hanky. "Thought you might need it for tomorrow".
She smiled, and I felt my heart jump.
"Thanks Danny", she said, getting up and taking the hanky from my hand. I felt electricity run through my body as her skin brushed against mine.
"Can I...uh..."
"Yes?"
"Can I call you sometime? Maybe…we could uh, see a movie or something?", I said, the words somehow spilling from my mouth.
"Maybe", she said.
"Maybe is good. A lot better than just a flat out no", I said, smiling. She laughed a little, which made me relax.
"Well, I better get inside…" she said, turning and walking up the stairs, she turned back to face me as she opened the door. "Night Danny"
"Night", I said, smiling. I walked down the path, a spring in my step. "I am gonna kiss the girl!"
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