When he woke up the following morning, he had the day off and expected Emily to have already gone off to the base. He walked out of the bedroom and was happily surprised to see Emily at the stove, dressed in only one of his button shirts.
He came up behind her, placed his hands on her legs and let them trail up to her waist.
"Good morning cowboy. How do you feel this morning?"
"Morning beautiful. I feel like myself again. What are you still doing here?"
"I'm making you an omelet."
Still behind her he looked over her shoulder at the omelet she was cooking him. It looked and smelled good.
"Aren't you going to be late?"
She took the pan off the stove and turned to look at him. "You think you're the only one who gets a day off after an operation like this one?"
He looked at her and smiled. "What do you say we leave VA Beach for the day and go somewhere we can live out in the open?"
She smiled back. "Where did you have in mind?"
"Do you trust me?" he asked.
"Of course, I do."
"Ok then. Let's eat, then well get ready, but as you finish preparing breakfast, I've got a phone call to make."
She nodded and returned to the stove as he walked away.
One hour later, they were in his pickup on the US-13 heading North.
They pulled up, in front of a Ranch and got out. She gave him a side-eye.
"What?" he asked as he took from the back seat of the car his Stetson and put it on.
She laughed.
"I guess you can take the cowboy out of Texas, but you can't take Texas out of the cowboy."
He leaned in closer to her. "Is that going to be a problem, Ma'am?"
"Absolutely not," she answered as she planted a kiss on his lips, then pulled the rim of his Stetson lower over his eyes jokingly.
He put it back in place laughing and he showed her towards the stables.
"Bert is an old friend of mine and he's put away two beauties for us to take on a ride. You ever ridden a horse?"
She again looked at him jokingly. "That would be like me asking you if you've ever shot an HK416."
"Alright then. I'm just checking. Don't want anything happening to this beautiful body of yours."
Bert met up with them.
"How ya doing Sonny boy?"
They hugged.
"Good Bert. How ya'll doing?"
"Can't complain, business is good."
Bert than turned toward Emily. "And you must be Emily."
Emily shook hands with him. "Yes, sir. It's a pleasure meeting you."
He laughed. "Well, we ain't in the Navy here, so you can just call me Bert is all."
"Of course. You have a really nice ranch Bert."
"Well thank you. It's ain't what it used to be," he said as he looked around. "Used to be a time when kids and teenagers loved coming to work on the ranch, nowadays, not so much and I ain't getting any younger."
Emily nodded.
"I put my two best horses aside for you. Follow me."
Sonny and Emily followed Bert to one of the stables and all the way down to the last boxes.
"This is Galaxy and that is Bloom. They are both Missouri Fox Trotters. Galaxy is 8 years old and Bloom is 9 years old. They are a speedy and smooth ride."
Emily put her hand out flat toward Galaxy and let her smell the hand. Once that was done, she caressed the nose bridge and forehead.
Both Sonny and Bert smiled upon seeing her get acquainted with Galaxy.
"Looks like you too get along," said Bert.
"She's a beauty," answered Emily as she looked at her. She was chestnut colored with a white spot on her nose bridge.
They watched as Emily entered the box and petted Galaxy.
"I've put the satchels, I'm sure you'll find everything to your liking," he said to Sonny as he winked.
Sonny took him again for an embrace. "Thanks Bert. I owe you one."
"Nonsense," answered Bert as he looked at Emily, "this one is on me."
Emily and Sonny rode for an hour around the different wooded trails and ponds. They changed from trot to galop and he was impressed to see how well she rode.
They stopped near one of the ponds and Emily watched impressed as he took out a blanket, sandwiches, fruit, and water.
Once they had eaten, they rested on the blanket and he cradled her in his arms.
"Thank you," she said.
"For what?"
"For all of this. The riding, the picnic. I wasn't expecting any of it. It's perfect."
He felt an ounce of emotion in her voice.
"Can I ask you a question?"
She lifted her head from his chest and looked up at him. "Yeah of course."
"When was the last time you felt like this?"
She said nothing for a few seconds. "It's been a very long time. I guess I kind of forgot how good it could be."
He kissed her. "I'll make sure you don't forget."
