The summer was rather difficult. Adrianna left not long after school ended. It was a teary goodbye. She did not actually want to go, but she missed Rebecca.
"I'm sorry, Adam, but I have to go."
By August, Adam knew what she'd been talking about all too well. He'd choked the whole summer. His heart dry and his lips parched waiting for the moisture of a kiss. She surprised him by coming home a few days early. She caught him off guard in the barn while he was brushing Beauty. Their eyes met, not a word needed be said. Their longing was displayed in kisses.
The nights began to get cooler as the beauty of fall began to creep into the mountains. School began again, and their simple routine began again. Adrien did have a few troublemakers, but Adam just saw it as another reason to stop by during the day. Adam always found reasons to be in town. He rode with her to and from school most days. He always found little things to work on at her house too. Most Saturdays he spent with her, but Sundays never failed, he was always there to drive her to church and afterwards, they'd drive over to the footbridge and have a picnic lunch. Adrien began to recall the last year, and truly began to believe that she was dreaming, if not that then she must have been transported into her own little world of happiness.
The sun rose to a clear blue sky that morning. Adrien smelled bacon and biscuits cooking downstairs. She rose quickly and threw on a robe.
Oh, no…he didn't find me… I know no one at home would have told him… how dare he come into my home…how brazen… She stepped into the hall. …Oh my God, what does he want with me?
She ran downstairs, but not without grabbing the knife that she kept in her dresser.
"Good morning dear." Adam said coming up behind her in the kitchen doorway.
"Adam!" she exclaimed surprised, hiding the knife behind her back, "What are you doing here?"
"I thought I'd surprise you. Happy birthday, dear."
She walked into the kitchen and leaned up against the cabinet.
"Adam, this is so sweet." She slipped the knife into the drawer behind her. She had forgotten for a moment what today was.
Why didn't I think of that. Adam is here. He's always here. No one would dare….
"I've become a better cook in the last couple years, haven't I?" he asked.
"That's good news, I don't ever have to wake up to something burning anymore."
"That's not funny."
"Did I sound like I was being funny?"
"Weren't you?" he asked again.
"I'll think about it after I have my coffee."
"Oh, yes, I forgot."
"What?"
"You aren't a morning person."
"I didn't think you'd forget that," she replied. He handed her a cup of coffee.
"I forgot that, but I didn't forget how beautiful you look in the morning."
"You're such a flatterer."
"But don't you love it?"
"Of course, I do, but I love you more," she kissed him lightly.
"You know, I'd think you'd be even more beautiful with this." In front of her appeared a silver comb detailed with pearls and sapphires.
"Adam!" she exclaimed, "I …I …I don't know what to say!"
"Then say you love it."
"Oh, I do it's beautiful!"
"You've got to promise me one thing though."
"What?"
"That you'll save wearing that till tonight."
"Why?" She was rather confused.
"Because I want you to wear it with that dark blue off the shoulder dress that you used to wear in Boston, it'll look perfect."
"But Adam, I'll have to put my hair up to wear this and you like it down."
"I know that I have a preference, but sometimes I like to see that beautiful neck of yours," he said as he gave her a few pecks on the curve of her neck.
"Oh, Adam."
"Hurry up and eat breakfast before it gets cold. We have a lot to do today."
"What are we doing, darling?"
"Well, this morning, we're going to spend here."
"Adam, you're not expecting to…"
"No, I just want to spend some time looking into those beautiful blue eyes."
"And what would be coming after our staring contest?" she asked.
"How does lunch on the East hill sound?"
"It sounds wonderful."
"And then, we'll go for a nice long ride to the lake, and then we'll come back here, you'll get changed, and we'll go to town for dinner, and then we'll find someplace to dance the night away."
"Adam, you're a hopeless romantic, you know."
"And I enjoy every minute of it."
A couple weeks later, Adam left for the cattle drive to San Francisco again. She went to the Ponderosa to see him off. It was a very tense goodbye. It was like Adam was afraid to touch her. He promised to be careful and whispered in her ear that he loved her. He and his father settled a few last minute details. He kissed her discreetly on the cheek and then mounted up and rode away.
For three weeks, she agonized about what had transpired that morning. Was she losing him? Had she opened herself up only to be crushed again?
She wanted to run but this time she could not, and this time there was not another Rebecca to bring them back together again.