"Noah!" Theresa shouted gleefully. "Come over to this side."
Noah lead Carrie across the stepping stones to the other side of the river. He hugged Theresa and kissed her cheek. "It's been years, Resa. I missed my best friend."
"I missed you, too," she said. "Who did you bring?" She acknowledged Carrie.
"This is Carolyn Hotchkiss, a.k.a. Carrie," he said.
"Hi," said Carrie, shaking Theresa's hand.
Ethan spoke up. "So this is Gwen's cousin I never got to meet."
"Yes," said Carrie, "And you are...?"
"My name is Ethan Winthrop," he said. "Pleased to meet you.
"Oh, yes," said Theresa. "Noah, this is your brother, Ethan."
Noah smiled at his brother when he got a good look. He realized how much alike they looked. "Hey, man," he shook his hand and they gave a small hug.
"Male bonding, isn't it lovely," Carrie joked to Theresa.
"Absolutely touching," said Theresa. "Okay you guys, Ethan and I have a day planned out for all of us. Starting with breakfast the new restaurant, Aphrodite's Chamber. It provides a romantic atmosphere for couples."
"Sounds great," said Noah. He smiled at Carrie. "Doesn't it?"
"Well then come with us," said Ethan. He and Theresa walked off toward the restaurant.
"Noah," said Carrie. "We're not a couple."
"Hey, don't sweat it, it will be fun," he said. He took her hand again and they followed Ethan and Theresa.
I know it will be, she thought. Anywhere with you is heaven, Noah.
The four entered Aphrodite's Chamber and they were met with a sweet-smelling romantic atmosphere. The overwhelming colors were pink and red. It appeared to be mainly a poetry corner, for it had a stage set up with a microphone. Carrie took a liking to it immediately. It was the perfect place, if anywhere, to cozy up to Noah. The group found a table for four and ordered breakfast and coffee.
"This is a great little place. Thanks, you guys," said Noah.
"Thank Theresa," insisted Ethan. "This was all her idea."
"Thank him," insisted Theresa. "It's his money," she joked.
Noah laughed. He looked over at Carrie, who sat next to him, and he couldn't help but notice that her eyes seemed to be locked onto his chest. "Carrie, you okay?" he asked.
She came to with a small jump. "Hmm? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," she said with a sweet smile. "I'm just famished from the plane ride." She turned to Theresa and Ethan. "That airline food is unbelievable in the worst way possible."
"I know the feeling," said Ethan.
The food came and the conversed over breakfast. Carrie began. "So, uh, how new is the place?"
"It's a few weeks old," answered Theresa. "It's owned by our friend, Ally."
"Ally?" asked Noah. "Haven't seen her in a while. How is she?"
"She's been fine. She's in Virginia right now, though. I think her grandmother's sick." said Ethan
"That's too bad," said Carrie. "Um, what's the stage for?"
"Oh, that?" said Theresa, giving it a glance. "That's for people who get up and read their poetry."
"Is it open for anyone at anytime?" asked Carrie.
"Yeah, I can get you situated if you want," suggested Theresa.
"That would be great, thanks!" said Carrie, glowing. This was her chance to make public the poem she had written weeks ago, which sh secretly dedicated to Noah.
Theresa and Carrie got up and went to the stage. Theresa took the mike. "May I have everyone's attention? Thank you. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce an new arrival to Harmony named Carolyn Hotchkiss, she will read her poem." Theresa stepped down.
Carrie took the mike. "This poem is called, 'The Only One.' Here goes nothing." She began her poem:
"Song birds sing on the golden morning
I hear your voice rise above them
Your voice, the sweetest I have ever heard,
Lingers in my ears.
Your gleaming eyes light my darkness,
Filling me with the greatest of joy
Your lips, how I long to feel them on mine
I love you
You are the only one I want."
Her poem was greatly received. "Bravo," said Theresa.
"Thank you," said Carrie.
"Well, now that breakfast is over, we can move along with the next part of the morning," said Ethan, paying the bill. He lead Theresa out of the restaurant. Noah and Carrie followed.
The day went beautifully and was filled with fun. When it was over, Noah and Carrie stood alone outside watching the sunset. Theresa and Ethan had left them by then and they stood in the park together. "Carrie," he said. "There's something I want to tell you. Something important."
This is it, she thought, he's going to tell me what I've wanted to hear since I met him. "Anything, Noah."
"Carrie," he said, "I'm in love with Theresa."
Noah lead Carrie across the stepping stones to the other side of the river. He hugged Theresa and kissed her cheek. "It's been years, Resa. I missed my best friend."
"I missed you, too," she said. "Who did you bring?" She acknowledged Carrie.
"This is Carolyn Hotchkiss, a.k.a. Carrie," he said.
"Hi," said Carrie, shaking Theresa's hand.
Ethan spoke up. "So this is Gwen's cousin I never got to meet."
"Yes," said Carrie, "And you are...?"
"My name is Ethan Winthrop," he said. "Pleased to meet you.
"Oh, yes," said Theresa. "Noah, this is your brother, Ethan."
Noah smiled at his brother when he got a good look. He realized how much alike they looked. "Hey, man," he shook his hand and they gave a small hug.
"Male bonding, isn't it lovely," Carrie joked to Theresa.
"Absolutely touching," said Theresa. "Okay you guys, Ethan and I have a day planned out for all of us. Starting with breakfast the new restaurant, Aphrodite's Chamber. It provides a romantic atmosphere for couples."
"Sounds great," said Noah. He smiled at Carrie. "Doesn't it?"
"Well then come with us," said Ethan. He and Theresa walked off toward the restaurant.
"Noah," said Carrie. "We're not a couple."
"Hey, don't sweat it, it will be fun," he said. He took her hand again and they followed Ethan and Theresa.
I know it will be, she thought. Anywhere with you is heaven, Noah.
The four entered Aphrodite's Chamber and they were met with a sweet-smelling romantic atmosphere. The overwhelming colors were pink and red. It appeared to be mainly a poetry corner, for it had a stage set up with a microphone. Carrie took a liking to it immediately. It was the perfect place, if anywhere, to cozy up to Noah. The group found a table for four and ordered breakfast and coffee.
"This is a great little place. Thanks, you guys," said Noah.
"Thank Theresa," insisted Ethan. "This was all her idea."
"Thank him," insisted Theresa. "It's his money," she joked.
Noah laughed. He looked over at Carrie, who sat next to him, and he couldn't help but notice that her eyes seemed to be locked onto his chest. "Carrie, you okay?" he asked.
She came to with a small jump. "Hmm? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," she said with a sweet smile. "I'm just famished from the plane ride." She turned to Theresa and Ethan. "That airline food is unbelievable in the worst way possible."
"I know the feeling," said Ethan.
The food came and the conversed over breakfast. Carrie began. "So, uh, how new is the place?"
"It's a few weeks old," answered Theresa. "It's owned by our friend, Ally."
"Ally?" asked Noah. "Haven't seen her in a while. How is she?"
"She's been fine. She's in Virginia right now, though. I think her grandmother's sick." said Ethan
"That's too bad," said Carrie. "Um, what's the stage for?"
"Oh, that?" said Theresa, giving it a glance. "That's for people who get up and read their poetry."
"Is it open for anyone at anytime?" asked Carrie.
"Yeah, I can get you situated if you want," suggested Theresa.
"That would be great, thanks!" said Carrie, glowing. This was her chance to make public the poem she had written weeks ago, which sh secretly dedicated to Noah.
Theresa and Carrie got up and went to the stage. Theresa took the mike. "May I have everyone's attention? Thank you. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce an new arrival to Harmony named Carolyn Hotchkiss, she will read her poem." Theresa stepped down.
Carrie took the mike. "This poem is called, 'The Only One.' Here goes nothing." She began her poem:
"Song birds sing on the golden morning
I hear your voice rise above them
Your voice, the sweetest I have ever heard,
Lingers in my ears.
Your gleaming eyes light my darkness,
Filling me with the greatest of joy
Your lips, how I long to feel them on mine
I love you
You are the only one I want."
Her poem was greatly received. "Bravo," said Theresa.
"Thank you," said Carrie.
"Well, now that breakfast is over, we can move along with the next part of the morning," said Ethan, paying the bill. He lead Theresa out of the restaurant. Noah and Carrie followed.
The day went beautifully and was filled with fun. When it was over, Noah and Carrie stood alone outside watching the sunset. Theresa and Ethan had left them by then and they stood in the park together. "Carrie," he said. "There's something I want to tell you. Something important."
This is it, she thought, he's going to tell me what I've wanted to hear since I met him. "Anything, Noah."
"Carrie," he said, "I'm in love with Theresa."