It was 2 am and she wasn't a bit sleepy. Amy pulled up to the cabin. It was
exactly as she remembered... Well not exactly, time had weathered the cabin.
The landscape grew wildly around it. It was slightly creepy looking. Amy
shook Bruce gently.
"We're here! Wake up sleepy head" Amy said playfully.
"Huh? Oh.... We're here? Wow... rustic," Bruce said sleepily, as he looked around.
"C'mon lets get the groceries inside. The ice cream might be melting."
Amy and Bruce exited the SUV and grabbed their things. Bruce started grabbing the bags of groceries as well.
"I can get the food. You just close the tailgate and open the cabin."
"Do you have a flashlight?' asked Amy in a nervous voice. It was a moonless night; darkness covered the cabin like a down comforter.
"No, and I couldn't give it to you if I did." Bruce motioned to his hands being full. "Besides, light would only cause more mosquitoes to attack." There was quite a bit of buzzing going on.
They walked toward the cabin entrance. Other than the vines that had grown all around it, it didn't look as bad as Amy thought.
"You're right, but I won't be able to find the key without some light." Amy pulled out her cell phone and tried to use the backlit display as a flashlight.
"You have to FIND the key? You sure you want to spend the weekend here?" Bruce questioned with a concerned look on his face.
"I know it looks slightly dilapidated, but it IS private... and free," responded Amy in an upbeat voice.
"Amy, I would've gladly paid to keep you somewhere safe." He replied while trying to dodge mosquitoes.
Amy looked up at Bruce, she beamed at his thoughtfulness; any other man she had been with would not have phrased his displeasure using the same kindness.
"Thank you, but it isn't necessary; I feel safe as long as I'm with you... and I'll light the citronella candles as soon as I get inside." Amy's smile was so big that Bruce could see it.
"Ok. Well you need to hurry up and find that key –I can't stop encephalitis without those candles." Bruce smiled back.
Amy fumbled around the front lantern. It was unpleasantly filled with things she was sure she didn't want to know what they were.
"Eww... I got it....ewww" She shook her hand furiously and wiped the key against her suitcase before opening the door.
She walked in and held the door open for Bruce. She tried the light switch; to her surprise, it worked. She looked around in amazement. It was an odd feeling to be there. It was like a trip back in a time, everything was just how she remembered it. Amy recalled Lolly telling her once in high school that her great uncle always kept the place the same. It was how his late wife left it. The cabin was their 50th anniversary present...or something like that.
"Any place in particular you want this stuff to go?" Bruce said, trying to catch Amy's attention.
"This place brings back some crazy memories... of which I will keep to myself!" Amy said as she walked over to help put away the groceries. She could tell that Bruce was tired. She didn't think talking about her "wild" days would help his mood. Amy
"Good idea. So this is Lolly's place?"
"It's her great uncle Thomas'; he bought it for his wife on their 50th anniversary... The woman hated how busy Hartford was becoming so he–"
"-Wait, this is Uncle Tom's Cabin?!" Bruce was grinning. "Now that gives this a whole other spin!" he joked. They laughed as they finish putting the food away. Then they stood looking at each other in an awkward silence.
"Are we going to get some sleep or watch the sun come up?" Bruce asked gently.
"I don't think we'll make sunrise..." Amy responded sleepily, she was starting to wind down herself.
"Are you going to sleep in your suit?"
Bruce never got a chance to change out of his work clothes. He paused and analyzed the situation; it was hard to think, he was exhausted. He figured they were both too tired for things to get out of hand.
"You go ahead to bed. I'll go change. Are there any towels and linens?"
"There is a linen closet by the bathroom, but no one has been here in years. I'm sure there is any linen, they're moth ridden. I brought some stuff from home. I even packed an extra blanket in case we wanted to have a picnic."
"Looks like you thought of everything. Well I'm going to get out of these clothes. I'll see you in the morning or whenever we wake up."
"Ok. Well don't be long; I don't fall asleep easily in strange places." Amy said coyly while walking closer to him.
Bruce knew he had to explain himself. He wrapped his arms around Amy and looked into her sleepy eyes.
"Amy, I don't want to rush things. I know how that must sound, seeing as I asked you to runaway with me for the weekend."
Bruce looked up at the ceiling, reaching for the right words. He looked back into Amy's eyes. She gazed back into his eyes with a look of understanding that comforted Bruce. She laced her fingers together at the small of his back. He took it as a sign to explain further.
"I'm sorry if I mislead you. I want to set the record straight: I love you and I want to be with you. But for the long haul Amy –not just tonight or tomorrow night. We need to take things slow. We've both made mistakes in love. Being cautious can't hurt. I look forward to spending our waking hours together –but let's sleep apart. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
He was tense, afraid he let her down, but he stayed with his eyes locked into hers. Amy returned a smile of acknowledgement. She could sense his worry. If he only knew that she expected nothing less from him.
"Yeah. –You love me. And you want to wait to have sex so it'll mean something. Why weren't you my boyfriend here 20 years ago? I would've gotten into less trouble and could've been happy all this time." Amy spoke in a very groggy voice.
"Because I was in middle school and there are laws against that kind of thing." Bruce smirked. Amy nestled her head on his chest.
"Oh rub it in that I am older than you –it doesn't seem to bother you now," Amy shot back.
"You're right about that. But you're wrong about something else you said."
"What?'
"I don't want to wait to have sex. I want to wait to make love to you. It couldn't be anything less."
Amy's heart fluttered. Bruce knew how to talk to her. He understood her like no other man had. She wasn't just feeling that because of the circumstances. There had always been an unspoken language between them. He was right about the mistakes they each had made in love. She also wanted a lasting relationship. Furthermore, she wanted it with him. Bruce knew her mind and her heart. Amy knew it would be unforgettable when the time came for him to get to know her body. She looked back up into his eyes.
"I look forward to it. Goodnight."
Amy slid her hands up to Bruce's shoulders. She pulled herself up to kiss him goodnight. Bruce raised her up in his arms and kissed her gently. It was less passionate than the kiss shared in the Navigator, but it was full of love. It was a long soft kiss. Bruce set Amy back down.
"Goodnight"
They broke away from their embrace and began to get ready for bed. Amy went into her bag and gave Bruce the blanket she brought. She then went into the bedroom and fixed up the bed. She pulled down the bedspread and quickly beat the bed and pillows in efforts to dust them off. Amy grabbed a sheet out of her suitcase and threw it on top of the bed. Bruce took a change of clothes out of his suitcase and went into the bathroom to change. She grabbed a pillow and curled herself up in a ball, waiting for Bruce to come out so she could change into pajamas and brush her teeth. Her shirt and jogging pant must've been comfortable enough because in seconds, she was sound asleep. Bruce came out and saw Amy sound asleep on the bed. She looked vulnerable out in the open that way. He pulled the comforter and sheets up over Amy. As he tucked her in; he held her through the blankets, her head on his heart. Bruce felt compelled to hold Amy one last time before leaving her for the night. She didn't budge; it was past 3am and she was out cold.
He whispered to her while stroking her hair away from her face, "I love you Amy Gray. My whole life has changed since you came into my life. I'm a better man for it. I can't imagine my life without you. I pray I never know what that's like. I hope I can show you just how I feel."
The exhaustion of the day's events, the time of morning it was, and the comfort of having Amy in his arms, put Bruce to sleep. The couch could wait. They had a heavy blanket between them, though you might not have known since they fit so snugly together. And they stayed that way while they slept, as if they had melded as one. There was no physical intimacy between them that night, just emotional intimacy; something that they both had desperately needed. The night ended long ago, morning came and went, as they both continued to sleep peacefully and content.
"We're here! Wake up sleepy head" Amy said playfully.
"Huh? Oh.... We're here? Wow... rustic," Bruce said sleepily, as he looked around.
"C'mon lets get the groceries inside. The ice cream might be melting."
Amy and Bruce exited the SUV and grabbed their things. Bruce started grabbing the bags of groceries as well.
"I can get the food. You just close the tailgate and open the cabin."
"Do you have a flashlight?' asked Amy in a nervous voice. It was a moonless night; darkness covered the cabin like a down comforter.
"No, and I couldn't give it to you if I did." Bruce motioned to his hands being full. "Besides, light would only cause more mosquitoes to attack." There was quite a bit of buzzing going on.
They walked toward the cabin entrance. Other than the vines that had grown all around it, it didn't look as bad as Amy thought.
"You're right, but I won't be able to find the key without some light." Amy pulled out her cell phone and tried to use the backlit display as a flashlight.
"You have to FIND the key? You sure you want to spend the weekend here?" Bruce questioned with a concerned look on his face.
"I know it looks slightly dilapidated, but it IS private... and free," responded Amy in an upbeat voice.
"Amy, I would've gladly paid to keep you somewhere safe." He replied while trying to dodge mosquitoes.
Amy looked up at Bruce, she beamed at his thoughtfulness; any other man she had been with would not have phrased his displeasure using the same kindness.
"Thank you, but it isn't necessary; I feel safe as long as I'm with you... and I'll light the citronella candles as soon as I get inside." Amy's smile was so big that Bruce could see it.
"Ok. Well you need to hurry up and find that key –I can't stop encephalitis without those candles." Bruce smiled back.
Amy fumbled around the front lantern. It was unpleasantly filled with things she was sure she didn't want to know what they were.
"Eww... I got it....ewww" She shook her hand furiously and wiped the key against her suitcase before opening the door.
She walked in and held the door open for Bruce. She tried the light switch; to her surprise, it worked. She looked around in amazement. It was an odd feeling to be there. It was like a trip back in a time, everything was just how she remembered it. Amy recalled Lolly telling her once in high school that her great uncle always kept the place the same. It was how his late wife left it. The cabin was their 50th anniversary present...or something like that.
"Any place in particular you want this stuff to go?" Bruce said, trying to catch Amy's attention.
"This place brings back some crazy memories... of which I will keep to myself!" Amy said as she walked over to help put away the groceries. She could tell that Bruce was tired. She didn't think talking about her "wild" days would help his mood. Amy
"Good idea. So this is Lolly's place?"
"It's her great uncle Thomas'; he bought it for his wife on their 50th anniversary... The woman hated how busy Hartford was becoming so he–"
"-Wait, this is Uncle Tom's Cabin?!" Bruce was grinning. "Now that gives this a whole other spin!" he joked. They laughed as they finish putting the food away. Then they stood looking at each other in an awkward silence.
"Are we going to get some sleep or watch the sun come up?" Bruce asked gently.
"I don't think we'll make sunrise..." Amy responded sleepily, she was starting to wind down herself.
"Are you going to sleep in your suit?"
Bruce never got a chance to change out of his work clothes. He paused and analyzed the situation; it was hard to think, he was exhausted. He figured they were both too tired for things to get out of hand.
"You go ahead to bed. I'll go change. Are there any towels and linens?"
"There is a linen closet by the bathroom, but no one has been here in years. I'm sure there is any linen, they're moth ridden. I brought some stuff from home. I even packed an extra blanket in case we wanted to have a picnic."
"Looks like you thought of everything. Well I'm going to get out of these clothes. I'll see you in the morning or whenever we wake up."
"Ok. Well don't be long; I don't fall asleep easily in strange places." Amy said coyly while walking closer to him.
Bruce knew he had to explain himself. He wrapped his arms around Amy and looked into her sleepy eyes.
"Amy, I don't want to rush things. I know how that must sound, seeing as I asked you to runaway with me for the weekend."
Bruce looked up at the ceiling, reaching for the right words. He looked back into Amy's eyes. She gazed back into his eyes with a look of understanding that comforted Bruce. She laced her fingers together at the small of his back. He took it as a sign to explain further.
"I'm sorry if I mislead you. I want to set the record straight: I love you and I want to be with you. But for the long haul Amy –not just tonight or tomorrow night. We need to take things slow. We've both made mistakes in love. Being cautious can't hurt. I look forward to spending our waking hours together –but let's sleep apart. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
He was tense, afraid he let her down, but he stayed with his eyes locked into hers. Amy returned a smile of acknowledgement. She could sense his worry. If he only knew that she expected nothing less from him.
"Yeah. –You love me. And you want to wait to have sex so it'll mean something. Why weren't you my boyfriend here 20 years ago? I would've gotten into less trouble and could've been happy all this time." Amy spoke in a very groggy voice.
"Because I was in middle school and there are laws against that kind of thing." Bruce smirked. Amy nestled her head on his chest.
"Oh rub it in that I am older than you –it doesn't seem to bother you now," Amy shot back.
"You're right about that. But you're wrong about something else you said."
"What?'
"I don't want to wait to have sex. I want to wait to make love to you. It couldn't be anything less."
Amy's heart fluttered. Bruce knew how to talk to her. He understood her like no other man had. She wasn't just feeling that because of the circumstances. There had always been an unspoken language between them. He was right about the mistakes they each had made in love. She also wanted a lasting relationship. Furthermore, she wanted it with him. Bruce knew her mind and her heart. Amy knew it would be unforgettable when the time came for him to get to know her body. She looked back up into his eyes.
"I look forward to it. Goodnight."
Amy slid her hands up to Bruce's shoulders. She pulled herself up to kiss him goodnight. Bruce raised her up in his arms and kissed her gently. It was less passionate than the kiss shared in the Navigator, but it was full of love. It was a long soft kiss. Bruce set Amy back down.
"Goodnight"
They broke away from their embrace and began to get ready for bed. Amy went into her bag and gave Bruce the blanket she brought. She then went into the bedroom and fixed up the bed. She pulled down the bedspread and quickly beat the bed and pillows in efforts to dust them off. Amy grabbed a sheet out of her suitcase and threw it on top of the bed. Bruce took a change of clothes out of his suitcase and went into the bathroom to change. She grabbed a pillow and curled herself up in a ball, waiting for Bruce to come out so she could change into pajamas and brush her teeth. Her shirt and jogging pant must've been comfortable enough because in seconds, she was sound asleep. Bruce came out and saw Amy sound asleep on the bed. She looked vulnerable out in the open that way. He pulled the comforter and sheets up over Amy. As he tucked her in; he held her through the blankets, her head on his heart. Bruce felt compelled to hold Amy one last time before leaving her for the night. She didn't budge; it was past 3am and she was out cold.
He whispered to her while stroking her hair away from her face, "I love you Amy Gray. My whole life has changed since you came into my life. I'm a better man for it. I can't imagine my life without you. I pray I never know what that's like. I hope I can show you just how I feel."
The exhaustion of the day's events, the time of morning it was, and the comfort of having Amy in his arms, put Bruce to sleep. The couch could wait. They had a heavy blanket between them, though you might not have known since they fit so snugly together. And they stayed that way while they slept, as if they had melded as one. There was no physical intimacy between them that night, just emotional intimacy; something that they both had desperately needed. The night ended long ago, morning came and went, as they both continued to sleep peacefully and content.