My note….this story is growing a bit larger than I had expected. I had originally intended it to only be about 7 or 8 chapters, but I keep thinking of things to add to my chapters, so it's mutated to about 9 or 10. But, I do have the ending chapter done…I just have to get us there.
A DAY AT THE BEACH
CHAPTER 7: THE BOYS OF SUMMER
Jimmy was having trouble sleeping. It wasn't because he couldn't, he was definitely tired, it wasn't because he was in too much pain, although his shoulders were still a bit sore from all the swimming he'd been doing and it wasn't because the room was terribly hot, as it was the night before…it was because he couldn't help but anticipate a repeat performance of yesterday morning.
He drifted awake, for about the fifth time that night to find the first rays of sunlight streaming through the windows. Jimmy glanced over at the clock and grinned…not that much earlier than the time they woke up the morning before.
Jimmy looked down at a content Ashley, cuddled protectively against his chest, and his grin turned in to a full-blown smile. He was secretly hoping to mimic the exact events of the previous morning, even if his body wasn't quite there yet.
Jimmy shifted into a more comfortable position and gently pulled Ashley closer. As if on cue, Ashley stirred at the contact and started to wake. "Hey, you were up before me", she joked groggily.
"Couldn't sleep", he answered with an innocent shrug.
Ashley grinned. "I guess you're eager to start every morning the same way we did yesterday", she replied suggestively.
"I'm game if you are", Jimmy smirked, using the same reply Ashley gave the day before.
"Looks like we're gonna have to work a little harder today", she stated casually, noting a lack of the surprise head start they'd been blessed with yesterday. Jimmy cast his eyes down as if in failure, figuring he was disappointing Ashley in some way.
If Ashley were disappointed, she never showed it. She crawled up in the bed to be face to face with Jimmy and lovingly caressed his cheek...her eyes assuring him that she was definitely up for the challenge.
Their kisses and caresses started slow and soft, but quickly changed to deep and needy. They kept this pace up, hands roaming and lips mingling, for some time. Jimmy was becoming frustratingly preoccupied with their progress, or lack there of, with glances down at the bedsheets and the absence of that welcome stirring in his midsection.
Ashley could sense his distraction. "Did you bring your meds?", she asked breathlessly, between kisses.
"Yeah, of course...just not those", he snipped as he drew away from her. She knew he always carried his routine supply in his backpack, but secretly hoped he packed the others too.
Ashley's eyes twinkled compassionately at Jimmy. She placed both of her hands back onto his shoulders to aid in her dismount as she swung her leg over and kneeled on the bed beside him. She brushed the clinging curls from her face and adjusted her sightly askew tank top.
Ashley looked Jimmy over critically. "You're tense", she stated simply, curling her fingers over his upper chest. Jimmy shrugged indifferently causing Ashley to smirk. "Roll over and I'll take care of it", she requested and scooted out of his way.
Jimmy sighed resingnedly and did as she had ordered. Ashley climbed on top of Jimmy again, this time strattling the back of his thighs and began to kneed the tired, achy muscles of his back and shoulders.
Ashley inched up a little farther, careful to support most of her weight with her knees and not on Jimmy's back. Using the new position to her advantage, Ashley squeezed and massaged with more strength and purpose. "Feel good?", she questioned at Jimmy's satisfied moans. He nodded, mumbling something incoherent into the pillow.
"Jim?", a soft, hesitant voice called from down the hall. Niether Jimmy nor Ashley noticed until the caller came closer and rapped on the bedreoom door. "Hey Jim?".
"Yeah?", was the muffled response.
The door creaked open and Marco popped his head in, then immediately blushed and retreated. "Morning Marco", Ashley greeted cheerfully.
Jimmy twisted slightly and propped himself onto his elbows as Marco hesitantly slid back in to apologize, "Sorry to interrupt...".
"It's okay", Ashley cut him off, sliding off of Jimmy and onto her side of the bed. "Morning exercises", she explained, almost truthfully.
Marco nodded awkwardly. "Right..., he paused, not knowing any differently. "...I was just wondering if you still wanted to go fishing this morning", he directed toward Jimmy.
Jimmy nodded and turned his upper body as much as he could to face Marco. "Definitely. Give me 'bout...half an hour?", he requested, glancing over at the clock and seeing it was almost time to start his morning ritual anyway.
Marco nodded and chuckled, "Sure...I'm still trying to drag Spinner's half dead, sorry ass from his bed".
They both laughed along. Jimmy waited until Marco left the room to shift himself the rest of the way over, so he was on his back and looking up at Ashley. She smiled sweetly at him and crawled back over him, lingering on his lips. "Go, do your thing...", she instructed, Jimmy following her gaze to the bathroom door. "...when you're done, we'll do some quick stretches...for real this time", she smirked, kissing him one more time before reluctantly letting him go.
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Ashley brewed a pot of coffee and packed the boys some lunch by the time Jimmy was finished getting ready. A bowl of cereal and a glass of juice waited for him at the table. Jimmy smiled and tugged Ashley down for a 'thank you' kiss as he pulled up to his space next to Marco. Ashley poured him a cup of coffee and refilled Marco's mug, nearly spilling some when a loud thumping noise startled her.
"What, no bacon and eggs this morning?", Spinner grunted as he came down the stairs, flip-flops slapping hard against the wood floor.
"Hell no. I'm just seeing you guys off, then I'm goin' right back to bed", Ashley announced frimly, her hands laid gently on top of Jimmy's shoulders. He smiled up at her and she winked back. "It's cereal for the three of you today".
Spinner eagerly took the coffee mug Ashley was handing him, but passed on the offer of cereal. "Just as well, it's too damn early to eat a big breakfast anyway", he grumbled, taking cautious sips of the hot liquid. "..who's idea was it anyway to get up at this ungodly hour, just to go fishing?", he asked incredulously.
"Yours", Jimmy and Marco answered in amused unison. Spinner snickered something and turned his attention back to his coffee.
"Well then, I'm heading back to my nice, soft bed", Ashley teased, giving Jimmy's shoulders a playful squeeze and ruffling Spinner's hair.
Ashley followed the guys to the door and placed the tackle box on Jimmy's lap, handed Marco the cooler and slipped Jeff's bucket shaped fishing hat on Spinner's head. "You boys have fun now", she smirked and turned on her heel toward the bedroom.
Spinner grumpily decended down the ramp. Jimmy and Marco watched in amusement from their position not too far behind. "So, how did you manage to get him outta bed this early?", Jimmy looked up at Marco inquizzitively.
A sly grin crept over Marco's face. "I threatened to use his precious spray cheese as bait if he didn't come with", he chuckled and clapped Jimmy on the shoulder. "Worked like a charm...he was up and ready in less than ten minutes", Marco replied playfully. Jimmy joined Marco in laughter as they both increased their pace to catch up with Spinner.
The boys headed down the road a little over to the pier where Jeff's small but adequate speed boat was docked. Jimmy was a quite reluctant to attempt even getting into a boat let alone, try his hand at fishing...until Ashley silenced him with her now famous phrase, 'it's all been taken care of'...and now as they neared the vessel, Jimmy realized she was right. The boat had been fitted with a special seat and discret yet functional grab/saftey bars for Jimmy if he needed.
Spinner jumped in first, Jimmy and Marco handing him the tackle box and cooler. Jimmy was next, tranferring cautiously onto the side of the boat, then into the designated chair, with only a small amount of help from Spinner. Marco hopped in next.
The dockhand waited until the boys were settled before handing them their fishing poles and releasing the rope that anchored the boat to the dock. He offered them a small wave and walked back to his post, taking Jimmy's wheelchair with him, to stow it away, until the boys returned from their trip.
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The water was clam and peaceful...too peaceful...well, just the water was, that is.
"Dude, I don't know how you live with those two", Spinner compained as he propped his fishing pole against the side of the boat and leaned over the cooler to take out a sandwhich.
"What, El and Paige?", Marco asked incredulously. "They're great", he defended casually.
"You're joking, right?", he gasped in shock. "They fight about every little thing, they're constantly nagging and they spend forever in the bathroom", he pointed out between bites of his sandwhich and gulps of his pop.
Marco chuckled. "They're girls Spin", he quipped, trying to untangle his line...again.
"Yeah well, they're still annoying", Spinner retorted childishly.
"No Spin, they're entertaining and fun. With them, Heiko and Suki...the house doesn't seem that empty without Dylan", Marco replied, his voice trailing off wistfully as he looked over the water.
Spinner shrugged slightly and reached out to grab another sandwhich. "Those are for lunch, ya know", Jimmy scolded as he casted out. "It's only ten o'clock".
"But I'm hungry now", Spinner whined.
"Shoulda had breakfast like everyone else", Jimmy reprimanded coyly,earning him a glare from Spinner.
"What's up with Ash too?", Spinner quickly changed the subject. Jimmy's ruffled his brow in question. "She's all Kate Kerwin...domesticated and stuff", he clarified teasingly.
Jimmy smiled and shrugged nonchalatly until Spinner tipped the cooler into his view and Jimmy saw the little note placed on top of the water bottles, scrawled in Ashley's writing...Remember to drink plenty of water and don't stay in the heat too long. (a drawn heart) Ash.
Jimmy's smile fell and he frowned slightly. "She cares...a lot", he rationalized, almost guiltily. Spinner could tell he touched a sensitive nerve and flashed an apologetic look Jimmy's way.
Marco moticed it too. "So, when are you gonna make her an honest woman then, Jim?", he ribbed, thankfully breaking that moment of uncomfortable silence.
Jimmy blushed, taken aback by Marco's bold candor. "Ah, I've been thinking about that", he replied shyly, uncharacteristically lacking in his usual selfconfidence.
"You gotta do more than just thinking", Marco advised with a mischievious smirk. Jimmy grinned in reply and the boys fell into another comfortable...albeit short silence.
"Where the hell did all the fish go", Spinner groaned a few minutes later.
Marco shrugged and sighed. "Maybe I'm doing this wrong", he wondered out loud as he reeled his line in to find his lure gone...again.
"Dude, didn't your dad ever teach you how to fish?", Spinner asked incredulously.
Marco chuckled. "Spin, my dad's idea of fishing is taking a walk to the local fish monger and asking for the catch of the day so my ma could make her Zuppa di Pesce", he replied animatedly.
Spinner huffed and dug through the tackle box fervently. "They're not biting because there's no good bait in here", he complained, kicking the box away.
A wicked grin started to form on Jimmy's face as he looked between Spinner and Marco and suggested, "We could always try the spray cheese".
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The boys triumphantly burst into the house, bucket of freshly caught fish in hand. Ashley jumped off the couch to greet them. "Spray cheese", Jimmy exclaimed proudly as he held up the bucket for her to see.
Ashley looked at him curiously and a bit concerned. "Too much sun?", she asked playfully, checking his forehead for fever.
Jimmy grinned up at her. "I was careful", he whispered in assurance. Ashley smiled back and looked at the bucket quizzically.
"Who knew lake Ontario fish like cheddar spray cheese more than those little plastic sqwiggly things", Marco stated candidly.
"Yeah, and we caught enough to last the rest of the trip", Spinner added impressively. "Now you girls just have to take care of these, we can have a delicious dinner...".
"No way", Ellie interrupted, walking right up to Spinner. "You guys clean 'em and we'll cook 'em", she demanded firmly.
"But we went out and caught them", Spinner protested fiercely. "It's only fair that you girls clea...".
"Ellie, Hun", Paige called calmly and stepped between the two before things could get ugly. "Why don't you, me and Marco go clean the fish and Spinner, Jimmy and Ashley will cook them?", she offered, gently guiding Ellie away from Spinner. Ellie shrugged in agreement and turned toward the kitchen.
Spinner grinned satistfactorily at Jimmy and Ashley as he plopped down on the couch, remote at the ready.
"You smell like fish", Ashley teased wrinkling her nose as she inhaled.
Jimmy chuckled. "Yeah I guess I should freshen up a bit", he noted and raise a brow at Ashley. "Care to join me?", he whispered suggestively.
"Suppose I could cool off a bit", she replied innocently as they turned for the bedroom.
Spinner snickered from the couch and popped his head up over the back. "Is she gonna help you into the tub Jimmy?", he goaded glibly.
Jimmy stopped and turned slightly toward Spinner. "Actually Spin...she is", he bragged over his shoulder, then resumed his position and pushed quickly to catch up with her. Spinner flopped back down on the couch, a slight pang of jealously washing over him...Jimmy was one lucky guy.
Ashley quickly started the bath then left the bathroom to Jimmy so he could get ready. With a soft ping, the door moved and Ashley knew it was okay to go in. She found Jimmy waiting for her on the wide ledge of the tub and immediately smiled...she was getting pleasantly accustomed to seeing Jimmy dressed in just his boxers.
Once the rest of the clothing hit the floor, Jimmy and Ashley slipped into the tub, wrapped in each others arms. "This is perfect", Jimmy muttered into the top of Ashley's head.
"Yeah it is", she sighed in agreement, flicking the bubbles from her toes.
"Not just the bath Ash...everything", Jimmy clarified, pulling her closer. "I really appreciate what your parents did...".
Ashley nodded. "The place needed some sprucing up", she replied dismissively. "And my parents always wanted a master bedroom downstairs...ya know, with Jeff's bad knee and all...".
"Yeah, and I'm sure the ramps, boardwalk, grab bars and special seat on the boat were on the top of their list", he quipped, his voice taking on a serious tone.
"Jimmy, they just wanted a place we could go to relax, have fun, just be...together", she justified sweetly. Jimmy relaxed against the tub, Ashley held close to his chest and smiled...together.
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Yeah I know...sappy ending, but I was having some trouble with it, so this is what ya get! I thought we needed a little male bonding in addition to the fluff, hope you all liked it. Next chapter might take a little longer to post...I'm trying to fit everything I didn't get to do this summer into the next three weeks. But, I'll try!
Many thanks to...TigrouAngel, lilfiftyfour and Lilac Bloom for their awesome reviews!!
Degrassi is not mine, neither is the song title.