Everything was so still, as if the whole world stopped to give way for this one moment. A moment where two people finally saw each other as they truly were, for the first time. The sun had finally succumb to the night's dark embrace. So silent, so quiet. All they could they hear was their heart beats. It was like a scene in those romantic movies. Lovers drifting in the water, together in a small boat, inches away from each other. A man on both of his knees, holding the woman's hands. Their stillness seemed such an impossibly. Eyes locked on another.
"I …… I love you…." The man said in a husky voice. " I have always loved you." These words took so much strength from him to say that it had drained all his energy.
The woman smiled. Her face glowing in the cloud of darkness. There was so much love, too much love all around them. She rubbed her cheeks against the mans hands. She wanted him next to her, any part of him. Anything at all. She felt like flying onto his arms and wrapping herself around him, but her overflowing self confidence and self assured ways seemed to evaporate next to him. Feeling her hesitation, he did not wait a second and grabbed her. He hugged her tight, thinking of all those years that he just stared at her, feeling helpless to show her how he feels, making up for those years, months, days, minutes and seconds that he thought of holding her.
"Will.." she whispered.
"Shhhhh….." he said softly, his eyes closed, breathing slowly. He wanted to experience every inch of her, make her a part of him. His fingers tangled with her hair, his breath warmed her neck. He kissed her cheek without letting her go in his tight embrace.
" What took you so long.?. I've waited for you for so long.…"
"Me too Karen. I'm here now, and I'll never ever let you go"
Karen laughed and faced Will. Misty eyes greeted each other. She held his face in her hands thinking is this really happening? Will saw the fear and sadness in her eyes.
"Don't worry baby… We'll face it together, whatever it is, you and I, we'll always be together. Hey, com'on now, I don't want to see you crying. I will be your hero baby" he sung the first line of the Enrique Iglesias song and Karen giggled.. He kissed her lips and her forehead. His loving eyes is all the reassurance that she needs.
" You know, God only knows the years I have waited for this moment , and all you give me is a smack on the lips and on the forehead." Karen teased.
"Oh Honey, you ain't seen nothing yet!"
At that he kissed Karen, deeply, longingly. Karen simply melted on his arms, and with total surrender, she closed her eyes and let her weight rest on Will arms. Will grabbed the side of the boat for support. The old boat rocked unsteadily, throwing them into the lake. He grabbed Karen as they both plunged into the freezing water. Karen head was the first to appear above the water, Will's head bobbed up and down, frantically trying to stay afloat..
"WILL!! LISTEN TO ME! CALM DOWN!!"
"KAREN!!.. I… CAN'T!!…"
"BEND YOU KNEES AND HUG IT!!!"
"WHA……Just in case…you know.. I'm NOT AN OLIVE!!"
"JUST DO IT DAMN IT! TRUST ME!!"
And at that Will curved himself like a ball. The little air inside his lungs threatened to get out. As soon as he did that , his whole body floated, but his face was still down the water. She held Will's face and said:
"Now, relax, and lay back, stretch your body out. As long as you're relax, you will float.
Will did exactly what she said, and his body floated. It was the most amazing thing in his life, one of his greatest fear faced, together with her.
"I'm doing it Karen.. I'm really doing it.."
Karen swam holding Will's hands. They reached the side of the lake and thankfully embraced the ground. Karen looked at Will. He was breathing so hard, face pale, hair all clinging by his face and there was a weed hanging out of his shirt.
"So, What kind of hero are you again?" Karen said, in a bored tone
Will stared at her, barely catching his breath. He tried to regain composure but the sight of the slimy weed made it hard to keep him from cracking a smile.
"So I guess this is our first date huh?" Will said,
"Hahaha, I guess. So what are we having for dinner? Cream of weed?"
Will gave her a naughty look, She was such a sight. The eerie stray of moonlight silhouetted her form. Her clothes clung to her like a second skin, her hair hung perfectly behind her, not a strand in her face, its ends curling a little, no make up, no lip stick ,no shoes; just a plane clingy dress and her perfect face. She looked like one of those ladies who survived from a ship wreck, and he was her rescuer, well, technically, she rescued him.
"So, is this the part that I get to give you a thank you kiss for saving my life?"
"Hmm, I think you owe me much more than that."
"Oh yeah?'
"Yes, how about a real date honey?"
"Ok, as long as we start with dessert first."
At that, Karen laughed. "I thought you'd never ask. Oh and by the way Will, I love you too.."
...Page Break...
"Hey G!" Jack said dismissingly. Grace was sitting in the sofa, eyes puffy, hair disarrayed and mouth half closed. Jack passed her without even glancing.
"Where the hell have you been!"
"Hey, hey, hey!, just in case you didn't notice, I'm not Will, I'm not your wife!"
"I NEED to know, what exactly did you do with my master card!"
"Chill, Bride of Chucky. Geez, one more order of cheap wine on that card and it would have cut itself in half!" he flipped his nonexistent bangs and sat down next to Grace.
"Just give it back!" She yelled, her hair surrounding her face like a lion. Stings of noodles hang on her hair. She was wearing an over-sized white shirt and a denim jumper, droplets of paint covered her clothes.
"I was worried sick Jack! You should have called at least, you haven't been home for THREE days! What the hell where you thinking leaving like that?"
"Well, if you really want to know, I was on a mission. I finally found my true calling. A detective!"
" Whoa…… ha?.. HahahahahahahaHAHAHAha!!" Grace laughed then snorted.
"Laugh all you want woman! That means you are not interested to what I have to say, besides, I think you're in the middle of your lunch right now. And please Grace, I know that I am in the wrong position to tell you this, but , you look like shit." he said empathetically.
"Shut up! That owner wanted to finish this castle three months earlier. I have been working my ass off. He said he's going to have a guest or a gathering or something. And the place needs to be ready by then. The only break that I have since he told me that is a pee break and a snack break."
"Well, that explains the smell.. Peeheew!" Jake said as he waved his hands side ways.
She smacked the back of his head hard with her hand.
"You only get the chance to do that so many times in you freakishly pathetic smelly life! And you just cashed your last lady. And do I need reminding you? Unlike the unattractive looser guys that you have been with, I WILL hit you!" he tossed the card to Grace and started his way to the stairs to go to his room.
"By the way, Karen called, she said she's got something to tell us. We'll go there tomorrow, she said it's important."
"Oh my God that's perfect! I was telling my new friend about how I know the owner of the Walker Manor! He said he would love to meet her. He's into photography you know, oh!, you know what I think, he would love to take a picture of you! You're perfect G!"
"Oh.. Thanks, uhmm, so he like taking pictures of people?" she said enthusiastically
"Nahh, just old things."
"Bitch" she mumbled.
"by the way, I didn't totally forgot about you, silly gurl, lookie, uncle Jack brought you doughnuts!"
"ohh, gimme gimme"
"but don't touch the strawberry filled one, It kinda smelled a bit funny"
"huh? I'm shory, huat was that? Grace said, the side of her mouth covered with strawberry filling, and she was holding what looked like the remaining piece of a doughnut.
"never mind" Jack said...
...page break...
"Hey Matt. It's Uncle Jackie calling…pick up pick up wherever you are…So, that Grace Adler person and myself are going to the Walker manor tomorrow. You wanna come with us? Gimme a call back."
A man sat by the fireplace. The light of the fire gave a sinister look to his otherwise innocent looking face. A sly smile crept on his face as he pushed the repeat button of his answering machine over and over again. Holding a wine glass in his right hand, he raised his glass on the air as if making a toast.
At last, after all the work that I've done, I'll finally get to see her again. This time, she's going to be mine.
He let out a laugh and drank thirstily in his wine glass.
"I'll be seeing you tomorrow, Karen Walker…"
At that, he laughed out loud.
So many years ago. I didn't know how I made it through the day. Thinking about her. Thinking about what could she be doing. Who is she giving her smiles and laughs to? Who is she spending the day with? I knew the first time I saw her, she was the one. The only woman meant for me. It might have been fate. Of all the places, of all people that I've decided to make a business deal with, I ended up with that fat, excuse for a person Stanley Walker. I was talking to him in the drawing room, trying not to fall asleep. I never understood why that guy would, now and then try to squeeze in a story about his wife. It was really annoying. The fountain pen in my hand was as sharp as it could be. If it wasn't in need of a bigger space for my winery, I could have stabbed that guy in the neck. It was so annoying really. Why would anyone talk about their wife in the middle of a multimillion business deal.
Then the answer walked right into the room.
Matt stood up from his chair, and started walking through many dark hallways. He stopped in front of a thick Mahogany door with steel hinges and started unlock it. He opened it and walk in the very center of the room and closed his eyes.
With her pink chiffon low cut sleeveless dress. Her hair, flowing at the back of her head, as if teasing me to touch it. She glanced my way for a second and something hot burned my finger. I was taken aback by her beauty that I poked myself with a fountain pen.
He let out a maniac laugh that echoed through the walls.
Stan must have noticed it. That pathetic pig. He knew that he doesn't stand a chance if I'm around. He turned me down and said he needed to devote more time to his new wife and that it was their honeymoon! I knew he felt it too. Me and his lovely wife's connection. The poor man even took the first flight out Scotland the next day to get as far away from me as possible. Fate is really at my side this time. Making a way for us to meet again. And now, I have one of her closest friend eating at the palm of my hand. Just a little bit more time, my love, and we'll be together…forever.
He opened his eyes and started lighting the candles strategically placed in every corner of the room. Turning slowly, almost not breathing, he swiftly moved his eyes, inch by inch around the room. That place had always given him overwhelming happiness and, at the same time crippling sadness.
Pictures of the same woman covered the entire wall of the room. He walked to one particular corner and started to take a picture out of his pocket. He looked at it long and hard, holding it with his right hand, and his left hand curved in a fist. It was a picture of a woman and a man sitting in a boat. He carefully tore it, leaving only the woman and pinned it to the wall. He burned the other half of the picture and held on to it until only ash remained.
You're mine and mine alone. Good night, my Darling. I'll see you tomorrow.
At that he blew every single candle and glace inside the dark room one last time before closing the door
