Roy and Mary Ann were rather surprised that the others weren't out there to see them off. They ate a light breakfast of coconut milk, bananas and a strawberry-like sweet they'd been fortunate to find soon after landing on the island. After washing it all down with healthy gulps of fresh water, they were ready to head out.
Roy was impressed at how conservatively Mary Ann had packed everything, not including his own equipment. They were traveling light, knowing they'd have burdens of new edibles and bundles of grass to tote back. He already had in mind where he wanted to look: a ridge of land he'd spied from the promontory, that promised to have not only a good variety of plant-life and grass, but probably a cave to shelter in that night, in case of rain.
His barometer, which he'd checked before meeting Mary Ann in the compound, had taken a rather noticeable dive over night. He scanned the horizon, from the direction he knew systems usually blew in, and saw the tell-tale signs of coming clouds. They'd have most of the day before they'd have to find somewhere to sleep for the night, a thought Roy was trying to keep at bay for now. They had things to accomplish, without being distracted about the coming evening together.
He'd bide his time for that little pleasure, and focus on their long hike ahead.
Both wearing their light backpacks comfortably, Roy looked around once more.
"Ready?" he asked, smiling down at her.
"Ready," she said with conviction, nodding her head sharply. "Lead on, McDuff."
She was rewarded by a chuckle, and she stood back, waiting for him to take the lead.
They hiked quietly for the first couple of hours, enjoying the coolness of the day before the scorching noon-day sun was overhead. When they started to get to uncharted territory, Roy pointed to a big log for them to take their first break on.
"Okay, we've been up to about this point before in our explorations. It'll all be pretty new from here on in. Watch your step."
Mary Ann rolled her eyes heavenward. "Yes, Roy, I know that. I've lived here long enough to know what to look for!"
He smiled at her as he sipped from his water. "I know, I know. You'll have to bear with me, when I go into lecturing mode like I do."
"Yes, I know that too."
They sat still, shoulder to shoulder, sipping water.
She turned to face him. "So."
"So?"
"So, now what? Do we start here?" She looked around, not seeing any unfamiliar foliage.
"We're aiming for a ridge I saw from the lagoon's promontory a couple mornings ago, before I took my unplanned dip in the water."
"Oh, okay, sounds good." She sniffed the air, frowning as she looked around. "Smells like rain."
Roy laughed, shaking his head. Leave it to Mary Ann to be so sensitive to their environment, to a rainstorm that was still hours away!
"Yes, I'd say we have until about six o'clock tonight before the rains hit. My barometer was dropping since last night. You pegged it, Mary Ann."
"Growing up in tornado country, you get used to sensing the weather."
"Yes, that's true. Would you believe I've never seen a tornado? Have you?"
"Have I? Wow, let me tell you!"
Mary Ann told him her storm stories while they took their break, and he listened, fascinated as the tales went on. She told him all about the coming signs, what the storms were like, with the hail and lightning, what one had to do to remain safe, and how to deal with the aftermath. It was refreshing to be the lecturer, she thought, with him such an attentive listener.
"In this, Mary Ann, I am your student! I never realized that simple folk knew so much about the weather!"
Ut oh, he realized, after he thought about what he'd said. The spark of anger in her eyes confirmed that he'd misspoken.
"Simple folk?" she exclaimed, standing abruptly and moving away from him.
"I...I..." he stuttered, not sure how he'd recover from his faux pas.
"Is that what I am to you, oh high and mighty university PROFESSOR?" she demanded.
"No, I meant... Mary Ann, I'm..."
"For your information, PROFESSOR, I happened to do very well in school, thank you! I didn't go to college, that's true, but I'm hardly SIMPLE!"
Roy was so flustered, he couldn't find a reply before she continued.
"I took literature in high school, and English, and SCIENCE, Mr. Egghead! Do you want to know what sciences I took, in my simple school?"
Ah, now science he understood and could talk about. "Sure, what did you take?"
"I took Biology, Chemistry and I was going to take Physics, too, but my favorite teacher, who taught it, moved away. I also took ADVANCED Biology, Mr. Professor. AND I took Aerospace Science!"
"Aerospace Science? At a Kansas school?" he asked, amazed.
She calmed down a bit, warming to the subject as well. "Yes, one of the teachers was a pilot in Korea, so offered to teach anyone who'd sign up. He was amazed that so many wanted to take it! Kansas has air bases, you know, and some of the boys wanted to join the Air Force. I was one of the only girls in the class. And in that class, we also studied meteorology, especially tornadoes and other storms."
"Mary Ann, I never knew... I'm sorry for my attitude, I guess we professor types do get caught up in university-level learning, don't we?"
"Oh, one more thing."
"Yes?" he asked, glad that she'd calmed down completely by this point.
"I took Geology as well."
"I never imagined a Kansas high school would offer so much!"
"That's the problem others in the country get: they think outside of their urban areas, we're all a bunch of corn-pone chewers who don't know anything. Now MATH, there was my subject!"
"You excelled in mathematics?"
"Yep, highest grade ever for a girl."
Roy was more and more impressed. He'd never thought Mary Ann was STUPID, not by a long stretch; he'd never be interested in a girl who wasn't intelligent. But he'd never considered she may've done so well in math and science.
He looked her up and down, bumping her shoulder after she'd sat back down next to him. "I'm impressed. Why didn't you ever say any of this before?"
"Nobody asked."
"Good point. Maybe we'll have to start our own little study program, using the books I've got."
"I'd like that, actually, whenever I have the chance. You know us, busy, busy, busy, trying to eke out a living here."
Roy patted her knee, preparing to stand up. "Speaking of eking out a living, let's get started."
She held him back. "Wait a minute, I need something first."
He smiled at her, knowing what she'd say. "And what's that?"
"A long, sloppy kiss," she said, grinning at him.
He obliged her, enjoying the feel of her wrapped in his arms for a few moments.
"Okay, that'll keep me till our next break, let's get to it."
Within the next couple of hours, after the land began to turn up, Roy started pointing things out to Mary Ann. They collected samples of various plants, and he noted on the map he was maintaining where they were finding things.
At one point, he let out an exclamation of surprise. Mary Ann turned to him, wondering what he'd found.
"What is it, Roy?" she asked, smiling at the expression on his face.
He grinned as he looked up from some bushes. "Coffee!"
"COFFEE?" she squealed, running to him. She threw her pack down next to his, as they looked at the little berries.
"Coffee, yes, isn't it GRAND? I love coffee!"
"This alone made the whole trip worth it! Wait'll we bring some back, everyone will be so surprised!"
"Sugar cane, coconut milk and coffee in the morning! That'll be a wonderful way to start the day."
"Make sure you note it on your map," she emphasized, pointing to the rough paper he was using.
After he did as she commanded, the two picked a small basket's worth of the beans, sealing it closed so none of the precious burden would fall out.
With renewed spirit and determination, they continued on to the main portion of the ridge. Roy climbed onto an outcropping and scanned the horizon, in the direction from which they came.
"There's the lagoon," he said, pointing to the distance. "This is about where I saw when I was looking from the other side, so we're here. Let's look around for a cave before we get started for real, so we have somewhere to go when those clouds get here."
He pointed to the bank of clouds, obviously brewing into storms, to the northeast.
It didn't take them long to find a perfect cave: dry, high-ceilinged and easily accessed.
"This is PERFECT, Mary Ann, look at it! It must be an old lava tube, to have such smoothe walls and ceiling. From the look of it, even once the rain starts, it'll stay high and dry in here. And there's sufficient venting for a little fire. Wonderful! How about we make this our basecamp for the remainder of the two days, and get to work outside until we need to take shelter. Those clouds look like they're going to pack a whallop or two."
Before doing anything else, he marked their precious find on the map. This would be an ideal place for all seven to shelter if the volcano, on the other end of the island, began to stir. This was the older end of the island, not seeing geological activity in many centuries; it'd be the best and safest place to hide if the lava bombs began dropping.
"You know, if we could find a fresh-water source nearby, I wonder if it'd be prudent to simply relocate everyone here!"
"Wow, you think?" Mary Ann asked, stunned at considering leaving the homes they'd known for four years.
"Just a thought, especially if the volcano begins to act up. But no, we need the lagoon for food. Protein."
"It's worth thinking about, though, when we get back. It's nice to know we have somewhere to go if necessary."
She indicated his backpack and attached bedroll. "Why don't you leave that here and I'll set up house for the night, and you can go see if there's any water nearby."
"Sure, sounds good, love," he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll get some wood, too, for our campfire tonight. As hot as it is today, I'll bet it gets mighty chilly in here at night. With that rain coming, it might bring a cold front through."
"Ha, cold front. So it'll be in the 80's as opposed to the 90's tomorrow."
"Pretty much, yes."
He took their water bottles and left her to the domestic tasks. He turned in the direction he felt would most likely have a stream of fresh water.
When Roy returned within the hour, he was stunned at what Mary Ann had managed to do with what little gear they had. He was also surprised, and very pleased, to see their adjoining bedrolls.
"Hmmm, you did a good job with what little we had! We're only going to be here one night, Mary Ann."
"I know, but I figured we may as well make ourselves to home, don't you think?"
"Certainly, no need to be uncivilized, after all."
He jiggled the now-full water bottles at her. "I've got water. It was close by, too, which is good. Already noted it on the map."
He looked at the basket of coffee beans. "Too bad we can't have coffee, too, but oh well. Maybe I can chew on a bean or three!"
He put their precious water away, and motioned to the cave entrance. "All right, then, let's grab some of those empty baskets we packed along and get to work, missy!"
"Yes, SIR!" she barked, saluting him.
When they got down to their work, it was just past two o'clock, by the Professor's estimate. They circumnavigated the area around the cave, always staying within viewing distance of one another in case of a fall or other accident.
Mary Ann, when she'd find an unfamiliar plant, would bring a sample to Roy, and he'd either approve it as a food source, or discard it as inedible. He delighted in what a quick study Mary Ann was, having only to tell her once what was or was not good to eat.
"Ah, this is tasty, Mary Ann, try it!" he said, handing her a tuber she'd dug up and brought to him. He'd washed some water over it and took a little nibble first, before handing it to her.
"Hmmmm, it's got a nutty taste to it!" she exclaimed, her eyes going wide at the flavor.
"It's got a lot of basic amino acids, too," he pointed out, pinching a piece off to chew. "Kind of tough, though, but good."
"I'll dig some more up and clear them with you, to make sure they're the right thing. We can roast some in our fire tonight!"
"Yes, that, and what we've already gathered, should make a fine meal!"
It was a pleasure working with Mary Ann like this, Roy thought. Just the two of them, working on domestic tasks and learning something vital along the way. He began to wish he'd made this little expedition for the week, not just two days, but if they did not return when expected, the Skipper would organize a search party to find them.
As the hours wore on, the bank of clouds coming closer and closer, Roy also began to ponder something else. He stopped in his foraging and watched Mary Ann, the thoughts of her racing furiously through his mind. He could not imagine her not being by his side, especially in light of what an incredibly rewarding and fun day he'd had with her.
He wanted her to be by his side, forever, and he thought tonight might be a good time to tell her so. Who knew when they'd be rescued, after all? Months? Years? Ever? They all fervently hoped it would happen, but by this point in their lives, they began to think it would never come to pass. He would talk to her, tell her how he truly felt deep inside, and see if she was amenable to being husband and wife.
That thought, of her being his bride, cheered him as he resumed his foraging and exploring. A distant rumble of thunder brought the attention of both, and they looked toward the darkening sky.
"That's our signal!" Roy shouted to Mary Ann, as another rumble, obviously closer, broke like an invisible wave over them.
He waved her on, motioning for her to get into the cave. She didn't heed him, however, and stood waiting for him. He saw a startled look cross her face, and a millisecond later, a bolt of lightning struck within yards of his love.
"YIKES!" she screeched, and turned to run for the cave entrance. The adrenalin rush spurred Roy on, and he ran in behind her, almost on her heels.
The associated crash of thunder was ringing in their ears as they put themselves as far from the entrance to the cave that they could, both laughing so hard they could barely stand or breathe.
"My GOD, Mary Ann, that scared the bejeebies out of me!" Roy exclaimed, wrapping his arms protectingly around her.
She was laughing so hard she couldn't speak. Finally, she managed to blurt, "Oh, I've had them strike closer, a LOT closer! That was nothing, but it sure woke me up!"
"That LOOK on your face!" he said. "I wish I could have captured that on film!"
They moved back to their bedrolls and sat down for a few moments, before getting started on dinner.
"I felt the tingle and the hair on my arms stand up, and braced myself. I knew it was coming, but what could I do? You can't outrun lightning after all!"
"The way you and I moved, we sure came close to it!" he said, laughing as he lay back, pulling her down with him.
The sudden intimacy of the moment, the adrenalin surging through their veins, found the two kissing and fondling within seconds. The flush of excitement, the danger, fueled them on, until Mary Ann pulled away somewhat.
"Roy, um... we're getting a little too comfortable here. Maybe we should think about starting that fire?"
He kissed her quickly then jumped up, his nerves still tingling from both the excitement of the lightning and the excitement of lying beside Mary Ann, alone and undisturbed. He cleared his throat and went to retrieve the wood he'd gathered earlier.
"Uh, yes, you're right, of course, Mary Ann."
The two remained quiet, tending to their tasks, while the storm raged outside. While Roy tended to building the fire into a decent blaze, Mary Ann began preparing the food they'd found for cooking. Mary Ann would sneak a glance at Roy, and he at her, and the building tension was getting to be unbearable.
She watched him move about their little abode, moving with a grace she'd never noticed in him until recently. All that pent-up energy, she thought. I put a stop to our little play, so now he's pouring it out in other ways. He didn't realize she'd been watching him so discreetly, and as she watched, her own mind began to wander about where the two may be going. Maybe even tonight, she thought, but then added... Naw, not tonight.
God, how long am I going to have to WAIT?
When the food was ready, she handed him his share, and took her own, and they continued their drawn-out silence. They both stared into the fire, hypnotized as fire tends to do to people, both lost in thought.
Roy stood and took Mary Ann's remains, and tossed it all outside, where the rain was beating down on the ground.
He turned back to her, to find her lying back on her bedroll. He went to his own, laying down next to her.
She knew he was staring at her, and remained still.
"Penny for your thoughts," he said quietly.
"Oh, thinking."
"About?"
"The rain, the lightning." She paused a moment. "Us."
"Us, yes."
Neither spoke for a time.
Roy took Mary Ann's hand, and kissed it gently, then held it against his chest. "Mary Ann, I was thinking."
"That's a surprise."
He chuckled and dipped his head down for a moment, collecting his thoughts.
"No, really. I was thinking too, about you and me."
"And?"
"And, well..."
He took her chin to turn her face toward him, and leaned closer to her, within kissing distance of her mouth. "And I wanted to ask you something."
She raised her eyebrows expectantly, suspecting she knew what it was, hoping fervently that she was correct.
"Mary Ann, would you do me the honor of being my wife?"