Much time had passed before it happened again. So much time, in fact, that I had managed to convince myself that it never happened at all.
Ma had decided that instead of a Sunday family dinner, we would have a Sunday afternoon Barbeque instead. It was hot as hell that day. Not quite as hot as a typical Boston heat wave, but hot enough to warrant a childish water fight. Tommy started it.
Maura and I were standing in the yard discussing the flavour of the ice cold beer I was attempting to convince her to try with me. Her face was a look of uncertainty as she glanced between the bottle in her hand and my encouraging smirk. Just as she was lifting the bottle to her lips, she was splatted from behind with a giant, red water bomb, sending her stumbling into me.
"You okay?" I asked cautiously as I steadied her on her feet.
When her eyes lifted to meet my own, I saw nothing but determination. She looked down at the bottle of beer that was once on its way to her lips and was now laying on the ground, frothing at the rim as it spilled over the grass.
"Oh, it's on," she replied, and then the battle began.
I honestly don't remember having so much fun as an adult. Tommy and Frankie had teamed up, making it a 'boys vs girls' game of water bomb skirmish. I was surprised at Maura's eagerness to play something so childish – especially given the silk blouse she had on – but once we started there was no stopping her. Even a lack of water bombs did not halt this genius from playing on, turning the two single hoses into one long one and soaking the boys into surrendering.
The sound of laughter continued as we all came together to share a drink and go over the highlights of our battle. It was during an enthusiastic discussion with Frankie about who got who the most that I notice Maura had left the back yard.
I went in search of her, finding the house empty. I stepped out onto the front porch to find her facing away from the door, seemingly wiping her eyes.
"Maura?" I offered as I approached her gently. "Hey, is everything okay?"
She turned to face me with a smile and a wink. Or, I thought it was a wink, until the eye failed to open after moments passed.
"I think something went in my eye," she explained with a sigh. "Or maybe it's just irritated from all the water," she finished with her delicate fingers gently wiped her eyelid.
"Here, let me have a look," I offered, pushing her arm away gently before holding her face in my hands.
My intentions started out good. I gently pried open her eyelid to take a peak and found nothing. It was then that I started to see things differently. Her sparkling green eyes were looking back at me from mere inches away and I was drawn in by their warmth and beauty. Her golden hair was wet and stuck haphazardly to her forehead and cheeks, and her mascara had started to run around her eyes and down to the tops of her cheeks. Her lips were parted ever so slightly… invitingly…
Dejavu. I remembered feeling like this that day in her office, and I wondered if this time I would have the will to stop myself from kissing her.
I looked back up into her eyes and this time I saw questioning eyes looking right back at me. I subconsciously wiped the smudged mascara from under her eyes with my thumb, tucking her hair behind her ears in the same motion.
The moment was interrupted by a shout from Ma wondering where we were, and my hands dropped casually back to my side as Ma appeared in the doorway.
"Oh, there you two are," Ma fussed with an air of authority. "Come inside, the food is ready."
With one last look at each other and a shared smile, we filed in behind Ma towards the kitchen.
The first time could have been from the heightened stress of the day. I could have brushed it off; never thought about it again. And for a while, I didn't think about it. But when I nearly kissed her a second time, I started to wonder what it all might mean.