It was a strange night. 2 nights before the full moon, and an aura encircled it. In the corner of her eye, she caught a shooting star. She hadn’t seen one of those in 20 years. The wind was gentle and a mist floated across the sky. She waited patiently for him to arrive. 20 minutes passed. He said he needed to get some money. She stood up and glanced in the direction of the old motel. The wind lifted her hair, and caressed her face. She waited for another five minutes. She wanted to say goodbye, but hesitated. Should she? She looked again in the direction of his room. The old wooden stairs leading to the deck overlooking the beach creaked with each footstep. His door was open, and she saw his profile. Her heart was pounding. He wasn’t looking at her, but with his face slightly turned up towards the sky. She paused, and walked into his lighted doorway, and he said, “Come on in” with a smile. He sat on the bed, and she sat on the loveseat across from him. She could feel the heat rising in her face. She folded her hands and dared to look up. His piercing glacier blue eyes held hers. She wanted to melt into them.
“Well I’m pretty much packed up.”
“I see that. When do you leave here?”
“Dec. 2.”
“Your family coming to visit tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that’ll be good.”
“Yes….it will. How far is Boone from here?”
“Well, it’s about a six hour drive on the main road, but I tend to take back roads, so a 7 or 8 hour trip for me.”
“Yeah I like to take the back roads too. More scenic, less traffic.”
“I agree.”
“How are you feeling about going home?”
“It’s gonna be a change. I have projects that’ll keep me busy though.I plan to do them during the evening when I would drink. I’m working on a commercial development, and I can go to dinner with my son and daughter-in-law. Well enough about how I feel, how do you feel?”
“I live alone, so I’m nervous about going back home. Here there are rules, and people to hold you accountable. I’m going to have to hold myself accountable. I’m going to help my mom with my grandmother and go to nursing school, hopefully.”
“Yeah, I know, we’re both in the same boat. Hell, I wish I could just take off and go to the Bahamas.”
His eyes melted into hers.
The invisible pull of the tide between them was strong.
He put his hands on his knees.
“But we have obligations.”
He dropped his eyes to the floor before raising them to meet hers again.
She saw the time was 11:13.
She quieted her fidgety hands, placing them on either side of her.
“O.k. I better be going, I’m sure you want to sleep now. You have a long drive home.”
She pressed herself up, and he stood too.
“I want a hug before I leave.”
“They held on tight for a few seconds, and he kissed her on the cheek.
“You are so special.”
She pulled away and smiled.
He held onto her arms, smiled into her eyes, and released them.
“See you on the flip side.”
“I’ll call you.”
He directed his gaze from her, and opened the door.
She glanced at him.
His eyes were on the wooden floor.
“Good night.”
And out she walked.
She never went, and he never called.