Proposal

“I think it’s getting better, though I’m not willing to try.” He put his hands on her waist. “How about we pack our lunch and go to the lake and have a picnic?”

She kissed him, “I like that plan.”

“I love you.”

“And I love you.”

At the lake, she spread out their picnic and they ate in silence. This silence was different. It was warm, full of contentment.

“Close your eyes.” She did as he asked. In a different time, if anyone would have asked her to close her eyes, she would have argued with them. Oscar was different. She didn’t feel nervous or weird around him. “You can open them now.” The first thing she noticed was that he was kneeling in front of her. Then she saw the little box in his hand. “Esther, will you marry me?”

“I would like for you to make me a promise.”

“Anything.”

“If you ever decide it’s over, you won’t try to kill me.”

He laughed, “I promise.”

She held out her hand and he slid the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit. “How did you know what size to buy?”

He winked, “my secret.”

She ran her fingers around his neck as she kissed him. He rested his forehead on hers, “oh dear Lord.” He panted. Was this her version of THAT KISS? Maybe that was it, she wasn’t trying. She just wanted him to know how much she loved him.

“Did I forget to say yes?” She smiled. This time he kissed her with his version of THAT KISS.

He smiled and took her into his arms.

He stayed at her house that night. The next morning she fixed him breakfast and kissed him good day as he went off to work. She spent her day looking for a job. Party time was over. It was time to get back into the real world. She had been paying attention to the paper for awhile but there really wasn’t much to be had in the job market. Fast food work was about all there was. If that is what she had to do, she would do it. But she worked her way through school in food service and wanted that to be a last resort.

Church

Oscar had gotten most of his wish. They had spent most of the month of July at the lake. They both had a light tan.

He had been able to sneak the ring sizer on her finger without her knowledge. Or at least he felt she didn’t know.

He peered out the window and saw her coming across the street. She was almost running. Before she could ring the bell, he opened the door. “Hello beautiful.”

“Hello handsome. I forgot what humidity really feels like. This sucks.”

He just laughed. “It’s not so bad.”

“Yeah, it sucks.”

He closed the door behind her, “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” He rubbed his fingers through his hair.

“There is something I want to do.” They sat on the couch. “I miss going to church. Let’s find us a church.”

“Okay, do you have one in mind first?”

“No, I figured we’d just pick one and go.”

“Okay. Sounds good,” she smiled.

Each Sunday they tried a different church. On the way home, they talked about the experience, likes and dislikes. With each church it was something different. The first church they went to was a Church of Christ; the service lasted for almost two hours.

Esther hopped in his SUV, “I don’t mind to tell you my butt is numb.” He laughed.

She smiled, “what?”

“Imagine if your tail was as none existent as mine.”

“Your butt is numb too?”

“No, sore. What did you think about the singing?”

“This was my first time going to a Church of Christ. Where was the instrumental music?”

“This branch of the church doesn’t practice singing with music.”

“But isn’t that what the book of Psalms is all about? And there are instruments talked about in Psalms.”

“The woman that I introduced you to.”

“Eliana?”

“Yes, she has told me a lot about what they practice. They don’t preach from the Old Testament. It’s just there.”

“How can you not?”

“They don’t put a lot of emphasis on Christmas either. More on Easter and the resurrection.”

“But if he hadn’t been born then how is his death and resurrection more important?”

“I’m not sure.”

“I liked the sermon. I thought it was strong, well put together. And I liked it that he didn’t read the bible. I can read. Don’t read to me.” She winked, “unless it’s agreed upon.” He blushed. “So what’s on your agenda this week?”

“I have in-service the next three days and school starts back Thursday.”

“I never understood that, why does school start back on a Thursday?”

“To ease the children back into going.”

“Blah, blah, blah.”

When they got home, they changed clothes and he came over to her house for lunch.  

“I haven’t heard you say anything in a while, how’s the ulcer?”

What size?

Esther was in a really good mood this morning. She hummed while she got dressed; as she walked across the street to Oscar’s house, and as she knocked on the door. He answered the door with a great big smile.

“Hello handsome,” she grinned. “What’s on your agenda today?”

“We are having a meeting at school. Then after that I am all yours.”

“Do you own a lawn mower?”

“Yeah.”

“Would you let your poor pitiful neighbor borrow it?” She shrugged her shoulders up to her ears and batted her eyes.

He put his arms around her waist. “No, but I will let my future wife borrow it.” He kissed the tip of her nose before walking her into the garage and showing her the lawn mower.

“Thank you.” They kissed and he left for his meeting.

On his way home he stopped at Sue’s. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for. Perhaps it would play out like the necklace, and something would just say, ‘me – me buy me.’

When he walked into the store Sue was slow to get up from behind the counter. “Well Oscar, I almost didn’t recognize you.”

“Why not?” He asked a little confused.

“You look fantastic.”

“Thanks.” He accepted her compliment and looked around.

“Can I help you find something?”

“Maybe in a minute.”

She giggled, “just call when you need me.”

Nothing looked like he wanted it to look. Everything was too big or too little. At first, he thought it shouldn’t be too fancy. After all, Esther used to be a cop and he feared big and fancy would get in the way. On the other hand, he didn’t want to get it too small. He feared she might think he didn’t value her. Then a ring caught his eye that he immediately fell in love with. It wasn’t a traditional engagement ring at all. It was flat like a wedding band with two rows of small diamonds all the way around it. Oscar really didn’t know what size ring to get her. But he had studied her hands a lot. Her ring finger was slightly bigger than his pinky finger. So he assumed that if the ring slopped on his pinky it would fit her.

He called to Sue. She was in front of him in no time. “I would like to see that ring.”

“Two pieces of jewelry in five months; it must be serious.” She winked at him.

He didn’t say a word. The ring slid on his pinky but didn’t slop.

“Not sure about the size?” She asked.

“Not really.”

“Here,” she handed him a set of ring sizers. “Take these with you, and we’ll see if we need to have the ring adjusted. I’ll keep this back for you until you do.” She smiled.

“Thanks.”  

You big stupid. He thought to himself. How could you not know what size ring the woman you love wears. If he just asked her, she would know something was up. He kicked himself all the way home.

Summer Rain

It started raining. Something it had been threatening to do for the last three hours. It was a warm rain. The thunder and lightning hadn’t appeared anymore. She giggled, bouncing off the porch into the pouring rain. He stepped into the house empting his pockets and ran after her. They played like children. She finally let him catch her in the back yard. They rolled around in the rain and wet grass like two ducks in a pond.  He kissed her. It was THAT KISS. The one that made her want to rip off his clothes.

The storm did something to Oscar. He felt like an animal being let out of a cage.

Rain was pouring all over them; thunder rolling through the sky like bowling balls in a bowling alley. He began to cry. Why in God’s name was he crying? This was perfect. Perhaps that was why he was crying, this was perfect.

They lay together, panting in the rain. “Do you think it’s possible to drown making love in the rain?” She asked.

He started laughing and couldn’t stop. Soon she joined him in his laughter. He held her face in his hands, “I love you so much.”

“How much?” She stuck out her tongue like a lizard. He was a little shocked.

“What are you going to do with that tongue?”

“You’ll have to catch it and find out.” She teased.

They both rose to their knees. He pulled her to him. “I have no doubt that you can do amazing things with that tongue.”

“I know sir, that tongue play is a major turn on.” She flicked her tongue.

“I am aware. And I have extra incentive to catch it.” He didn’t even try, he just kissed her. But the result was the same. She moaned in a different way. It was desperate, full of desire. It drove him over the edge.

“We need to go inside,” she moaned.

“Why?”

A loud crack of thunder erupted over their heads as a bolt of lightning lit up the world around them. “That’s why.”

“Oh.”

As they stood on the porch a river of water ran from them. He sat up against the wall of the house and she sat in front of him. At first they were watching the lightning, but he then put his hands round her waist.

She leaned back against his chest. “You just can’t keep your hands off me.”

He didn’t answer her with words. Couldn’t, he buried his face against her back.