Almost Lovers - Blissful Confessions

Large droplets of water were pounding against the stone walls creating the scene of sheer romance all lovers envy. As the glass doors opened warning them of the impending danger of more than just losing the moment, eyes opened wide, he decided to paint. He got up and wore the khaki shorts she had been wearing before. They smelled different from usual he noticed. He methodically brushed his teeth and looked at himself in the mirror. Not just the regular glance he was used to but in detail as if trying to spot something. Defeated he spat water on his face and dripping wet stepped out. His eyes then caught the gold on the bed. Her hair, even in the dullness of the morning shone like a star in the sky. He admired the neckline that gradually grew into her spine and couldn’t help starring. Her skin was as fair as the snow he had never seen. She was incredible he thought. He touched her neck. It was warm and soft like Elvis just that it was different and she was pearly white and she had no hair he told himself. He let his finger run down the whole length of her back and then moved to her shoulders. They were impeccable and smooth, unlike his rough mounds of muscle. He fetched the canvas and the wooden holder and setup the whole apparatus. In the dim light of the advancing morning and the dying bulb she looked beautiful. He would tell her that he thought. As he glued his eyes to the facets which had captured his attention he went into a trauma. Where was he to start? The gleaming hair? The pretty face? The tiny shoulders?
He thought for a while and decided to do it some other time and then she woke up. He noticed the eyelid lift slowly exposing the earth brown underneath. She raised a hand and started to rub the sleep out off her eyes.
He whispered as if scared of scratching the delicateness of that moment.
“Emily don’t move.” After a little thought he added. “you look so beautiful let me draw you.”
She smiled sleepily and looked at him through the corner of her eye. He now knew where to start. It was interesting how he hadn’t noticed this before. It was perfect. He started with the tang of hair right next to her eye, a line came into being which twisted into a curve. More curves and more lines and her eye looked back at hi thorough the canvas. No he thought, he lightened it and made it again. Yes now it was perfect. Slowly he moved on to the lips that even from a distance refused to not tempt him. He wondered if it was this that he had surrendered to last night. He shaped her chin and then her neck. The rest was easy. He gave colour to her hair and then admired his own work. He looked at her and then he looked at his painting. He felt a certain pang of guilt for having drawn so poorly. He had failed miserably he thought. She was beautiful and the woman on the picture though looked a lot like her wasn’t even close to the real thing. He wanted to tear it apart but he controlled himself. Calmly he moved it into the next room and left it there to dry. But it was cold and the sun wasn’t out yet. That would take time. He switched on the ceiling fan which got into action like an old guard doing his rounds. It was slow but it was all he had. He took a deep breath and went into the bedroom again. She was sleeping merrily. He lay down next to her and looked at her. Even when she was asleep she looked amazing. He whispered in her ear and she in response inched closer to him and placed her head on his chest, he put his hand around her and rested it on her shoulder as if protecting her. Mind at peace devoid of any disturbance of thought or emotion he closed his eyes. He opened them within the minute. Elvis was feeling neglected. He hadn’t received his massage and so he had licked his hand longingly. The result had been different Elvis decided. Normally he would have woken up and taken him for a walk but today was different. This stranger was stealing him. But then his hand was on his head now massaging his ears. Damn that felt good, he could wait a little.
In a little while the wait was over. He kissed her on the forehead, freed his arm got up and whistled to him. Time for a walk. At the door he stood there holding it open and said.
He bounded outside and looked at him.
“Elvis, could you go alone today? I can’t come now.”
Elvis merely just stood there wagging his tail.
“Please Elv just today.”
He stood there urging him to come tail wagging like never before. He then came up to him, licked his hand as if saying I understand barked a little at his innocence and scampered away.
Upstairs Emily had woken up. She was sitting in the balcony bed sheet wrapped around her.
“Emily the bed sheet will get dirty.”
“Shut up and come here.”
He walked to her and stood there.
She patted her hand on the floor next to him and said “Sit down.”
“The bed sheet”
“I will wash it”
He sat down and she wrapped the bed sheet around him too one arm on his shoulder, the other on the floor next to her. He kept his arm on her waist and started caressing her rubbing her back.
“It’s too early Jake, not now.”
“What?”
“You insatiable bastard”
He didn’t understand a thing but kept his hand going. She felt good.
“Jake?”
“Yes”
“Let’s take a bath in the beach today.”
“Isn’t it too cold now?”
“Later then”
They were silent for a while and then they kissed.
“Emily you are beautiful.”
“Jake you are cute.” She smiled at him and he melted.
“Let me make you breakfast today” she said
“Wait a little. Don’t go now”
“I am not going I am just fixing you some breakfast.”
“Stay here” his eyes were so full of longing and loneliness that she just couldn’t go.
She kept her head on his shoulder and held his hand. Together they stared into the vastness of the sea as the waves hit the rocks and spattered. The sea was calm now and it had stopped raining. The sun was peeking at a distance not wanting to disturb but it couldn’t hold on for too long. The dawn broke and the sun shone yellow as they just sat there eyes closed existing as two people meant to be one. After a light breakfast of macaroni and cheese it was mutually decided that a walk on the beach followed by a bath would do them good.
As they started to leave, Elvis made his entry. Rather than say hello to his master, he trotted to the Miss and wagged.
She laughed and pat him on the head. Jake wasn’t happy.
He had decided that after yesterday he really didn’t want to go into the sea. The memory of the sand in the eyes, the water in his nose and salts in his mouth only added to his faintness. And then Emily started undressing. As the last garment came off his shirt landed on a happily perched Elvis’s back much to his discontent.
He needed no persuasion now after all she was one of the people who mattered the most. If fact the only one who mattered. He felt the cold water against his skin and the only thing that came to his mind now was her. She was laughing. He fought the sea to reach her. She tried to run, but then the water was on his side. He reached her as she threw water at him and held her so tight that even he couldn’t breathe.
“Emily, I love you. So much that as long as I have you everything is easy. I never quite liked this wet coldness as long as only my feet took pleasure in dipping in them. But now without your insistence I am here. I love you Emily and although I know I am a complete dumbass I want you to be around forever. Can you be my best friend? Can you care for me as I am alone and I don’t want to be alone? Can you love me? So much that you leave everything. I know all that, the life there where nothing matters no one matters but to me you are inevitable. Can you be the someone I can fight for because there is nothing else I can do? I am just a petty soldier who is tired of all this. I want you Emily. I want to marry you. But will you have me? Please don’t say no, I will improve I promise.”