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| SOULMATES BY CAROL |
CHAPTER 12 |
The skies around them were changing from minute to minute. It was dusk and God was playing artist tonight in the west. Brilliant shades of red, yellow and orange seemed to be fiercely challenging each other for control. Red had the advantage, but yellow was making a valiant challenge at the moment. A gray cast, snow-filled cloud had the audacity to try and interrupt this methodical melody by covering the sun. But red would have none of that! As the cloud moved over the sun, yellow beams pierced out from every direction.
Tea: Look, Todd. Isn’t it magnificent?
Todd: It’s lights in the sky. What else were you expecting?
Tea: I’m talking about the beauty of it all. See how the yellow is taking advantage of the cloud and lighting it up with a silver lining? As a child, I used to believe that the rays coming out of the clouds were souls going up to heaven. (pausing) Now I think it might be more of a super-highway, with souls going back and forth. And some of them are coming back to watch over us. I could see your mom coming back here to watch over you. Can’t you?
Todd: I’ve felt her a lot here. Don’t care if she took the highway to get her or not. And your yellow guys are getting whooped up on by those red ones. Have you not been watching?
Tea: Oh my. Looks like those diabolitos have been working overtime.
Todd: Devils in the sky?
Tea: Sure. You think devils are only in hell?
Todd: No, I’m proof of that.
Tea: Don’t say that. It’s just NOT true.
Todd: Shhhh. Careful. God might hear you.
Tea: God always hears us Todd. He just sometimes has other things in store for us. Other than what we thought, or might want. It’s interesting that you should bring him up. Do you believe in Him?
Todd: He’s never really done much for me. Unless you count yesterday.
Tea: It’s okay, Todd. I believe in Him enough for both of us. And YES, Todd, yesterday counts. It counts for me too.
Todd: Well, if you liked yesterday, just wait until later on tonight. If you snore again tonight, I may just have to show you that devilish side of mine.
Tea: Say whatever you want Todd. I know you’re not the devil. Besides, I don’t snore. And I certainly don’t shake the concrete. Reinforced or not!
Todd: That’s because there’s no concrete to shake at the cabin.
Tea: Todd!
Todd just smiles softly at Tea. She relaxes and sits back in the comfort of the leather seat again. “How could he possibly be the devil, when his car seats are so heavenly?” she thought to herself. She even smiled a devilish little grin of her own.
Todd: What’s that for? What are you thinking up over there? Trying to figure out how to get away from me again?
Tea: Todd, are you really that insecure with your own ability to woe me?
Todd: I don’t want to woe you, I just want to bug you and make you miserable. I don’t seem to be doing a good job at it though. You’ve got the most curious smile and your eyes, at this moment, are quite … you’re up to something.
Tea: Good. You’re not the only one who likes dishing out surprises. And you’re definitely not the only one who gets to play this game.
Todd: What game? What are you talking about? I’m not …
Tea: (interrupting) It’s okay Todd. You’ll enjoy playing with me. I promise.
Todd: Well, I have missed the challenge of having you around. I never know what to expect.
Tea: You should know by now, Todd. You should always expect the unexpected.
Todd: As should you…you never know who’s waiting just around the next corner to be your monkey in the wrench, your fly in the ointment, your pain in the …
Tea: Hello!
Todd: Hello to you too!
Tea: Why are you stopping?
Todd: We’re here. I wish I could take you to a place, more to your standards, but I think it will do.
Tea: As long as we’re together, tonight, anywhere will do.
Todd: Well, I’m sure it’s normal enough for you. Normal little joint, with normal little common folk.
Tea: I certainly hope not. Normal people worry me. It’s the not so normal that keep life interesting.
Todd: You’re sick, Delgado.
Tea starts to get out of the car. Todd reaches over her lap, pressing his body weight on to her accidentally. Tea looks down at his hair, as he turns his head and looks up at her. He uses his one hand to reach for the car door that she was opening. He accidentally places the other hand high on her thigh, at first for balance, but as more time passes, there is definitely a something more sensual going on. He can’t help but notice her flesh just inches from the end of his nose. She smiles knowingly.
Tea: Todd. What are you doing? Why won’t you let me get out of the car?
Todd: This is MY party and you’re ruining it already. Just stay put.
Tea: It’s going to be hard to order my food from inside the car. Unless, you’ve changed your mind about going inside. Or are we going through the drive through?
Todd: This kind of place doesn’t have a drive through. And I haven’t changed my mind. I just wanted to, ah, hell, can you just sit still long enough for me to, (becoming frustrated) well, just stay there.
Tea sits with her arms stiff at her sides in a pretend attention stance. By the time Todd gets out of the car and around to her side of the car, she realizes that he was trying to open her car door and be gentlemanly. This was so unlike him. But he had promised her surprises. And this one she loved. She hoped there would be more surprises that she would love. Was this the start of the evening? Or would the evening end with dinner and little else? All she knew was that she had to stay until she knew there were no more surprises. And she hoped that would be a very long time.
Todd opened her door and reached his hand down to give her something to hold on to. For balance of course. It was just a hand up. But as their hands touched, he realized that there was a lot more to her touch than just balance. She needed his hand, and he needed her touch. He wasn’t ready to let her know that. But somehow, looking into her eyes, he already knew that she knew. And this time, for some unknown reason, he knew it was okay for her to know. And he was all right with that. In fact, he was content with that. He was getting that old feeling back. The one where he liked having Delgado around. And it was okay if she knew it this time. In fact, a little part of him wanted her to know it was okay. It might even help her to stay. He smiled inwardly, bordering close to happiness.
As she rose out of the car, he realized that he had misjudged the distance he needed to have stood in order for her to exit the car without barrier. Her body basically cascaded his as she rose taller and taller out of the car. She was definitely doing this on purpose. As he was soon became aware of the overwhelming feelings that were rising in him, he became dizzy in the awe of the moment. He leaned forward, catching his free hand on the roof of the car, pressing his body even more on her. She looked up into his eyes.
Tea: I could get used to this Manning.
Todd: I could too, Tea. (Pushing off the roof of the car, he purposefully let go of her hand. She stood back a second, unsure of what was happening. Then, Todd held out his arm and offered it to her. She smiled and gladly took her arm and wrapped it inside his arm, bringing her hand around and touching the outer part of his arm.)
Tea: Shall we go inside?
Todd: That was my original idea.
To be continued………..
