Bright Side

by Rose Fresquez

  Her gaze was intent on the trees and the city down below. “This is beautiful! I like it already.”

  “You haven't seen the best part yet.” He reached for the night lamps from the bucket in the back seat and tucked them in the side pockets of his backpack. Peering at the orange sky, he noticed the temperature was dropping slightly as late evening approached.

  He wasn’t sure if she'd eaten dinner before he picked her up, but it wasn’t a good idea to eat right before the hike. Being hungry wasn’t any better. “I brought some snacks and hot chocolate if you’re hungry.”

  “I had an early dinner.” She ambled toward him as he buckled the backpack straps around his waist. “I might have some of that hot chocolate after the hike, though.”

  She slipped her fingers into her gloves.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  She nodded, and they started their ascent. They walked side by side, the sinking summer sun warm on their shoulders. The smell of pollen hung thick in the air.

  The earlier start allowed time for them and their feet to acclimate to the growing darkness and trail conditions. The three mile hike seemed ideal for a first-time night hiker, because the gently sloping trail was still close to the city.

  The hike took longer than Andrew would normally take because they stopped from time to time so Bianca could catch her breath. The full moon and bright stars lit their path, making for a perfect climb as they reached the trail’s peak almost two hours later.

  “This is dazzling!” Bianca managed to gasp. Andrew placed his hand on her lower back and they both stared at the full view of the metro’s lights. From that height, they could see the stars more clearly.

  “You did great,” Andrew said.

  Bianca’s heavy breathing slowed her words. “I’m surprised I made it over this hill.”

  “Wasn't too bad, was it?”

  “My feet hurt a little.” She laughed, relaxing. “But for the view, it was worth the climb.”

  Andrew searched the sky, and a smile curved his lips when he sighted the brightest point of one of the easiest constellations to identify.

  He reached for Bianca’s hand. “Look at this!” He pointed to the sky and used her hand to trace an outline. “You see that shape?”

  Bianca’s breathing was louder, her warm breath tickling his neck, and he tried to keep his hand steady in hers.

  “Uh...I don't,” she whispered.

  “It looks like a bowl with a handle.”

  “Oh...I see it now.”

  “Along the handle, there’s that brightest star. That’s the North Star....” Are my palms sweating? He dropped her hand to get a grip on his runaway emotions.

  “At the end of the constellation itself.” His voice was more strained than he cared for it to be. “The Big Dipper can help you to find the Little Dipper, which is where you’ll find the brightest star.”

  He had no idea if his words made any sense. His mouth was suddenly dry and he lowered the backpack from his back, then retrieved their water bottles from the side pockets. He handed her her half empty Aquafina water bottle, and he drank from his thermos.

  They stood silently for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts, before he steered her forward to the overlook.

  “This is Fort Rock at night?” Bianca said.

  “Sure is.” He took the binoculars from his jacket pocket and peered through them to see if he could spot any main streets in the city.

  He handed the binoculars to her once he’d sighted a couple of the lit signs marking the city’s main street. “You can see North Main.”

  Bianca was silent as she stared through the binoculars. “I see 285, too,” she said after a moment, and turned to him. “It's beautiful from here.”

  “I’ve always thought so.”

  “This is the best outing I’ve ever had,” she said, her words catching him by surprise.

  He then thought of all the outings he would take a woman to, and none came close to surpassing God’s beauty. “Me, too,” he said.

  Their eyes locked on each other's, and he felt an awareness he’d not felt in a long time, taking up all the air between them.

  It was hard to know how long they stood gazing at each other in the soft glow of the full moon, but finally she said, “Thank you so much...for bringing me.”

  “Glad you liked it.”

  “Did you bring your previous girlfriends here?”

  The question was unexpected, but sooner or later, he needed to tell her about his previous relationships.

  “No. Remember when I mentioned earlier that the last time I came here, I was only ten? Too young to have a girlfriend.”

  “Oh....” she said. “Do you and Callie keep in touch?”

  How much did this woman know about him? She knew Callie’s name, too. That should scare him, but it warmed him instead that she’d taken the initiative to find out more about him.

  “No... she and I are done.”

  “Okay,” she said simply, and Andrew thought the subject was finished. But after a moment, she looked up at him and asked, “Why did you two break up?”

  Andrew suspected she already knew the answer, but he confessed everything she needed to know about his past. “We were together for so long, that I didn’t see the break-up coming.” Telling her felt awkward, but it was better to get things out in the open.

  Bianca stared down at the scenery, listening in silence, a thoughtful look on her face. After he’d finished, she turned back to him. “Thank you for telling me what happened.”

  Relieved that he didn’t have to talk anymore about his ex, Andrew said, “It’s getting late. Shall we head back down?”

  She nodded, and he handed her one of the headlamps. “Wouldn’t hurt to carry the extra light in case we need it.”

  “Thanks!” As she slid the head lamp over her head, her soft hair brushed his fingers.

  “You just slide the front button if you need to turn on the light.”

  “Thanks,” she whispered again.

  With the moon lighting the narrow path, Andrew stepped aside to let her take the lead, although he followed closely. They walked in silence, listening to the crickets sing. They came across more than one critter across the path.

  “Aaiiee!” Bianca jumped, then turned and slammed right into Andrew, clutching at his arm.

  Scared, Andrew wrapped his arm protectively around her. “What’s wrong?”

  With her leaning against his side, her heart thumping against his ribcage was the only response he heard. He flicked on the headlamp, and a deer stared right back at him for a few seconds before it sped off into the night.

  “What else could be out there?” She spoke in rapid breaths as she dropped Andrew’s arm.

  “More deer,” Andrew said in a light tone, hoping to alleviate her panic. “Maybe we should just keep talking to announce our presence.”

  “This time you take the lead!” she said, and Andrew stepped ahead of her.

  They both kept their lights off to enjoy their surroundings. He stepped over a rock and held out his hand to grasp her gloved fingers. He helped her over, releasing her hand once they were safely down.

  Now that he’d told her about his past relationships, he felt he’d earned the right to ask about hers. He cleared his throat. “How old was Daisy when your husband died?”

  She was quiet for a long time, so long that he thought she was not going to answer.

  “One.”

  Andrew’s chest tightened as sorrow seeped in for an infant who’d never known her father. He instantly felt a strong urge to do something, anything for Daisy, to make up for the memories she’d missed with her dad. Ezra had said that Daisy's dad had died in the line of duty, but Andrew still had to ask, “How did he die?”

  The path widened and Andrew glanced sideways at her after a lengthy silence.

  “In Iraq,” she finally answered. “He and two others had been driving when a bomb was thrown at their jeep.”

  He was too overw
helmed to ask any more questions, especially when her voice shook as she described how hard the first two years had been for her as a single mom.

  Andrew stopped walking and took her gloved hand in his, not saying anything, but honoring the moment of silence they shared. After a few seconds, he squeezed her hand. “Daisy is so blessed to have such a wonderful mom.”

  She sniffled and swiped at her face with her palm, erasing the tears that Andrew knew were spilling from her eyes. “I don’t know if I’m doing anything right.”

  Without giving it much thought, Andrew wrapped both arms around her and held her tight. She stiffened at first, as though the action startled her, but then she buried her face in his chest while painful sobs shook her shoulders. He wanted to tell her that everything was going to be okay because God had her and her family in the palm of His hands.

  In that moment, he learned that next to his mom, Bianca was the strongest woman he’d ever met.

  “You’re doing everything right,” he whispered, meaning it. “Otherwise, God wouldn't have entrusted you with Daisy. You’re the only mother who can make Daisy happy, and you are everything she needs.”

  “You’re so nice to say that,” she said, her voice breaking.

  His heart ached at hearing her doubts. Andrew had noticed her tendency to doubt herself in so many ways, yet she was gorgeous and competent. As long as she would allow him into her life, he wanted to always remind her of how amazing she was, starting now.

  “Never doubt yourself, Bianca.” He gently rubbed her back. “You’re smart, beautiful, and an excellent mom...Not to mention all the little things that make you, you.”

  After a few more seconds she slowly slid out of his embrace. “You must think I’m such a baby!”

  “I love babies...especially now that I have a niece.”

  She chuckled, and he liked the sound of her laughter, especially after the moment of sorrowful memories. He peered down at her. “It's good to talk about our pain with others. It helps us move forward.” It was easier to tell that to others than to himself. He was used to listening and giving advice to people, which came with being a big brother and a leader at his job.

  They resumed their walk.

  “Almost there,” Andrew spoke between heavy gasps of breaths as they trudged down the final slope. He could see the truck was the only car in the parking lot. He climbed over an arched stone embedded in their path, and then held out a hand for Bianca.

  “It's harder to climb these rocks,” she said, a smile in her voice as she took his hands in hers and climbed over the rock.

  “That’s why I’m here as your guide.” He tightened his grip around her fingers, wishing he’d taken off his glove so he could feel the warmth from her palm.

  She lowered herself and all but tumbled over and into Andrew’s chest. “Oh...”

  He wrapped a hand around her back to steady her, but the warm breath from her lips tickled his own, sending warm sensations over him. She remained still, not moving, her heart thumping against his loud heartbeat. Andrew felt a sudden rush of blood through his body as he breathed in the soft smell of her hair.

  He lifted his other hand to his mouth and yanked off the glove using his teeth, then dropped it on the ground. They stared into each other's eyes. In the moonlight, Andrew sensed Bianca’s attraction for him through her eyes. At least I’m not alone in this.

  He could feel her body trembling with his other gloved hand around her waist as an anchor. He lifted the ungloved hand to the back of her neck, and her breathing picked up a pace when he lowered his lips to hers.

  He savored the gentle brush of her soft lips, seeking and cautious against his. She didn’t back away from him, although her body language seemed as if she were hesitant. The kiss lasted for less than two seconds, but they were both breathing hard when it ended.

  Bianca giggled nervously, putting her hands on her lips. “I...I didn't expect...”

  “Me, either.” He hoped that she meant the kiss caught her off-guard, because he hadn’t planned on kissing her when they started the hike.

  They made it to the truck in silence, and he tossed the backpack in the back. He kept the tailgate open and sprawled a blanket over it for them to sit while they enjoyed their hot chocolate.

  The moon lit her face, giving her skin a soft glow. She’s beautiful. How had he been blind to never see that?

  The hooting of an owl split the silence of the forest. The silence between them was getting more awkward and he racked his mind to say something.

  “How do you speak English and Spanish so fluently?” He tilted the travel mug on his lips to take a sip, waiting for her to finish sipping hers. “Even Daisy speaks both languages well.”

  “Mama speaks Spanish all the time.”

  They chatted about random things as they polished off their hot cocoa and put the travel mugs in the bucket to be cleaned later.

  After closing the tailgate, they got in the truck and Andrew fired the engine. The dashboard showed eleven thirty pm. He hadn’t expected them to be gone this late, but time had flown by so fast.

  He reached for Bianca’s hand, entwining her fingers with his. “When can I see you again?”

  “I will not be at soccer practice tomorrow.”

  Ugh, she had to work. She’d told him that earlier. “Maybe on Saturday at the game?”

  “I have to work then, too.”

  Even as he tried to keep the conversation flowing, he sensed a slight resistance from her. She didn’t seem as chatty as she’d been on the drive up to the hike. Had his kiss scared her? Had that been a rush move on his part?

  He grimaced as the steering wheel vibrated underneath his hands when he drove down the raggedy road with the moon and headlights guiding their path.

  What had started out as a bright day of hope had ended with more doubts. Concrete results would be more valid than speculations in this matter. But that's what he was more afraid of than doubt itself.

  Women! He had yet to figure out the right formula. He shook off the thoughts. He needed a lesson in dating, something he’d never had an issue with before.

  It was becoming more clear that he’d found the right woman, just as he’d just lost one. Why would he wait and dance around? Bianca seemed to be fond of him, at least he thought so. If he was right, what was holding her back?

  CHAPTER 15

  The afternoon breeze stirred the smell of manure as Bianca held the halter around the horse’s muzzle while the veterinarian administered an oral exam. The owner stroked the horse's head to keep it calm while the vet poked at its teeth.

  Bianca didn’t mind working outside the office from time to time, because every barn, every owner, and every farm animal was unique. It kept her job from getting boring.

  What made this afternoon even more interesting was the reminiscence of Andrew’s kiss three days ago. It still lingered on her lips and roamed in her thoughts.

  Although she’d envisioned her first date with Andrew to be in a fancy restaurant, where she would be dressed in some uncomfortable stilettos, she’d liked dressing casually for the outdoors. As it turned out, Andrew was a simpler guy than she’d envisioned. He was in her element as far as simplicity went. The entire night had been romantic—made even more special by knowing that she was the first woman he’d taken to one of his special places.

  It was now her special place, too, because Andrew had kissed her. The most romantic, gentle and loving kiss she’d ever had. After so many months of dreaming of Andrew’s lips on hers, when it finally happened, she’d all but frozen.

  She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth at the thought of her dumb reaction.

  Why had John chosen that instant to creep up in her mind? She’d felt guilty, as if she were cheating by kissing Andrew. Otherwise, she probably would’ve clung to Andrew’s shirt and moved her hand around his back, or anything similar to what she’d seen in movies.

  Did Andrew really kiss her? Or had it been another dream of hers? She couldn’t get
past the fog of unbelief that she’d tasted his warm lips.

  Her body boiled with anger again, anger at herself. Now would be a good time to stuff some candy or any junk food in her mouth. What if Andrew thought she wasn’t impressed with his kiss, or that she wasn't into him?

  The thought hadn’t occurred to her until she spoke to her counselor yesterday. He’d assured her that it was normal to feel as if she were cheating on her deceased husband if she fell for somebody else. It was hard for widows and widowers to get into dating, because they bore the guilt both ways—feeling condemned for “cheating” on a dead spouse, and guilt that the new guy might assume she didn’t like him.

  Her heart started racing, more out of panic this time, as she was torn between a dead husband and the man who could be a part of her future.

  Her future? Did she just assume that Andrew was part of her future?

  Why was she attracted to another hero? Andrew’s job was just as dangerous as John’s job had been. He could enter a flaming building and not make it out alive. Daisy liked Andrew a lot, and that would mean she would have to be an orphan twice, and Bianca a widow again.

  She was getting way ahead of things here. Andrew was never going to go on another date with her, let alone marry her. Not after her kiss blunder, and her strange mother constantly bugging him with house projects.

  “We’re all done!”

  Bianca blinked when Dr. Emerson’s voice pulled her back to the present.

  She straightened and brushed her hands together, then moved to the other side of the horse and stroked it gently. “Good boy!” She had to thank the animal for not kicking her.

  After dragging the dirt and horse hair into a bucket, she intended to drop them back at the office so the lab technician could process samples.

  “I’ll run those samples back to the hospital.” Dr. Emerson put out his hand and Bianca handed the contents to him. “If you can make that call to the Papillon’s owner before you leave, that would be great.”

  In spite of the doctor’s casual tone, the ‘call’ was a big deal. Bianca dreaded calling clients to let them know their beloved pet would need to be put down.