by Linda Wright
They hadn’t ridden long before they were pulling up to a cliff overlooking the ocean. It was a cozy little nook in a grove of trees that was absolutely stunning. Paige had never really been much of a nature person, but she could not deny the pure beauty of the scene. It looked like a real, live landscape that a great artist would paint. They sat there in silence, looking at the water and listening to the music. After a while, Jeremy said, “I come here sometimes when I need to reset. It’s crazy how I’ve been all over the world and looked out over many different waters, from the Atlantic to the Indian, the Mediterranean Sea, and the other side of the Pacific in Japan. It always makes you think of what is possible. There is no end to the horizon. Makes impossible feel like a myth.”
“Yeah, this definitely feels like a place God would dwell. Maybe Eden looked something like this.”
“Yeah, maybe…You have a big family, Paige?”
“Yes I do. Tons of cousins, aunts, uncles. I’m one of 4 myself. It’s pretty major. A lot of my family is down south though. You know, down in Alabama.”
“You see them often?”
“Try to. We have family dinners. Two big family reunions every year. One here, one in Alabama.”
“What’s it like being in a big family?”
“It’s nice to feel loved by that many people, even if you don’t like them all. It can get to be a bit much sometime, but overall it’s fun. Plus my new family through the company.”
“That sounds cool.”
Paige felt bad for Jeremy not having a family like she did. They often drove her crazy, but she didn’t know what she would do without them. She considered Jeremy’s life as a lone wolf and realized in many ways he hadn’t had a choice. He had simply accepted it. She looked over at him and was glad that she was a part of his life now. Maybe he wouldn’t feel the need to be alone anymore.
They sat in silence for a while longer, then as if blinking out of a dream he said, “So, ready to go to the fair?” Paige took it all in a minute longer before replying, “Let’s go.” They drove back down the road. It only took about 15 minutes for them to pull up to the fair. It looked just as Paige had imagined that it would; the many different tents and people milling around eating treats and playing games. They got out of the car and entered right between the popcorn and cotton candy stands, so of course they had to stop and get some. Jeremy went straight for the games. He seemed to be good at everything. Before long they had amassed quite a stack of prizes.
Paige played a few games too, but mostly she just stood back in awe. Not only had Jeremy won her many prizes, but he handed some out to the kids around them. It got to be so much, the manager asked that he please stop and let other people get the prizes. Jeremy simply shrugged, hauled the prizes to the car and came back to enjoy some more food. He joined in on a pie eating contest which he very nearly won. The whole while he and Paige laughed and gabbed like they were the best friends in the whole world. Paige could not remember the last time she had had so much fun. She was upset when it was time to leave.
They drove back to Jeremy’s loft and went inside. After finding places for his prizes, they both flopped down on the couch exhausted and blissful. For some time they said nothing, just sat there, each in their own thoughts. Out of nowhere Paige leapt across the couch into Jeremy’s lap and began to kiss his him passionately. She thought for a second that he might resist, but instead he pulled her into him and kissed her back just as passionately. For a while they just sat there entwined, kissing and caressing each other. Then Paige reached down and pulled Jeremy’s shirt over his head. She looked down at the tattoo on his side. It said Ramona in big stylized letters. As she continued to pull at his clothes, he countered by doing the same. He unbuttoned her shirt and began to pull down her pants. In that moment she allowed herself to consider if this was what she really wanted. She realized that she had been the one to initiate, but now she thought that perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea. It felt incredibly right, but that was her body talking, not her head.
She continued to kiss Jeremy and they were both practically naked, but still she wondered if she would not be affected afterward. He was clear that he just wanted to be friends. She might be setting herself up. In spite of the great time she had had today, she was still a bit raw from Leo. She didn’t know if it was a good idea to jump in bed with a guy so soon, especially one she was just trying to build a friendship with. But she couldn’t stop herself. She was on autopilot and she didn’t know if she could stop herself. He was so beautiful and sexy and she did really want to do this. At the same time she was afraid of the consequences.
With each moment it seemed that her body was winning the battle. His kisses alone were like sex and she just got pulled deeper and deeper into the point of no return. She decided that she was going to turn her mind off and just enjoy herself. She’d deal with the rest later. She gave herself to him and it felt so natural. Their intimacy was off the charts. She couldn’t tell where she ended and he began. She forgot they were on a couch. It felt like she was on a cloud, radiating pleasure. The more he gave the more she wanted. She felt so beautiful and desired as he held her close and seemed not to want to let her go. Time was no longer a factor. There was nothing else, but them and what they gave to one another. She felt like she was on drugs. It was the most amazing experience of her life.
Finally they fell apart, panting and bleary-eyed. She could barely move, but she rolled off of the couch and stumbled back to the bathroom. After using it, she looked into the mirror expecting to see some great transformation. She did not feel like the same woman that had fell into the loft the night before. It had just been one day and yet she did not feel she would ever be the same again. It was equally exhilarating and terrifying.
She slowly walked back into the living room and found Jeremy laying on the couch deep in thought. On one hand she didn’t want to disturb him, but she didn’t want to be alone with her own thoughts. They were flying in all directions. She sat back down on the couch next to him and said, “I can’t help, but feel sad this isn’t more. Today has been one of the best days of my life.” Jeremy nodded his head as if she understood exactly what she meant. Then he turned to her and said, “Maybe it can.”
Paige was at a loss once again. She felt like he was sending mixed signals. It had just been this morning when he said he thought they should be friends. Now he was saying that he thought they could be more. She was getting whiplash trying to keep up with him. She replied, “What do you mean?”
“I mean this is different than anything else I’ve ever dealt with. I know what I said before, but I’d be lying if I said that I really only want to be your friend. True, I think you should take some time to get over your ex, but this is happening. It’s not about what we think now. This is real. Look, I know I’m gun shy about losing people so I’d rather not get involved, but I am already deeply involved. I’m not crazy enough to think I love you yet, but it feels like the beginning of something really big in my life. It feels exception-making. I’m not trying to confuse you; I’m just dealing with a lot of emotions with this.”
Paige was so happy. He wanted to be with her too. She shouldn’t get her hopes up because it could very well end and badly. But right now she felt like there was no place in the world she would rather be. She looked down at herself and immediately started laughing. Jeremy raised his eyebrows in wonder at her. Once the laughs died down a bit she said, “It’s just hilarious to be having this conversation completely naked.” Jeremy looked down at himself and then over at her and began laughing too. They laughed and laughed until they began to kiss. For a while they just laid in each other’s arms, allowing the waves of a new beginning to wash over them. Paige put on Jeremy’s t-shirt while he pulled back on his boxers. They went into his bedroom and cuddled under the covers until they fell asleep.
From there it just went on. Each held their breath a bit waiting for it to turn, but it didn’t. Leo tried to call Paige back, but she simply instructed him to come
get the few things that he had left at her apartment. He was very dismayed to find when he got there that Jeremy was there too. He shot angry looks at him as he collected his things. Jeremy looked back at him with a slight smirk on his face. Once Leo had gotten everything, Paige slammed the door behind him. She was done with that chapter of her life and had moved into a happier one with Jeremy. Their effortless conversations and adventures continued as their bond grew.
Deanna was thrilled. Slightly jealous, but thrilled. RJ had a major party and they went together. Everyone was very surprised to see Jeremy, especially with Paige. He didn’t have much to say, but he and Paige danced together all night and had a great time. There were moments when Paige felt that Jeremy was pulling away, but she realized he was still adjusting to their relationship. He admitted to her he had never really allowed himself to get this invested in a relationship before. He also told her often that in a way she had saved him from a life all alone, afraid to love because he didn’t want to deal with losing anyone else. She comforted him the best way she could and tried to help anyway she could think of.
Let Paige Tell it had catapulted to a whole other level since the re-launch of the site and release of the app. She found that she had really built something great and was now reaping the rewards. But even better was being able to share it all with Jeremy who was now her biggest cheerleader. She often brought him into her work and even more so into her family life. She found that he got along great with her family and she recognized his wonder at being involved with the family structure. She was so happy she could help heal him in that way.
It wasn’t long before Jeremy asked Paige to marry him. She was ecstatic and immediately accepted. They decided to have a small ceremony, just people closest to them. They took an extended honeymoon across the world. Jeremy took Paige too many of the places he had lived when he was a child. They looked back over those many waters together. After their honeymoon, Paige decided to move into Jeremy’s loft. She broke into the blue with her own purple and they completely blended their lives together.
It was not perfect, but it was truly wonderful. Each found healing in each other and they developed their own family together. After much discussion they had decided to try for children. Jeremy was hesitant, feeling ill-equipped to be a good father, but after much assurance from Paige, he agreed to that he would try his best. Paige had so much joy she could hardly contain herself. Most days she rolled over and looked at Jeremy beside her and wanted to fall on her knees and thank God. From a relationship that left her feeling the lowest she had ever felt to the most healthy, beautiful connection she had ever known. She felt truly blessed.
Paige wanted to pinch herself, but this was no dream. It was possible. She had almost settled for less, but was granted better. With all of this in mind she cherished Jeremy and what they had dearly. She often sent up prayers and gratitude to his mother for laying a foundation for such an extraordinary man. Then she found his arms, wrapped herself in them, and vowed to race him to forever.
*****
THE END
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Undying Love
Would they live and Die for one another
By: Linda Wright
Undying Love
Summer days were always slow and lazy back home. Why I can remember one only worried about time, was to not be late for Sunday service. Our farm was quite a ways from town, but there was a short cut across the small stream that ran through the Gower farm.
Col. Carter Hamilton Gower was one of the wealthiest men not just in the town but the whole county. I had only seen his farm from afar but it was beautiful. The Col. and his wife Miss Leta were fine folks, and always willing to help their neighbors. They gave to the poor in the town and always willing to give to the church. But they also knew where they stood on the social class of the town. Ms. Leta always made sure her dreams for her son were for him to attend West Point like his father. Yet here I was trying to get to the service before the first hymn was sung since I was usually running late to get to service and usually would cut across the stream. Heck I had been doing it for years and saw no reason to stop. I got to the stream and decided to take off my shoes, tie them over my shoulder, pick up my dress and start to wade across. I didn’t see the figure sitting across under the tree. Then I heard him laugh and knew it was Nathan Gower skipping Sunday service again. His mama and pa have tried to get him to go to church but Nathan well he seemed to like fishing on Sunday mornings more than hearing the reverend preach. Everyone knew that Col. loved that boy and there was nothing he wouldn’t do for him. As for me well I have loved Nathan since the first time I saw him I was in first grade and he was in third. The first time he smiled at me I knew one day I would marry him; mind you I was six years old at the time. It was something about him, his hair was the color of a beige white a real tow head and his eyes, there were the mystery they weren’t blue but more of a gray, but so light without the pupil there one would think his eyes were only white. He was even at age eight a handsome boy. Here he was now at eleven and still with the tow head and he’s now added a smile that would melt any girl’s heart and often did. We never seemed to think that one day we would have to go our own ways. This was the eighteen hundreds and there was this thing called social class and one to remember their place in society. Many of the families here have they lineage traced to the first settlers and Ms. Leta was one of them who never let you forget it. But today we didn’t seem to care about any class we were just two kids by that stream. He got up and moved closer to the streams bank.
“Hey Darcy you fixing to cross the stream in that dress of yours?”
“Well it’s the only way I can get across Nathan; I don’t want to be late for church.”
He took off his shoes and stepped into the stream and made his way toward me. He slowly made it to the other side and toward me.
“Nathan Gower what do you think you’re doing?”
“Now girl just get on my back. I’m gonna carry you across wrap your legs around my waist and your arms around my neck.”
I climbed on his back and clung to him as we started across.
“Are you sure you can do this? My ma would wop me good if I miss service, not to mention get my clothes dirty.”
“Just hold on Darcy. Don’t worry I won’t drop you my pa would wop me if I did.”
Slowly he made his way to the other side of the stream. Once the other side at last he put me down and I began to put my shoes on. Nathan went back to his fishing pole and sat down.
“Thank you Nathan.”
He gave me a smile,
“See you in school tomorrow.”
“Yea see you tomorrow.”
I continued my way to church and got there just in time. As I entered the doors I saw my parents and grandma sitting off to the left and walked over to them. Grandma was the only one who seemed to notice my braids were slightly at the bottom, but then again they were half way down my back. Through the whole service I kept thinking about Nathan still fishing by the stream. Ture I wished I could be there with him, but I knew if I had stayed my pa would wop me good. As the service ended I was ready to head back to the stream when my father stopped her. He noticed I had taken my shoes off as I left the church.
“Are those your shoes I see around your neck Darcy?”
“Well sure pa I always take them off when I leave church.”
“Are you telling me Darcy Christine Meadows that you do this all the time? Walk t
he streets of this town bare footed like some homeless waif? You get in this wagon and not another word until we get home.”
“ But pa.”
“ Not another word.”
I knew that asking to walk home was out of the question now. I knew the only thing to do was to just sit and wait to get home. It was my ma who tried to calm my father down.
“John she hasn’t done anything wrong. She only takes them off to spare them. It’s not something wrong.”
“Mary she was walking barefoot! I can’t believe my child walking in the streets of town on a Sunday bare footed. Why it’s. It’s so wrong. Makes it looks like I can’t afford to put shoes on my daughters feet.”
“ Oh hush John you’re making a scene. No one is thinking that of you. Half the children go around barefoot and no one thinks anything of it”
For the next half hour ride back to ranch no one said a word but I could feel my grandma’s eyes on me as I kept my head down.
I never knew that Nathan had waited for me to come back until he told me the next day at school. It soon became a regular meeting place on Saturday afternoons. Since I had church on Sunday mornings and I had to go in with the family since pa caught me with my shoes off. Nathan liked to fish and I found it a place I could relax and read. It soon became known to us as our stream. A special place for best friends, and that’s what we were best friends. It was a secret place that only we shared and I always felt that whatever happened Nathan was there to be by my side.
As the clouds rolled by so did the years and soon we were not those young kids anymore. We were growing up and facing adulthood in Virginia had its drawbacks. That Nathan and I who had been friends for years now it was looked down upon. It wasn’t Nathan it was me. Well seems my grandma’s great grandma was the daughter of a Cherokee warrior a chief he was. Well t seemed that something like that even all those years back was still frowned upon. Well in society that is. I asked my grandma once about that and she told me this.