To Live and Love

by LM Spangler

  She could do anything with Justin by her side.

  Mel listened for a few moments to the sounds of nature outside her door. The bird songs warmed her as if she heard them for the first time.

  Mel had opened her heart to new experiences and allowed herself to observe the outside world, knowing she could step into it if need be.

  Justin was to blame, and Mel couldn’t be happier. He’d given her a wonderful gift. She loved him all the more for the world he’d opened for her.

  The doorbell rang, and Mel nearly jumped out of her skin. Justin wouldn’t be there for a bit yet, and she had no idea who it could be. She walked to the front of the house and looked through the peephole.

  It was Samantha.

  Why is she here? Mel took a deep breath, opened the door, and prepared for the worst.

  “Hi, Mel,” Samantha stated. “I hope I’m not bothering you.”

  “No, not at all. Please come in.”

  “I won’t stay long. I just need a few minutes of your time.”

  “Okay.” Mel closed the door. “Let’s go to the kitchen.” Mel led the way. “Please sit. Can I get you a beverage?”

  “Water will be fine.”

  Mel grabbed a tumbler and filled it with ice and water. What could the woman want? The question twirled and twisted around her mind.

  “Here you go,” Mel said as she handed Samantha the water.

  “Thank you. You’re very kind.” She took a swallow of the cold liquid and cleared her throat. “I heard what you did for Justin on the night of his accident. I was wrong about you.”

  “Okay. Why were you wrong?” Mel sat on the stool next to Samantha’s.

  “The night I was here for dinner, I was trying to talk Justin out of dating you because I thought you were different and strange.”

  Mel had to laugh. She gave people that impression all the time. It used to offend her, but she let it roll right off of her like water off a duck’s back. “You aren’t the first person to think that.”

  A soft smile graced Samantha’s face. “True as that may be, it was wrong of me to think like that. I got an awful earful from Hoffy, Hoffman that is, the night we had dinner. He made me realize I acted like a jerk. I never gave myself the chance to get to know you.” She ran her finger around the rim of the glass.

  “I’m a bit of an enigma, Samantha. I don’t expect people to understand my situation. I overheard you talking to Justin and it sent me into a panic attack, but I realized that you were concerned for Justin and his well-being. How could I fault you for caring so much about him?”

  “You love him?”

  “Yes, I do.” Justin had become her rock. She could live her life now with him by her side. He gave so much just by being himself.

  Samantha seemed to study her for a moment. “That’s lovely. I’m so happy for both of you. Again, I’m sorry. Please tell me you accept my apology.”

  Mel laid her hand atop Samantha’s and squeezed. “Of course I do. It’s water under the bridge now.”

  “Phew. Thanks.” Samantha downed the contents of her glass. “I have to get to work. Thanks for the talk and drink.” She rose from the stool. “By the way, I expect to see you at my wedding.”

  A genuine smile lifted the corners of Mel’s mouth. “I’ll do my best. Thank you for the invitation.”

  “No problem. I’ll see myself out. Thanks again for not thinking I was an unfeeling witch.”

  “You’re welcome. Thanks for stopping by. I hope to see you again.” Mel laid her hand on Samantha’s forearm.

  Samantha smiled and patted Mel’s hand reassuringly. “I hope we do get to hang out more as well. See ya.” With that, she turned on her heel and made her exit.

  Mel grinned as she walked back to the door leading to the garden.

  Today, the backyard called to her and tried to draw her into its newly blossoming beauty. She tilted her head to the side and thought for a moment. The sun’s beams streamed into the yard and beckoned her to step into their warmth.

  Mel had nothing to lose, so she walked to the foyer, slipped her feet into a pair of shoes she rarely wore, and grabbed a zip-up cardigan. She ambled to the back of the house and the door that separated the cocoon of her house and the freshness of the outside.

  Taking a deep breath, she turned the doorknob. Mel waited a few moments to steel her resolve. If it became too uncomfortable, she could dart back into the house.

  “I can do this.” Mel pulled the door open.

  A blast of air washed over her and rustled the long fall of hair around her face. The clean, crisp air had been refreshing, cleansing. April meant the ambient temperature still had been cool without being freezing. She stepped onto the back deck, not bothering to shut the door. Mel stood statue-still while she took in the feel of fresh air against her face and the trilling songs of the birds.

  This is magnificent! She was so free, so alive.

  Mel moved down the steps and into the heart of the garden. Vivid colors bloomed all around her. Even the green of the grass and the colors of the buds seemed more intense. She knelt down and ran a fingertip over the smoothness of a daffodil stem. The still-closed blossoms of the azalea beckoned to be touched. Stroking the bud brought out a smile. Silkiness greeted her caress.

  Taken aback by all the beauty surrounding her, Mel made her way to one of the concrete benches and sat. Coolness seeped through the fabric of her jeans, but it didn’t bother her.

  Mel sat in silence, taking in all the sights and sounds around her.

  * * * *

  Justin found Mel sitting on a bench outside in the garden. Sunlight reflected off her silken tresses, making them glow. Mel’s face turned upward into the beams of sun. Something he was sure she hadn’t done in many years. The sight took his breath away. Beauty radiated off of her in waves.

  Finding her in the garden, surrounded by the color and sound, had been the last thing he expected, but he was pleased beyond belief to see it.

  “Hey, gorgeous,” he said.

  Mel jumped up from her spot on the bench and placed a hand over her heart. “Justin, you scared a couple of years off of me.”

  “Sorry. I thought you’d hear my boots on the deck boards.”

  Mel sat again and patted the spot beside her. “I was lost in the sights and sounds. I never knew what I was missing until now. All the beauty and grandeur. It’s fabulous.”

  The excitement in her voice reminded him of a child about to see Santa. It warmed his heart.

  His miracle. That’s what Mel had become. There’d become so much in life for them to experience together.

  Justin couldn’t help but grin while he made his way to the bench. He sat beside her, linked hands, and reveled in the silken feel of her skin.

  “I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised to see you out here. How are you feeling?”

  The broad smile on Mel’s face answered his question. “It’s so gorgeous out here. I’ll admit I’m definitely not used to being outside.”

  “Do you need me to get your medication?” he asked.

  She raised their linked hands. “No. You’re here now.”

  Her simple words made his chest want to explode with happiness.

  “I love you, Mel.”

  She leaned her head against his shoulder. “I love you too, Justin.”

  As they sat in the garden, in companionable silence, and took in the sights and sounds surrounding them in the early stages of spring, Justin knew one thing for sure.

  Love and life had sprung anew like the blossoms and buds around them.

  Epilogue

  “The view from here is beautiful,” Mel commented, standing at the window of her hotel room looking down at the bustling city below. She turned toward Justin, who lounged in one of the chairs around the breakfast table, reading the newspaper.

  “New York, even in August, can be beautiful if you look in the right places.” Justin folded the paper and rose to stand at her side. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders an
d pulled her close.

  From their vantage point, she could see the city sprawl around them. Skyscrapers mingled with smaller buildings. Glass windows shimmered in the sun while stone structures paid homage to the age of the city. Together, they took her breath away.

  Mel had missed out twenty-six years ago when she last visited the city. Her life had changed in a blink of an eye on that summer day all those years ago. But she had come full circle.

  Thanks to Justin.

  “Do you still want to go to Central Park today?” he asked, and then kissed her temple.

  “Yes. Hopefully it isn’t too hot out. I’d also like to catch a Broadway play tonight if we have time. There is so much I want to do.”

  Justin’s laughter ruffled some strands of her hair. “Slow down, tiger. You need to take things gently.”

  “I’ll be fine, Justin. I only take my medication on an as needed basis. I’m ready for whatever comes my way. Want to know why?”

  “Why?”

  Mel turned in his arms and then wound hers around his neck. Her gaze met his. “I have you, and I know you won’t allow anything bad to happen to me. I can do anything with you by my side. I love you, Justin Eberley.”

  “And I love you.” He lowered his head and gently kissed her.

  Together they stood in each other’s arms as sunlight streamed through the window and cocooned them in its warm glow.

  About LM Spangler

  LM Spangler lives in south central Pennsylvania with her hubby and daughter, along with her furry canine daughters—Natty, Shandy, Harley—and Cali, her furry feline daughter. Her son serves our country in the Navy.

  Her parents instilled a love of reading in her, and on an off-comment from her hubby, she became a published writer.

  In her spare time, she enjoys watching baseball, college football, NASCAR (on TV or real life,) documentaries, and any car show. Velocity, DIY, HGTV, Discovery, and Science channels are favorite channels.

  LM Spangler’s Website:

  www.lmspangler.weebly.com

  Reader eMail:

  authorlmspangler@gmail.com

  More Beachwalk Press Titles by LM Spangler

  Summer’s Surrender

  Summer’s Surrender

  Sometimes new beginnings burn bright.

  Looking for a new start, Ian Jacobs moves from Los Angeles back to the small town in Pennsylvania where he grew up. He hopes opening his own music store will help him overcome the demons of his alcoholism. He also wants to win back his ex-girlfriend, Summer. He’s still in love with her, and having her in his life could be the lift he needs to beat his addiction.

  Summer Duncan, owner of Duncan Candles, finds herself drawn back to the first man she ever loved. She resists, but love has a mind of its own and it wants Ian Jacobs. She can’t help but open her heart to him despite his addiction and the heartbreak he caused her when he left town without even saying goodbye. She’s torn between keeping him at a distance and giving him another chance.

  Little does Ian know that parts of his past unbeknownst to him are about to come to light. First, he’s almost run down by a speeding vehicle, and then he begins receiving packages with random car parts in them. Soon, Summer starts to receive them as well. When Ian learns that his father killed three people in a DUI accident, he wonders if these events are somehow related to that. Is someone out there seeking revenge against Ian for his father’s actions? And will Summer get caught in the crossfire?

  Content Warning: contains strong language, some violence, and consummated sex scenes