Love, Too!

The sidewalk ran crookedly south and north,

seemingly going on forever.

Reflecting moonlight caused the concrete ribbon

to glow a milky, iridescent white.

Accidently meeting an hour ago,

strolling slowly, silently feeling the night’s beauty

and close proximity of each other,

the young man and woman walked side by side,

without touching, except…

now and then their loosely hanging hands

“accidentally” brushed each other.

“It’s really amazing how things work out.

I mean like us, now.”

Looking to her left, “Yes, it is.  

That night, when you found out and I ran away…

Strange, but even now I remember how badly I felt.

“You were right; I was too young for you.”

“Oh, I don’t know…

Yeah, I guess you were.

 How old are you now,” the young man asked.

“Nineteen in October.

You?”

“Twenty-one in August.”

“You like the Coast Guard?

Why’d you join?”

“I’d started college and wasn’t going anyplace very fast

and thought the Coast Guard would give me time to

figure out what I wanted to do.”

Adding, “We’re usually in-port for twelve weeks,

then on patrol six.”

“Sounds like it could get kind of boring at times.”

“Nah, it ain’t so bad.

Matter of fact, in a way it’s kind of relaxing,

being at sea with nothing to worry about

except doing your work…

Unless there’s a girl ashore that you miss.”

“Is there a girl ashore that you miss?”

Quiet for seconds then,

when she thought he was not going to answer…

“No,” he said softly, adding, “not until now.”

Not until now.  

Feeling her heart lurch,

but not sure how to respond,

“How long till you’re discharged?”

she asked.

Hoping for a positive response to: not until now,

but not sure if she’d even heard him,

“Almost a year and a half.”

he answered.

“Oh! That’s such a long time!”

“Yeah, I guess it is.”

Pointing to a bench,

“Let’s sit for a while.”

Sitting a foot apart,

looking at the reflection of the moon’s wide tail

on the calm water of Lake Michigan.

Now, though, inching closer,

feeling the heat of her thigh against his.

His arm over the back of the bench,

his hand brushed her hair and,

holding a few silken strands within his fingers,

looking at the young woman in profile,

the two sat without speaking:

he, looking at her,

she looking at the water.

Aware he was touching her hair;

the sense of his mere touch sending

a shiver through her,

turning her face to his,

the young woman forced a smile.

But the young man did not smile in return

and her smile faded as,

looking at him,

she suddenly had the sensation they were alone in the world.

Alone…

just this young man and herself, as…

For the first time in years,

the young man had the sensation that he and a girl…

that he and this young woman were alone in the world, and…

In two minds there was the remembrance of a summer’s night

with soft music and fireflies,

and an innocent, soul-touching kiss, and…

Kiss me! Her mind willing him, Kiss me! And…

Each feeling the softness as they came together gently,

their lips barely touched,

then parted.

And this innocent, passionless kiss,

for the second time

in the girl’s near eighteen years and in boy’s near twenty-one years…

This innocent, passionless kiss sent their universes spinning, as…

Moving her hand against the back of his head,

forcing his mouth harder onto hers, and…

Subconsciously, the emotion of this kiss fused with the emotion of two past kisses

there came to the young man the sensation of being kissed…

There came to him the sensation of kissing a girl within a field of fireflies.

And…

Her mouth open to his, the erotic probing of their tongues was,

at least, as much due to her passion as his as…

Psychologically reeling, this kiss, emotionally,

was like no kiss the young woman had ever received,

or given.

 Reluctantly breaking their kiss.

Inches apart,

each feeling the warm breath of the others upon their lips.

 “You do know this isn’t the first time we’ve kissed.”

“Yes,” she answered.

“You remember us kissing at the…”

“Lakeview Hotel… Yes!

How could I forget?

That was my very first real kiss.”

Amazed that he so clearly recalled that long-ago emotion he thought

he had forgotten a day or two after it had happened.  

“When I kissed you then, at the hotel,

the world seemed to spin for me.”

She remembered her world spinning then, too…

and now.

I’m going to be home for two weeks,

and I have a feeling we’re going to be seeing a lot of each other…

That’s if you want to.”

Oh, yes! But don’t be too anxious, she told herself.

But her emotions not fully under control,

“Yes! That’s just fine with me!”

She said emphatically,

thinking,

I love you!

©October 20, 2011 / Mark M. Lichterman