September: A Love Story That Last Pt 3

    July, 1929. San Diego, California

         William, still smiling, took her in. She made him nervous although he had never said a single word to her. His mind questioned whether or not this was really her. After all he had never truly seen her face. Something deeper was pulling him towards her. Something beyond the appearance confirmed in his heart that she was the one he saw so many years ago. He adjusted his shirt, tucked his hands away in his pocket and began to walk towards her. His smile lasted the duration of the journey.
         He stopped just a few feet from where she stood. "William!" His friends called out in unison. Williams smile dissipated as he looked over Mary's shoulder to the two guys waving him on by the entrance. He tried to talk to him with his face but they didn't receive the message. "William!" again they both called for him. William crunched his eye brows and frowned hard, as he did Mary turned towards him and for the first time he saw her face. Unfortunately, she saw his too. She let out a loud cackle and covered her mouth. "Are you okay?" she asked the stranger. William noticed his face, adjusted and smiled at her again. Silence took over and what seemed like an hour passed by. "Are you okay?" Mary repeated the question as her friends began to pull her by her arm. "Hi." William finally spoke. "Hello" Mary's voice soothed him. "I'm William." "Mary." his heart skipped at his expectation. "Sorry didn't mean to scare you...or make you laugh." he looked away embarrassed. "I was glaring at my friends." William pointed to where the two screamers were, Mary turned to look, but they were gone. "They must have went inside." "Yea, they must have" Mary responded.
         William looked to her eyes. Green eyes. A glimmer of what was just beyond them pulled him in. She studied him for a moment. His face and body looked like a canvas that carried a beautiful painting. Instinctively, they both smiled at the same time. "Well we are going in now." Mary gestured towards the two girls who were standing by. "Yea, lets go in." William accepted an invite without receiving one but Mary didn't mind. She felt her face grow warm and giggled to her friends. William felt his heart race forward and followed close behind.

         The theater house had already began to fill up once William and Mary walked in. William scanned the crowded room for his friends but hoped he didn't find them. Still searching, the lights shut off and projector began to whirl. Suddenly he was pulled by his arm. "Sit down." Mary whispered through a laugh. William allowed her to guide him to the seat next to her. William didn't really know what the film was about when they walked out of the theater. He had spent most his time trying to come up with what he would say to her after it was over. He also spent an equal amount of time trying to look at her without turning his head. He was successful a few times and he enjoyed every minute of it.
         They walked out of the theater and William finally saw his friends. "Where were you?" one of them said, beginning to walk towards him. This time Williams face sent a clear message. The friend stopped and turned back around like a soldier marching in stride with is platoon. "Well, it was nice meeting you." Mary extended a hand. William looked down at it for a moment then realized it and extended his hand as well. Her hand was soft and cool. He felt his spine tingle and goosebumps spread down the back of his arms. Mary noticed the warmth of his grip and the rough edges to his fingertips. She skipped a breath but did her best to disguise it.
         They released hands and Mary began to turn and walk away. "Hey!" William called out to her. "Maybe I can see you again some time?" She turned and faced him. "That would be nice." "Tomorrow night? Same place?" William suggested. Her thin red lips stretched. For the first time he noticed the small dimple just under her bottom lip. "Yes." William grinned back and watched her walk away into the night.

    October, 1929. San Diego, California

         For several weeks William and Mary did everything they could together. Mary would come around whenever and wherever he was working. William would come by the school yard to go see the a football or basketball game. Nearly every night ended with them crossing each others path one way or the other. Although getting around to meeting the parents hadn't taken place, the two were always together.
         Mary sat on the grass and looked up at William as he pulled down a board from an old building. She loved watching him work. She loved watching him. He was perfect. He was kind, polite, courteous and beautiful. "So the school is having a theme dance next Saturday." William pulled out another nail, "Oh yea." "Was wondering if you wanted to go with me?" He looked over at her. She watched his jaw muscles lock and release as sweat dripped off his forehead. He didn't answer but tossed down the hammer and walked towards her. She sat up on the grass and waited for him. He stopped in front of her and reached out both hands. She took them and he lifted her up. "Why do we have to wait till Saturday?"          He slid one arm around her while the other held her hand. This was as close as they had ever been. She skipped a few breaths once again, this time not doing as good a job in hiding it. He noticed and pulled her closer. He began to hum a big band song and glided around the grass with her, dipping and swaying. Mary laughed and joined in the ad lib dance number. They were both laughing so hard that they lost their balance and fell back to the grass. William broke her fall and landed slightly arched above her. His face directly over hers. Her eyes looked down and found his lips. He found hers too. "Sorry." William finally spoke up, standing up and helping her to her feet. "It's okay." Mary laughed nervously. She wasn't sure if she was upset that he stopped or upset that she did. "Saturday, then." He said dusting off grass. "Huh? Oh, yes, Saturday."

         School theme dances were a huge event. Big band and swing were sweeping the nation and San Diego was no different. William and Mary danced until they could hardly stand any longer. A night filled with laughter, fun and on the edge of love. A song by Rudy Vallee began to play. The tune a bit slower than the swing music that they had been dancing to earlier. William took Mary's hand and led her to the center of the dance floor. He held her close to him. She rested her head on his chest and listened to his heart beat. He bent his head down and rested his chin on her soft brown hair. For a moment everyone around had disappeared. It was just her and him, floating across the floor, sinking into the strong grip of love. He whispered in her ear, "There's no place I'd rather be." She responded by squeezing him tighter. His warm voice entered her ear again, "You are the best part of me." She felt her eyes begin to tear as she looked at him. He wiped it away. "I'm so glad I found you." The song ended and they separated. His hand interlocked with hers and they walked out into the night.

         William began to drive her back to her house. They sat quietly, each one more nervous than the next to say something. Mary reached out her hand and took his. He looked at her. He pulled his car to a stop a few blocks from where Mary lived. He stopped in front of a new home he was helping to build. He opened his car door and walked around and let Mary out. She felt her stomach twist with fear and excitement. He took her hand and they walked up the steps and into the front room.
         He let her walk in first and followed close behind. The dark room was only lit by the opening of the unfinished roof. The moon showcased the two in their own paradise. Still facing away from William he took his hand and gently collected the hair from the back of her neck.  The next thing she felt was his warm soft lips as they kissed behind her ear.  This made her tilt her head, as her straight lined lips let out a soft sigh. She continued to tilt her head until she had turned her entire body to face him.  He took her face in his hands and looked at her.  With his thumbs he wiped away the few tears that lined her face.  "Are you okay?" He meant the question. His eyes pierced her soul and she felt butterflies flurry in her stomach. "I love you." She responded. She was trembling now.  He noticed and took his hands from her face and let his fingers crawl down her arms until they grasped each one of her hands.  "I love you." She couldn’t tell but he was trembling too.
         He pulled her in to him and kissed her mouth.  For the second time tonight the Earth stopped.  Nothing else mattered, they were all alone in their own world. Lost in each other with no concerns for anything else but that moment.  Their lips pressed soft at first then hard together.  She let him control her.  His hands still grasped firmly around hers as his kiss became more passionate and deep.  With her eyes closed she felt herself leave the floor.  She was flying.  She started to open her eyes to see how high off the ground she was, but she couldn’t.  He pulled away from her and pressed one small kiss on her bottom lip as he did.  Her eyes stayed shut for a few seconds after the kiss ended.  As he let go of her hands she opened her eyes. He reached down and removed his shirt. She took her hands and touched his cheek then gradually let her fingernails climb down his chest.  They began to kiss once again.  This time there was little control.  He held the back of her head and she slipped her arms around his waste. Lost in love, in their own heaven, the night closed in on them.

         Sometime later that evening, they both came out of the house and walked arm in arm towards the car. A vehicle coming down the road, slowed and stopped directly in front of Williams car. A man hopped out, in a hurry and yelled towards them. "Mary?" Mary froze in place. William shielded her. "Whose that?" William shouted back guarding her. Mary answered, "It's my dad."

PD