Our Heart (22 page)

When she reached the bottom, she held out her hand to me, fingers gently dangling with perfect regality and inquired, “You must be the young man sent to escort me to the Theatre?”

I grinned from ear to ear. With a perfect heel click and bow, making sure my eyes were still locked on hers, I reached for her hand, taking it in mine and gently kissed it. I could smell the scent of her lotion and my lips tingled, as they lightly brushed across the top of her hand,
testing the softness of her skin.

Rising up in knightly fashion, I informed her, “Yes, your Highness, it is I, Lord Owensforth the III, at your bequest,” and with that we both broke into laughter, falling into each other’s arms. The Dittmers came out of the house to find out what the ruckus was all about. Like all great fits of laughter, ours was contagious and, soon, Mr. and Mrs. Dittmer were laughing along with us, totally unaware of the reason.

When our laughter finally subsided and we caught our breath, Allison wanted to know what time the movie started and did I know that Matt and Dani weren’t going to go with us. I said something like, “Gee that’s too bad,” without much weight behind it. I was now stuck between a rock and a hard place, as the Dittmers were still standing on the porch watching us. I needed to give my little speech to Allison about where we were really going to go, but I had planned on doing it in private.

To hell with the canned speech I just let it come out. “We’re not going to the movie this afternoon….I…I want to take you up the hill to Murphy’s meadow and show you the old oak tree instead.”

Allison’s eyes lit up and she said, “Really? I heard all about it from Dani. She said it was totally cool and I should go see it with you sometime. It’s a really special place…” and then it dawned on her and she turned red, averting her eyes away from mine. I saw Mrs. Dittmer raise a hand and put it on her chest, covering her heart. Mr. Dittmer had a puzzled look on his face and was about to say something, when Mrs. Dittmer pinched his side. It must have been a gesture she had used on him many times, because he closed his mouth without letting a word escape. Stacy Dittmer looked me dead in the eyes and, for a moment, I thought all my plans were about to be scattered to the wind, then her eyes softened and she smiled at me. She tugged on Larry’s shirt and, in unison, they turned and went inside.

I reached for Allison’s hand and held on tight as I took it in mine. Not really knowing what Dani might have said to her, I told her we didn’t have to go if she didn’t want to. I was rewarded with a fierce pinch on my arm and the thought,
like mother like daughter
, quickly passed through my mind.

Allison pinched me again, this time even harder than the last time, adding, “No way! I want to go!” and then in a softer voice, she said, “especially with you.”

I felt my insides melt and I gave her a grateful smile. Pulling her along, I said, “Let’s go!”

We cut through the back yard and made our way down to Harden Creek, all in silence, neither of us wanting to say anything…not yet. She followed where I stepped and we made it across the creek without mishap. My heart began beating harder, and I could tell my hand was becoming clammy with excitement and anticipation. The path through the timber was barely wide enough for one person, but Allison clung to my side as we walked up it together. A few times, we had to turn sideways to slip in between the tighter spots, but refused to let go of one another. It was cool walking in the depths of the timber. Sunlight scattered here and there, but was unable to fully penetrate the protective layer of leaves and branches enveloping us. Goose bumps began to pop up on Allison’s arms, so I told her it wasn’t much farther to the meadow and she would soon be in the warmth of the sun. She smiled up at me, but I could see in her eyes that she was trying to hide her own insecurities.

I squeezed her hand tighter and told her the story of Zachariah Murphy and his plans to find and build his house in the meadow. She listened to me enthralled, happy to take her mind off wherever it had been. The path started to make a gentle climb towards the meadow, and it widened, allowing us to comfortably walk side by side, hand in hand. I pointed towards the patch of light fighting to make its way into the trees, and she began to smile. Instinctively, she picked up the pace toward the comforting embrace and the promise of warmth projected by the light.

Before we reached the opening to the meadow, I pulled back on her hand, stopping her from going forward.

She looked at me with a puzzled expression, and I just smiled at her. “What?” she exclaimed to me and I smiled even more.

“Trust me,” I replied. “I want you to close your eyes and don’t open them until I tell you to. I’m going to lead you into the meadow so that you can get the full effect all at once.” She frowned and I continued to smile at her. After a few seconds she let the frown ease into a smile and closed her eyes. I held on to her arm and told her to walk slowly. I guided her out into the bright sunshine and she closed her eyes tighter against its brilliance. The grass danced around our legs, in the gentle warming breeze, and she giggled as if someone had just tickled her.

“Keep them closed, not much farther,” I whispered into her ear. After a few more steps, I had her centered directly below the tree, midway up the hill. “I’m going to let go of you, but don’t open your eyes until I say so.” She barely nodded in acknowledgement.

I stepped away and off to her side, so I would be able to see the look on her face. I also wanted to be out of her line of sight to the tree. In the moment before she opened her eyes, I realized she was every bit as special to me as this meadow and the old oak tree were. She was beautiful, standing there amongst the wildflowers with her eyes closed. The sunlight shimmered on her auburn hair, giving it a fiery luster. For an instant, I couldn’t breathe, completely taken by her presence. My growing desire for her burrowed deeper and deeper within my heart.

Finding a voice from far inside me, I told her to open her eyes. That first look on her face will be imprinted in my memory forever. Not everyone can be touched by the simple beauty inherent in the world all around us or have the ability to see more than just a tree and meadow. Allison not only saw it, she felt it completely, and it moved her. In one special moment, she bound herself to my heart forever. Many emotions appeared to play out in her eyes and run across her face. Those beautiful green eyes took in the grandeur of the old oak, and I saw in them an instant understanding. Her eyes would flicker back and forth, studying and memorizing the outline of the tree. She took in every branch, all the dark, rich colors of the tree, as it stood out in contrast to the light-green ocean of meadow grass, swaying gently in the breeze. She didn’t move and then her lower lip, ever so slightly, began to quiver. Her eyes grew large, and I watched as she let the surroundings consume her. I saw the wonder in her eyes. She had to close them as she fought to steady her emotions and catch her breath.

I was unsure what to do. Her experience was mine, as well, and I was just as lost in the emotions of the moment. I wanted to go to Allison, hold her, tell her it would be all right and then she closed and opened her eyes. She took another look up at the tree and then sought my face. I felt Allison’s stare penetrate deep inside of me. We held each other’s gaze, and then she turned away to take in the serenity of the scene before her once more. Her vision began to focus on the finer details of the meadow and her eyes registered the scene before her. I followed her line of sight, as she took in the butterflies, fluttering in the air over the multitude of colorful flowers. A gust of wind blew across the meadow and the grass had the appearance of ocean waves rolling lazily along. A smile formed at the corners of her mouth, and I couldn’t help it; I smiled too.

No longer afraid to move, Allison began to walk up the hill with her arms outstretched, fingers caressing the tips of the grass. She made her way toward the oak tree at the top of the hill. I fell in behind her, transfixed by her grace and the sheer elegance of her movements, as she swam through the ocean of grass. My heart pounded against the chest that confined it. I was caught up in the remarkable moment unfolding before me. It was more than even I had anticipated, and seeing the effect it was having on Allison made it all the sweeter.

She stopped when she reached the peak of the hill, waiting under the outstretched branches of the tree, turning
to see if I was coming. She still wore that little smile, pulling at the corners of her mouth, and her eyes were alive and dancing with excitement. I made my way the last few steps and took her in my arms, kissing her with all the emotion I had been holding inside. She pressed herself tightly against my body, and I could taste the need in her kiss. In our passion, we sought to satisfy our escalating desires, the
longing for each other nearly consuming us. My heart ached, and I desperately wanted to be with her, but this was not the time. I nearly drowned in my desire for her. For the briefest of moments, I touched Heaven as Allison sighed, and I felt her body tremble against mine. I was aware only of Allison; nothing else mattered, only the touch of her bare skin, the scent of her hair, the taste of her lips, as our hearts pounded together in perfect rhythm.

We kissed until our hunger slowly abated. We stood locked together in a tight embrace, content with just holding on to each other and sharing in the moment. With the barest of separation between our bodies, I guided her under the lowest branch to the backside of the tree, where the hearts of my grandfather and father had been carved. Her eyes widened, and I felt her cling strongly to me for support as she gasped for air.

She had trouble with her voice, as her inner emotions nearly succeeded in rendering her unable to talk. “I never envisioned…” she managed to say unevenly. “Dani told me…unbelievable…your grandfather and father…” then she could say no more and just held me. Like so many before her, she raised her hand, feeling the need to touch my Grandfather’s heart. With adoration and respect, she tenderly traced both Grandpa Jake and Grandma Sarah’s name, and then read his words softly and barely audibly, “For your love I would cross any ocean.”

To be a part of something so memorable, as you hold someone you love close to you, standing in a place that could only be believable in the most magical of romance novel, leaves a lasting impression on your soul
forever. I now understood why so many lovers ventured to this spot. It held such meaning, which only magnified the feelings from deep within a lover’s heart. You could not walk through the meadow and face the hearts on the tree, without being hopelessly touched by the love carved there. All around us, the sounds of life were vibrant and abundant. The humming of insects and the songs of nearby birds added to the aura of the meadow. Yet, in this small, confined space, which consisted of Allison, me, and the majestic oak tree, the only sounds to rise above the internalized silence were the joined beating of our hearts and the airy resonance of our rhythmic breathing.

We stood together, lost in the moment, neither of us wanting to disrupt the powerful connection binding us. Allison was the first to break our silence by saying, “Amazing!”

“I think you are too!” I replied, and she got a confused look on her face. I smiled at her and we both started to laugh. She pulled me closer and we hugged again, this time more playfully. I whispered in her ear, “Are you hungry? I brought food.”

She stepped back from me and looked me straight in the eye asking, “Are you serious? What do you have, gum? Candy bar?”

Feigning to be hurt, I told her I could do a whole lot better than gum or a candy bar. I offered to share some chicken, potato salad, and cherry pie with her instead. The look on her face was one for the ages. She looked like a comedian trying to come up with the right facial expression to punctuate the tag line in a joke. Her nose would flare and then her eyes would crunch tight as she tried to read my expression. She even let out a snort, belying her doubt. Her eyes opened wide and she turned deeply red as she began to realize I might actually have planned all of this ahead of time. Satisfied that I had her completely bewildered, I smiled and moved around the tree where the cooler and picnic basket were nestled in the shade. I didn’t think her eyes could get any bigger, but when she saw the backpack it was her turn to be surprised. For once, I got to see her silly grin.

I asked her to bring the picnic basket while I carried the backpack with the cooler inside. She didn’t say a word, the silly grin still firmly in place. She followed me back to the flat spot on the other side of the tree. I sat the pack down a ways from it and opened the buckles to release the straps. Loosening the clasp on the tightening rope, I reached in and withdrew the quilt that Grandma Sarah had given me to use. I shook it out. Then, as Allison held on to the bottom, we laid it out over the flatter area under the branches of the oak tree. Leaving the cooler in the pack, I placed it on one corner of the blanket to hold it in place. Likewise, Allison put the picnic basket on the opposite corner. I didn’t have to walk far to pick up a couple of heavier rocks to use for the other two corners. There were several nearby, a few paces downhill from the flat spot, where they were more or less stored for just this use.

Allison was getting giddy and wanting to know if I
really had chicken in the cooler and cherry pie, too I relished the moment and the seeming success of my picnic surprise. I took my time inspecting the blanket to make sure it was in proper alignment. I tugged a little here and stretched it out a little there. It was having the desired affect on Allison. Unable to stand it any longer, she made a dash for the cooler to see what was inside. I caught her before she could open the lid and carried her squirming body to the center of the blanket. She tried to get away by tickling my sides, but instead, she was the one who ended up in a fit of laughter when I turned the tables on her. I tickled her until she laughed so hard that she had trouble catching her breath.