by Rachel Torrent

Sahndra was feeling a bit worn down and complaint-prone. Maybe just plain tired. She wrinkled up her face at Julie. “I can’t go to that movie with ya Saturday like we’d planned. Earl Ray wants to take me to the beach ………..for a little holiday or something………..He says I need it.” Sahndra didn’t sound like she was looking forward to her “little holiday.”

“Maybe you do need it, dearest……….And he looks marvelous in swimming trunks, lemme tell ya,” Julie said with a wink.

Sahndra rolled her eyes. She had more on her mind today than Earl Ray in swimming trunks. “But one of the dogs is sick, and I’ve got that damn library thing to do with Carli, and—”

“Just chill out! He’s trying to take ya away from all that shit! He knows ya need to relax. And Roger can take care of the dogs.”

Sahndra sat back sharply in her chair. They were sipping lemonade on her deck. “Oh, no. That asshole ain’t doing ME any favors. Not after the way he treated me when I brought him that rye bread and soup. He can kiss my tight ass!” She was a little flushed.

Julie chuckled. “You still pissed at him about that? That was three weeks ago!”

“He was a bastard to me, Jules. You heard him. I wasn’t even the one that hit him.”

Julie looked around the back yard. “I’m sorry. I know he’s rough around the edges sometimes.”

“Don’t apologize for his dumb ass. He’s definitely not worth it.”

“He custom-ordered that new car over the weekend. The one he’s been wanting,” Julie said, trying to smooth things over.

“Which one? I’m not particularly up on his wishes and desires. Thank God.” Sahndra was still icily hostile towards Roger. Just as he’d been to her when she last saw him.

“That sleek, black Mercedes. It’s unbelievably elegant. And sporty too. Ought to take a month to get here.”

“Roger purchased something black? How very odd!” Sahndra was spewing sarcasm.

“Okay………I’ll drop it.”

“Anyways, Scottie’s taking care of the dogs. He says he misses them.” Sahndra smiled unconsciously at the thought of Scottie with the dogs. And just at the thought of Scottie.

“I saw Christine yesterday, and she said they’re finally okay again after all that stripper bullshit,” Julie said.

Shaking her head, Sahndra answered, “They EVER pull that crap on us again and I’ll cut Earl Ray’s thing off for him.”

“Yeah, I think I held out on Roger long enough to keep him from doing it again." And, what a glorious, passionate reunion it had been once she gave in to him. “He never even said anything else about Jack.”

Sahndra changed the subject away from Roger. “So this little beach house Earl Ray’s taking me to………….It’s nice?”

“You’re staying at the beach house?” This surprised Julie although she couldn’t readily think of a reason why Earl Ray shouldn’t take Sahndra there. The beach house, quaint and cozy, belonged to a couple of friends Julie and Earl Ray had shared. She had spent lots of quality romantic time there with him while they’d been married. But now it was Sahndra’s turn.

“Yeah. He said you guys used to stay there some,” Sahndra said. “Fond memories, hmm?” She had seen that flicker of the unexpected in Julie’s eyes.

But then Julie regained her balance and smiled. “You’ll love the beach house. HE certainly does. He loves the beach and everything about that secluded, magical little place. You’ll wish you never had to leave.”

“Sounds cool,” Sahndra said. “Maybe I DO need a little ‘R and R.’ And since we already christened your old bed, we can scare the taboo off this place too.”

“Hold on just a damn minute. Back up. You christened MY old bed? The one at our house?” Julie was more than a little surprised at this news. Not disappointed. Just shocked.

Sahndra laughed. “Did I forget to mention that?”

“Yes, you did, you bitch. Until now. So pull your smartass up in that chair and do tell.”

* * *

Julie was absolutely right, Sahndra thought. This place was, in a word, magical. The beach house proper sat alone on the end of a small residential island that they had driven out to. There were four other homes on the island, but none of them were visible from this beautiful, secluded spot.

The house could be called a “cottage,” and was big enough for only two people – two very close people at that. It was well-furnished in mahogany and pastel colors. It was well-equipped also with all the small “creature comforts” a vacation love nest might need. Always with amazing foresight, Earl Ray had brought along tons of food – anything and everything they might need for sustenance.

As Sahndra surveyed the place, she was thinking that HE was all the sustenance she would require. She was already imagining him in that huge, four-postered bed, with herself under him, of course.

The beach was as isolated as the cottage, with snow-white, loosely-packed clean sand. All one could see from this little corner of the world was blue-green waves and blindingly pretty sand.

Earl Ray insisted that they kick off their shoes and hurry down to the water’s edge as soon as they arrived. He held her hand and almost dragged her along after him. Sahndra, never much of a beach- loving person before, felt an unexpected thrill standing there next to him, holding his moist hand as the tide lapped at their feet and ankles.

“This is Paradise, baby,” she heard him say. “I’ve brought you to Paradise.”

“Thanks for sharing it with me, honey. This place is stunning,” she told him in his ear. Then she kissed him.

They stood there hugging each other while their feet sank deeper into wet sand. Warm waves washing over their toes while warmer waves were flowing over their hearts.

* * *

Later that evening, after they had unpacked and cooked steaks on the grill, they sat in two huge wooden Adirondack chairs on the beach and listened to the ocean. Against Sahndra’s objections, Earl Ray had moved the heavy chairs down to the sand, and it had been worth it. The stars were bright, and the wind was cool. The high tide rolled on the shore way down in front of them.

Wearing sweatshirts and shorts, they sat side-by-side and held hands as they watched the millions of stars in the clear sky. Earl Ray’s sweatshirt was the white hooded one that she’d bought him recently, and she openly admired him in it now – how cuddly and warm he looked, so unwittingly. Both of them had their feet buried in the sand.

“I’d bring some candles out here, sweetie, if they’d stay lit,” he said.

“What do we need candles for?”

“To add to the romance………to heighten the mood.” He squeezed her hand in his, and she felt her heart dancing around in her ribcage.

“Earl Ray, this is plenty romantic enough, honey. Sitting here on a deserted beach with you, counting the gorgeous stars, listening to the ocean waves………….holding your hand………..It’s certainly enough for me………….kinda like magic,” Sahndra told him with a sideways smile.

He looked up at the sky. “Yeah, they look like tiny precious stones, don’t they?”

She followed his gaze, reluctantly taking her eyes off his face. “Millions of them.”

“What’s your favorite precious stone, sweetheart?” He was still looking up. “In case I wanna buy ya some jewelry.”

Sahndra watched him again. He was more ravishing to her than a hundred million stars or jewels. “Umm………I don’t know………..I love those pearl necklaces you’re so free with.” She smiled when he glanced over at her.

Earl Ray pursed his lips and tried to look serious. “Seriously, Sahndra……….Whadaya like?”

“Rubies, I guess. I love red.” She blurted this out without hesitation.

“Shit!” He looked down, away from her, shaking his head.

“What, Earl Ray?” What had she said wrong to cause this reaction?

“I KNEW I’d bought the wrong fucking thing! Goddamnit!” He seemed suddenly upset. With himself. “I wanted so damn bad to surprise ya, baby.” He was still looking down, dejected.

Sahndra touched his firm arm. “Sweetheart, what did you get? I know I’ll love it if you picked it out.”

“Naw, I doubt it. I screwed up.”

She felt like she’d spoiled the mood, and it felt horrible. “What is it, honey? Lemme see.”

“A diamond,” he mumbled to the ground.

Sahndra was sure she hadn’t heard him correctly over the wind and the water. “A what?”

“A diamond………….a solitaire.” He faced her now and handed her a small white box he’d pulled out of his shorts pocket. Still trying to look disappointed with himself, he said, “Sorry, angel. We can take it back next week.”

Sahndra involuntarily sucked in a huge gulp of sea air. “Is that a ring box, Earl Ray?”

“It’s all they had to put a ring in, sweetie.”

She took it from him gingerly and opened it. “Oh……..my……..God.”

He leaned over closer to her, sitting up in his chair. “I want ya to marry me, Sahndra………….and maybe even have some kids with me too……………But I’ll understand if ya say ‘hell no’ to an asshole that can’t even buy the right piece of jewelry.”

Slowly, she pulled her eyes off the magnificent solitaire and looked at him. He was smiling, with pretty dancing eyes. Almost too overwhelmed to speak, she managed to say, “Is this your way of proposing to me, Earl Ray?”

Then, instantly, he was in front of her, his knees in the sand. He held her hand in both of his lovingly. “Please say ‘yes,’ angel. I love you,” he said, raising her hand to his warm lips.

Sahndra bent over and threw her arms around him, burying her face in the soft hood and clinging tightly to the little white box. “I love you too, Earl Ray………………I never thought you’d ask. Yes! Yes! Yes! A million times yes!”

He was laughing now as he pulled away from her. “Are ya sure?”

“Yes!” Sahndra laughed too although she had tears in her eyes.

“This is a third go-round for me, honey. I’m risky material.”

“Well, you’re MY material now, Mr. Michaels. And I want my turn atcha.”

“Put it on,” he said. He was looking at the box.

Sahndra let him remove the ring from its pedestal of velvet and slide it onto her finger. Strangely enough, it fit perfectly. Their eyes met. “I took your old one with me…………for size,” he said softly.

Scottie’s ring, she thought without even a touch of sadness. Earl Ray must have taken it for comparison purposes too because this new one was larger and brighter than she remembered Scottie’s ring being.

She kissed Earl Ray’s mouth. “You’re too good to be true, sweetheart.”

“Wrong. Here I am…………in the flesh.” He smiled and spread his arms.

“And what desirable flesh it is too……………Is this all for real, Earl Ray?………..We’re gonna be married?……………..I’m gonna be Mrs. Earl Ray Michaels?” Her eyes shone with wild joy.

“Yep. Unless ya change your mind, love,” he said.

“Not a chance in hell, buddy. And let’s do it soon too. I wanna get to the honeymoon part.” Sahndra was dying to touch him, all of him.

“We can go inside and rehearse that part right now.”

Earl Ray stood up and held a hand out to Sahndra. She took it, and he pulled her up into his arms. They kissed passionately in the sand under the stars.

* * *

They crawled into the big postered bed that night and then crawled into each other. They consumed each other as if it would be their last night together, instead of the first night of their joined life forever.

The candles that wouldn’t withstand the beach wind were glowing perfectly around their bedroom on this night. And Sahndra thanked the heavens above her that this man, in this bed, in this candlelight, was to be hers from now on. She had the ring to prove it.

Magic.

They ate breakfast in bed the next morning. Then made love again. It seemed that between each activity of the day, they understood each other and took a break to make love once again. Sahndra laughed to herself as she watched him on the beach during the day – shirtless and wearing his dark shades. He DID look awesome in his swimming trunks. Julie had been right about that too.

They took a walk down the shoreline each way until they came up on the next residence on both sides of them. Then they played “catch” with a rubber football, whereupon he made fun of her “throwing like a girl.”

“I AM a girl!”

“Show me.”

So they took another break.

Dinner that night was by candlelight and with celebratory champagne. They had cooked it together. And they felt it only fair to feed it to each other too.

Sahndra truly didn’t want to leave Paradise when it was time to go Sunday night. It had been more than relaxing. It had been life-altering. She was gaining a mate for life. The one who would make her happier than she’d ever dreamed she could be.

But Earl Ray promised that they would return soon. And she felt completely assured that life with him from now until death parted them would be as close to Paradise as Earth would allow humans to get.