1950s Summer

Chapter 19- Last Night

As night approached, you and Carol walked back into the beach house and got ready for the night. Neither of you talked much, but you didn't really have to. You just liked being next to her and knowing she was there.

You and Carol made dinner together and ate together with soft music playing from the old and dusty record player in the living room. Only a few lamps lit the house and the yellow light projected onto the walls and floors like pixie dust.

You loved to just look at her and admire all the details and movements she made. It sometimes would worry you how much you almost glorified her. It probably wasn't the best thing for you, but you still did because it's all you ever wanted to do. It's how you knew you loved her.

You knew Carol would see you stare and watch her, but she didn't mind. At times, you would just see a grin form on her face and smile at you.

After relaxing and laying around the house for a bit, the both of you washed up and got ready for bed. You could see Carol propped up on the bed reading a book as you brushed out your hair and you couldn't help but think about how this life was everything you ever wanted.

You walked towards the bed and laid against her body as she moved her arm to hold you. It almost was like Carol was going to read to you, but she put the book down and kissed your forehead. The look that was exchanged could ignite a fire that was forever warm.

"It's almost the end of the summer now." Carol said melancholy.

"I know."

"I wasted so much time," Carol sighed. "I should have said something to you earlier."

"This is better than nothing at all. Don't get onto yourself like that Carol." You kissed her cheek. "You know it won't do any good." You kissed her jaw. "You have to appreciate things as they happen." You kissed her neck. "Not as you wish for them to happen."

Carol smiled and lifted your head with her fingers holding up your chin. She glided one of her  fingers lightly over your bottom lip and you watched her eyes move from your eyes to your lips and back to your eyes.

After the both of you have cemented that moment into your minds, Carol leaned in and kissed you slowly and softly. Her lips just brushed against yours and her breath stopped. You knew she had held her breath almost as if she was a bit scared.

You reached your hand up to hold her face as you kissed her harder and deeper. Carol reciprocated the movements.

She twisted herself so that she was on top of you and you felt her body weight pushing against yours. And you loved it. You immersed yourself in all the sensations and let your mind go wherever it wanted.

Both of your bodies, like a work of art, creating art. Fully and unwaveringly in love with each other. A love anybody would ask for, wish for, even long for. You had longed for it for more time than you were capable of computing.

It was like magic and magnificence under the covers with electricity pulsing through her body and transferring to yours.

After falling asleep, you're awoken from the phone ringing in the kitchen. It was so loud, you had thought you had set an alarm clock by accident.

Carol woke up too and made herself get up to answer it. You didn't really hear much and you were too distracted from your tiredness to try to listen.

Once Carol hung up after a mumbled "mhmm", "okay", and "bye", she crawled back into bed no longer looking as sleepy as you felt.

"Who was it?" You asked with your eyes barely open.

"It was Abby."

"Why?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow." She kissed your forehead. "Go back to bed. We had to leave tomorrow."

And she rolled over to hold you as she fell back asleep. You mind a bit confused, but more tired, so you uncontrollably fell back into your slumber, arms intertwined with Carol's.

_________

When you woke up, Carol was already starting to gather things from around the beach house. Cleaning up the little mess we had made in our short stay. She looked in a hurry, but not completely because she still greeted you with a kiss and sweet smile.

"Good morning darling." She whispered in your ear.

All you could do was smile back and admire her perfect face. Her blue eyes that you had memorized well enough to see them in your sleep. You wished that you could stay in that moment forever, never aging, never living on from the perfect morning air. You wanted to freeze Carol, freeze the sun and the stars. Freeze all life because you couldn't see yourself living truly without her.

You tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and let your hand slowly fall down to her jaw. Carol immediately smirked and kissed you while saying "I love you" in between breaths.

"We really do have to go though." Carol said.

"Okay, yes. I know."

"We will drop some stuff off at the house and then get ready for Elaine's dinner rehearsal in the evening."

"Is that why we're going back, Elaine's dinner rehearsal?"

"No." She said flatly.

"Carol?" You weren't sure what was going on. "Why then?"

"Abby said that she heard my mother crying the other night before going to bed. She said that she wasn't sure why and asked if I knew, which I don't. So we're going back to comfort my mom and maybe figure out how to help however we can."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you have any idea to why she's sad?"

"No, I don't." She let out a long breath. "But I intend to find out."

"Yes, of course." You gave Carol a tight hug.

Not long later, you were in the car headed back to the house. Carol was quiet, but you didn't take offense to it. You knew that Carol cared about her mother a lot, you cared about Alicia just as much as well.

You couldn't understand why she would be so upset. Her oldest daughter was getting married and everyone was back at the summer house like old times. You also wondered if she had been crying at night more than just the one time Abby had seen. Whatever it was, you were determined to help, just as Carol was.