SUMMER OF '75 |h.s|

Adeline;

Skipping from August to May 1976

It was a beautiful spring day on the first of May. I was enjoying this lovely weather out by the neighborhood pool in my blue and black bikini while my body was starting to burn from the sun that I hoped would turn into a nice tan.

"Baby, will you please get in with me?" That same familiar voice I've listened to for years now snaps me out of my daydreaming and I can't help, but smile. 

"I won't have a nice tan if I'm in the water," I tell him, covering my eyes with my sunglasses and laying back on my chair.

"You don't need a tan, you're beautiful already. Please," He begs while I continue to lay in my chair. Moments pass by without him asking again until suddenly I'm lifted from my chair, skin touching the familiar body I love dearly, but so unpleasing while wet.

  "Harry, no!" I shout, quickly plugging my nose as I'm thrown into the water. 

"I told you I didn't want to swim!" I yell while he laughs and I can't help, but to giggle with him. I swim over next to him.

I wrap my arms gently over his shoulders as his quickly go to my waist beneath the water. "I can't tell you enough how beautiful you are, love." His kind words never fail to cause my stomach to turn over with butterflies. "I love you so much," I press my lips against his and before it could go any further than that, we both hear the gates around the pool open and an older woman with two little kids walk in.

***

The pool later on began to get a little crowded with more families from the neighborhood and finally the two of us dry off and start to walk back home. 

"What do you want for dinner?" I ask.

"Whatever you want is fine with me." Harry tells me as he locks his fingers with mine.

"Hmm," I thought about that for a minute.

"Come over around seven-thirty and I'll see what I can do," I tell him with a smile and we stop walking momentarily to kiss. 

We reach the end of the sidewalk as Harry walks towards the other direction to get to his house and I with mine. "Seven-thirty" I shout.

"I love you," He shouts back.

I arrive home and change out of my bathing suit and into a simple pink T-shirt and black shorts and throw my dry chlorine mixed hair into a messy bun.

I then rummage through my kitchen cabinets to see what it is I can throw together for dinner before finally deciding on mashed potatoes which turned out amazingly, green beans that tasted like they had been cooked too long and meatloaf, that tasted fine, but could use a little more work, but I was proud of myself considering I hardly ever cook. 

I walk barefoot onto the back porch and holler at my father who is, of course working on a vehicle, "Dad! Dinner is ready." 

He stands up from under the hood, "You made dinner?" He asks shockingly as he walks closer to the back door. 

"Yes and Harry is on his way so clean up and let's eat!" I tell him as he walks in and goes to his bedroom to wash some of the grease from the cars off and suddenly the doorbell rings and I welcome in a curly haired brunette boy with big green eyes in a simple white T-shirt and some ripped denim jeans.

"Hi," I lean up to kiss his lips before letting him inside. "Hello, m'lady," He smiles and follows me into the dining room where I have everything set up. 

"Looks like she did pretty good, dont'cha think?" My dad asks as he walks into the room.

"Of course. Nice to see you, Mr. Ralley." Harry shakes my father's hand like he does every time he comes over or sees him at all really.