Intertwined

A love story told from the beginning with love, and passion

                    
                 Intertwined...


The little boy who lived down the road was brown from the
summer sun. He worked hard driving a tractor for 10 or 12
hours a day. The hard work didn't seem to bother him.  It bothered her.
 She played in her back yard having tea parties with imaginary people. She would often watch
him work. Early in the mornings he would walk the fence to reach their tractor and begin his day.
He would tease her, asking if she wanted to come work with him. Outside her answer was always "No,not today". Inside the
answer was always "Yes'.

He laughed easily and loved to whistle. She never knew what song he was whistling but she liked the sound.

He worked hard while she played. She envied him his ability
to be alone for most of the day. He envied her the privilege
to eat ice cream any time she chose. She desired to grow up. She knew he could do this without any chains attached. There would always be invisible chains on her.

They became friends forming an unusual alliance.

As they grew up, becoming teenagers, the attraction between
the two young people was almost tangible to friends and family. They danced around each other in the realms of their minds,
afraid to actually touch.

Finally, one night at a bonfire, he asked her to dance."When a Man Loves a Woman" was playing on the radio. They danced every dance after that song, together. They fit perfectly in each others arms.

Unsure of what to do...the feelings were exciting and frightening. She whispered, "I will never tell you no".
"Yes you will", he said almost to himself.
"No I won't, ask me."
He did with a kiss. Their lives changed forever that night.
They were no longer the share croppers son and the girl next door.

They each experienced something new, something more intense
than friendship, something close to love. Whatever it was, it was more dangerous than death if either had been caught.

The new feeling felt like the heat had been sucked from the earth. It was a force not easily controlled.

Slowly they began the game of life.

They talked of prom's, music and the Beatles. They shared best friends, going steady, holding hands in the halls at school. They shared good night kisses and they shared their secret.

Whenever they could steal away, they went to the bluffs over looking the Mississippi River with a blanket stolen from his home. On the banks of the Mississippi they discovered each other and life.

Often the couple had doubts and questions. It seemed they held 'forever' by a shoestring. Holding on tight so it would not break or slip through their fingers. Sixteen can be wonderfully frightening.

They shared nicknames,inside jokes and lustful motives. They played games, wrote letters and toyed with the idea of 'forever'.

They always said, "I love you", in whispers, too afraid to say the words aloud.

Both of them were filled with questions. They were to afraid to ask for answers, even though they lived the answers aloud, daily in front of their small world.

When she was alone, she often wondered if he felt the same way she did. He did...even though he never told her exactly how he felt.

He had questions and fears too. 'What if she found someone else?'  She wasn't looking for anyone else. He didn't know this for sure.

Two more years passed and their worst fears came to pass.
They grew imaginary wings, preparing to fly away in opposite directions.

They became angry over nothing and fought over everything. Until finally one night they let each other go.

Each going their separate way, to chase dreams that did not include each other.

Two years passed in silence. Other people walked in and out of their lives. It never felt right for very long.

They both experienced life on their own terms without each other.
They had fun, learned a few life lessons and made some memories. However, in the middle of the night, in a restless sleep, they dreamed of each other and the bluffs.

When daylight came, the dreams were forgotten and life went on.

By accident, one hot muggy July night, they ran into each other at the county fair. He was in on leave from the Marines and she was home from college for the summer. Each marveled at the changes in the other.

He was buff and muscular. His voice was deeper. He was more handsome than ever.

She was tall and tan. Her hair was longer than he had ever seen it. He couldn't take his eyes off of her.

She smiled back starring at him drinking in his scent.

Neither spoke words aloud at first. Finally small talk eased its way between them. They walked the fairgrounds and somewhere in the middle of the dust, dirt and loud carnival rides, he took her hand.

Finally she felt at home again.

They made their way back to his car where they sat and talked for hours. Each one filling in the blanks of the past two years.

He leaned over and kissed her. A long slow deep kiss. The air was filled with memories, transporting them back to a time they missed.

He looked at her for a long a long time then said, "I want to be with you for the rest of my life."

Without blinking she said, "You will."

Enough was said, once again the car found its way back to the bluffs.