Returning to You...story, wip.

As I stepped out into the midday sun the scent of Jasmine filled my nostrils. I walked over to the bushes fingering the delicate petals; suddenly I was lost in thought. Remembering the first time we saw this house. The realtor was eager for us to look inside, instead we walked the perimeter of the house. It seemed we saw the bushes at the same time. There before us were Jasmine bushes in full bloom. We looked at each other and smiled a knowing smile, we new immediately we didn’t have to go inside. This house was meant just for us.

I chuckled to myself remembering that day running to meet you. I had missed you so, you’d been gone for what seemed forever. And you had to go back to the sail the oceans in less than 36 hours. All I knew was that you was here now and I would savor every second.
I smiled as I remembered tripping over a root falling into a Jasmine bush. The contents of my shopping bag spilling onto the ground, not even noticing that I had skinned my knee, but grateful for having saved the grapes from a worse fate. “Not the most graceful entrance you’ve ever made” I laughed. How I must’ve looked to you, petals and leaves stuck to my hair and clothes. Jumping into your arms kissing your face everywhere, even now my heart beats wildly at the thought. Then as I gently slid my feet down to the ground, you held my face in your hands so tenderly. I could’ve sworn I saw love dancing in your eyes.

A few days or so after you had left for the open seas I sat at a sidewalk café penning a letter. A kindly middle-aged man walked up to me and placed an envelope atop my favorite book. “This is for you”, he said as he introduced himself, adding that he was a freelance photographer. He then told me how he happened to be on the beach that day. “These are the moments that photographers live for.” I pulled a photo out of the envelope, this man had captured that moment, the moment I saw love dancing in your eyes. Tears trickled down my cheeks. I looked toward the gentleman to say thank you but words failed me. He smiled, patted my hand and said, “And it is moments like this that every old man lives for.” After he had gone I penned a note on the back of the photo and with a Jasmine blossom put them into an enveloped addressed to you.

Jolted into reality I knew exactly what to do. As I made my way to the kitchen grinning to myself, the clock chimed two. I was about to call you for lunch when I turned and there you were dust sparkling in your hair. Suddenly I noticed a streak on your cheek. I was about to ask what was wrong when you stretched out your hand and there before me was my favorite book. As I fingered the pages the scent of Jasmine rose to meet me. The pages fell open and there was the photo, I turned it over and read aloud the inscription.

"It feels like forever between the times that we see each other, and the time goes too quickly when we finally do. At least that is how it feels to me. I do try to blanket disappointment with quiet resignations of "such is life". To give it a gentle kiss goodnight knowing all the while it will fall into blissful dreams and eagerly wake with tomorrows. It is hard to tiptoe away from the full moon on the horizon without a wistful backward glance or even a momentary pout. For the "in between" space fills with clich&#;s that suddenly aren't so cliché anymore. You discover mushy is something you like squishing your toes in. Or finding that corny pops with delight and we are the salt and butter that makes in melt in your mouth and can never get enough of. I blush at the thought that I'm saying any of this and am actually going to send it to you despite my blushing. I'll be skipping stones counting the moments till your return."

I looked up at you smiling; I thought my heart would burst from the joy of it all. Do you know how much I adore you? How I love moments like this. When it seems that the earth really does move just for us? I took you by the hand and led you outside. There on the lawn was the blanket, the wine, the cheese and the grapes. In the center of the blanket was a bowl filled with Jasmine blossoms. We smiled, we kissed, we reminisced, memories are made of this…