Warmth of Memories

The snow began to fall that afternoon, drifting down slowly, swirling in small whirlpool shapes on the ground.  It was a perfect day for a walk in the park: quiet and calm.  He imagined most people huddled up indoors cozy by a fire, but this was their sort of weather, cold and crisp.

He led her to an open bench with a view of the bridge, his favorite place in the park.  There was a young couple frolicking in the snow nearby.  He imagined they were newly engaged or about to be engaged.  They were laughing, lost in each other's company, oblivious to their presence.

Elliot was watching the couple with an air of fascination.  They reminded him of he and Gracie, in their much younger years, of course.  He glanced down at his ungloved hand which was loosely gripping the seat, gnarled with arthritis, and a bit chapped from the cold.  Suddenly he thought of the 4th of July dance where they met all those years ago.

It took place in the same park which had been done up with lights and outfitted with a dance floor for the occasion.  Tables had been lined up along one side of the dance floor overflowing with pies, sandwiches, and punch.  Young men strutting and preening, ladies trying their best to look demure and modest.  He remembered it well and not for the reason which now sprang to mind - dancing with Sally Jenkins. 

Ah, Sally Jenkins and her curly blond hair and those piercing blue eyes which reminded him of the sea at night, dark and somewhat ominous.  She wore bright red lipstick and somehow kept it perfect all night long even with the incredible heat and the attention of several admirers.  How he had longed to kiss her then. 

He remembered the heat that night too: stifling and humid.  There was something about the memory of her from that evening which made him breathless, a reaction he never expected all these years later.  He remembered it all so clearly.  They had danced for what seemed like hours.  The music loud to him even now, horns and drums thumping clearly from a time far away.  Shoes slapping the wooden dance floor in time to the music.  People laughing and talking loudly to be heard over the music.  He could even recall the scent of her, very floral with a hint of musk.  He felt himself smiling at the memory.  His hands on her back, warm and damp in the heat.  Twirling her around, watching her laugh and spin.  Not wanting to let her go.

“Do you remember that 4th of July dance where we met?” asked Gracie at his side.  He turned to her, soft brown eyes sparkling up at him.  Wisps of gray hair were escaping from under her hat and blowing about her face.

“I do.”  He smiled at her.  “What I remember though is you standing by the punchbowl when I came over to get a drink.  That pale pink dress you were wearing, just light enough to see through if I remember correctly.  And I do,” he said nudging her a bit.  “You had your hair down and it barely brushed the top of your shoulders.  You wore it in big curls which bounced when you walked.  Very endearing to an impressionable young man such as myself that night.  And that dress, did I mention the dress?”

“Funny you choose to remember that because what I remember is you dancing with Sally Jenkins all night,” said Gracie smiling and snorting a bit at the memory.

Even now, many years older, Gracie still had the same devious look about her that he fell in love with that night.  Her eyes, heavily lashed, were hiding what he always thought to be a silly story and one he wanted to hear her tell.  She had a smile that lit up her face and from the first moment he met her, he thought she was luminous.  She seemed to glow from within.  That was the quality that intrigued him and had for the past 50 years.  Even that night, damp from the heat, she was beautiful and radiant.  He had to suppress an urge to grab her hand and run away with her and beg her to tell him stories just to hear her voice one more time. 

From that moment on, he wanted only to listen to her talk, mesmerized by her every word and move.  Any and all ideas associated with Sally Jenkins had been purged from his head, and that night there had been many.  He had been called away from Gracie by some friends as the music was starting back up.  He quickly filled two glasses and walked back to Sally but all the while wondering how he could steal a moment alone with Gracie.  He spent the rest of the night hoping Sally didn't notice but she had and in a way he was very grateful for it.  It was the excuse he needed to run after Gracie.  He unceremoniously left Sally with Jack Hawkins, much to Jack's delight, if not Sally's as well.

“Yes, but if you remember correctly, it was you that I walked home that night,” said Elliot admonishing her with a smile and amused by the look on her face.  He studied her for a moment.  “That was it you know.”

“What was it?” she asked smiling at him devilishly.

“It was your smile.  It always looks like you're hiding something and I asked to walk you home that night because of it,” he said.  “After I got my punch and turned around to see you smiling and laughing with Billy Greene all I could think about the rest of the night was what you were hiding, like you were laughing at a joke only known to you.”

Her head was lowered but he could see her smiling coyly.  “You know I'm still trying to figure it out to this day,” he said.

“Well, do you think you can figure it out over a cup of coffee?  I'm getting a bit cold and the snow's starting to fall harder now.  I may have promised in good health and bad but I prefer not to live through the bad if I don't have to.”

She got up and extended her hand which was gloved in the blue mittens she always wore when it snowed.  He took the proffered hand gratefully, happy that all these years she was still by his side.

They passed by the couple on the way to the bridge.  “Do you remember the night I asked you to marry me?” asked Elliot.

Gracie laughed, very loud and with a tinge of amusement, “Of course I do!  It was the same night of the dance.”  She stopped suddenly, still holding his hand.  “Do you remember what I said?”

“You said no if I remember correctly,” said Elliot wryly.

“Well, you were moving a bit fast, considering we hadn't even been on a date yet.”

Elliot smiled and turned away from Gracie walking slowly to the rail, brushing away snow and resting his hands on the cold metal. 

Gracie followed a few steps behind.  “I'm glad I said yes the second time you asked.” 

Elliot reached over and rested his hand on hers.  “So am I my dear.  So am I.”

As they stood there, the young couple began to walk away, still locked in each others arms.  “Hopefully she won't say yes the first time either,” said Gracie.  “It's good to keep a man on his toes you know.”  She glanced up at Elliot who had a look of shock on his face.  “So, coffee?” she asked with a big smile.

Word Count – 1,290