“So, Matt and I are thinking about taking a Caribbean cruise this summer. Doesn’t that sound inviting? I’m so excited!”
“That sounds wonderful, Sam.”
Samantha peered at her friend while sipping from her latté cup. Though but a bistro table apart, Robin seemed worlds away. “What is it? What’s the matter, Rob? I figured you’d be excited for me.”
“I am, Sam. I am. You and Matt will have a good time.”
“Then why so stoic in tone? Did you have a bad cruise experience or something? You have been on a cruise before, right?”
Robin twisted in her seat and took in the afternoon fare: the gentle Spring breeze on her face; the cloud wisps dancing over the skyscrapers; and the distant sound of denizens hustling and bustling around her. Her words resonated more as a confession than a statement. “Yes, I’ve been on a cruise before – once – and, well, it was the best time of my life.”
Sam noticed the liquid film glossing over her co-worker-turned-confidant’s eyes. Is that from the breeze or… Woman’s intuition quickly told her otherwise. “Oh… Oh! I’m so sorry, Robin. I didn’t mean to stir up any old…”
She dabbed her eyes with a napkin. “No, it’s okay, Sam. I’ll be fine. Really, I’m happy for you and Matt. You’ll have the time of your life.” Robin rolled her eyes and mustered a well-guarded smile. “Believe me.”
Lattés were now sipped in unison. Silence entertained the two friends seated upon the bistro’s patio amidst a host of buzzing voices. Intuition whispered another secret in Sam’s ear regarding Robin’s curious smile. Working up the nerve, Samantha gingerly inquired, “So, Rob, would you like to tell me about it? Your cruise?”
Robin stretched her arms into the afternoon sunrays while exhaling frustrated air into the crisp breeze.
“You don’t have to tell me, you know. I just thought…”
“You were right, Sam. I suppose I would like to share. That ship sailed a long time ago, and it’s been bottled up ever since. Sure, I’ve been on a cruise – of sorts – though never a cruise proper. And it wasn’t a summer cruise… Wasn’t even a cruise on the ocean… The year was 1992…”
<><+><>
“W – Would you like some more hot cider, R – Robin?”
He was still nervous: His fifth date with this beautiful young woman and he could barely speak. And though the two of them were outside on this chilly winter’s night, he was under the spell of some strange fever-dream. It must have been the effects of her enchanting red hair.
“Why, thank you very much, kind sir! I am appreciative!”
He poured her another cup from the thermos, both watching as the rising steam twirled within the wintry nip before dissipating under the stars above. The moonlit pair being juniors in college, neither had much money to spend, but he didn’t care. Where there was a will, there was a way, and he would give this girl on the pedestal everything he could… all that he had to offer… his heart.
“R – Robin, I wrote a song. Would it be okay if I shared it with you?”
Her smile warmed his shivering body: shaken to the core from nervousness rather than the cold. “I would love to hear a song! What’s it about?”
“You’ll see!” He opened his guitar case and placed the acoustic instrument across his lap. It wasn’t long before Robin nestled into him on his right side. The warmth created was shear bliss, and each was hoping the other felt the same.
At the vacant school yard, under the tranquil winter’s sky, starlight reached out and touched the breath rising from the timid voice singing the praises of its muse:
“Beautiful is born within, I’ve come to understand
Beautiful I’m holding now, each time I take your hand
Gentle one, in silent peace, I’ll hold you softly – strong
Fragile fire, in love’s cocoon, it’s beauty you’ve become…”
The last chord faded, and so did the voice. The guitar was placed back in its case before he returned to his muse.
“Why are you shaking? Are you that cold?” Robin inquired.
“N – No. Just a little nervous, I guess.”
“Nervous? About what?”
His stare remained straight ahead. He dared not look at her. He physically wasn’t able. “If – If you liked the song or not.”
A gloved hand reached out to gently turn his face. Before the timid crooner could utter another word, his lips were experiencing the most soft and supple sensation they’d ever felt. His eyes were closed, though his sight exploded: It was as though he could finally see for the first time. The scent of sweet berry hung in the air and off his lips.
Her eyes closed; her sight was restored: The maiden voyage she was embarking upon was launched by passion’s kiss. In that defining moment, as two hearts united, the two climbed aboard that magnificent vessel and jettisoned into the atmosphere.
It’s a marvelous view of sight and sound! Robin inwardly exclaimed with widened eyes shut. She stood with him at the helm, each stealing another passionate kiss as they sailed across the Milky Way’s ocean. Constellations burst forth before them. She dipped her toe in a cloud as he touched the tip of Orion’s belt.
“Where are we going?” Robin gleefully inquired.
“I’ve charted our course for the moon!” He exclaimed with unbridled excitement. They sailed into port and docked within the moon ring’s harbor. “Come on, let’s go!” Taking her by the hand, he placed his lips gently into hers and they jumped, landing softly on the moon, where they leaped and bounded in a realm unshackled by gravity.
“I know where this is,” she stated. “Though I’ve never been here before.”
“I believe I do, too. Robin, is this Love?”
Her soft lips smiled. “It is.”
<><+><>
“So was it? Robin, was it love?”
Her eyes slowly opened, and she lowered her face from the sky. “It was… It’s hard to say.”
“What do you mean? What happened?”
“I… I don’t know, Sam. The ship changed direction, I guess. The mast was blown by the winds of change. Were two people really in love when their lives charted a different course in time?”
Sam mulled the thought, most perplexed. “I – I’m not sure.”
“You know, sometimes I still think of him on those frosted starlit nights. I wonder if he thinks of me – if he remembers what we’d experienced together. When I look up at Orion’s belt, I can still picture the elation on his face as he touched it. And… And…”
“And what, Robin?”
“And I know what it feels like to touch the top of a cloud. So, I have to ask myself: Was that love? Is he still up there, sailing on that ship, looking for me? Or am I the one still on that vessel?”
“What was his name, Rob?”
“His name was…”
“Are you two ladies ready for the check?”
Thoughts distracted, the luncheon pair dug through their purses, each quickly placing a plastic card on the tray. Samantha answered Matt buzzing in on her cell phone while Robin looked skyward and watched a cloud formation, resembling a ship, sail away.