"Forever Yours"

“Alright, come on girlie, lace up those boots and let’s get going.”
“Hold on, geezum, what’s your hurry?”
“Well,” he came up close to her, whispering into his lover’s ear. “You hurry, we can get up there and start having fun.”
“Oh, hmm,” she gazed at him curiously. “And what exactly did you have in mind?”
“The only thing separating us from a weekend alone is this mountain. Let’s go!”
“Okay, okay,” she jumped off their truck’s tailgate, rushing over into his arms. “Mike, this was a great idea. You, me, us together for the weekend to do whatever we want.”
“Jen, come on, we don’t get moving I might have my way with you right here.”
“I might like that,” she kissed him, slipping her tongue into his mouth.
“You would, let’s go.”
They had wanted; no needed a time like this together. This pair, they had been together for two years, in about 12 hours. Mike had known a quiet place here in Northern New York, close to their college campus, and they decided together that this was the perfect way to celebrate.
Although young, Mike and Jen shared a love that most would laugh at if explained. They went everywhere together, trying as they would to schedule their classes so their down time could be spent together. They were a couple that others compared themselves against, girlfriends and boyfriends of other relationships always looked at one another, saying both playfully and seriously “Why can’t we be more like them?”
But no matter what others thought, there was already a plan for Mike and Jen to prove them all wrong. “Hey, Jen?” Mike would echo, late in the night as they lay together. “We should run away together, leave this world behind and just say goodbye to all we know.”
“But where would we go?” she would ask, always knowing the answer.
“Anywhere, somewhere new where neither one of us know a thing.”
Those words brought them to the base of this mountain, stretching high into the Adirondack sky. The relationship had always pushed both of them into risky business. Here they were, in the mountains, where no one could find them. But why would they bother?
“So you sure you know where we’re going?” Jen said.
“Yes, yes sweetheart,” Mike replied, full of himself. “Ripp said that we find this marker and follow the path. His family uses this cabin every summer.”
“Ugh, I’m still really not happy about that Ripp. He’s not straight in the head.”
“So he likes to have fun, so what?”
“You call being drunk six days a week and sleeping the seventh day and constantly being drugged up fun?”
“For him maybe, but who am I to judge?”
“Yea, but it’s hard to trust a guy like that.”
“I know, but he’s been right about other things, so let’s just forget about him. Look at the trees and tell me you’re thinking about anything except tomorrow.”
“You’re right,” Jen said, lost in the forest around them. The seasons were changing, the greens turning into reds and yellows and oranges of autumn. All around them the world was getting ready for the long sleep and harsh winter that was coming.
“I love you,” Mike said, grabbing Jen by the hand. “Who else would ever do anything like this? You are the only one that could make me this happy. Can you believe that it has been two years already?”
“Time is a funny thing, it always has been,” she replied.
“You’re right. I’m glad that all this time has been spent with you. I love you.”
“I love you, Mike.”
They continued to trudge up the path. They stopped at a small stream, watching small minnows dash back and forth below the banks. “Watch this,” Mike said, crouching down and moving slowly to the water’s edge.
“What are you doing?” Jen called out. She had gotten used to all the random things he did.
“Shh, wait,” he called back. Then, he plunged both hands into the water, splashing it all over himself. “I have a present for you.”
“Oh no,” Jen was nervous but laughing. As Mike walked closer, she laughed more, wondering just what he was doing.
“Here you go,” he held out his hands, close to her body, moving his top hand. A frog waited in the other, staring at Jen. Then, it leapt out of Mike’s hands right onto Jen’s chest.
“Ahh!” she screamed, jumping backwards and swatting her chest. “You little piece of-”
“Hey, hey,” Mike cut her off, laughing loudly.
“You’re a piece of something alright.”
Mike was still chuckling. “You love me.”
“You’re lucky I do.”
For the next hour, they walked, Mike laughing every now and then to remind Jen of the look of surprise on her face. One thing that never lacked between them was communication. The thing that drove them closer together was that they never had a moment of silence. Their fears, passion, all were shared. This made them inseparable.
But now there were more fears that no moment of talking could cleanse. “Mike?” Jen broke in. “Where are we?”
“We have to be getting close,” Mike was clearly nervous. The sky was changing. The wind was picking up. A storm was coming.
“Jen, listen, let’s just keep walking, fast. By the way, is it supposed to rain up here?”
“No clue, why?”
“Look at the sky, it’s getting dark.” They could both see through the trees that clouds were coming in. They were in trouble. “Come on,” Mike said again, taking her by the hand. “We’ve gotta move.”
They moved at a quicker pace. The trees began to sway further as the wind howled louder around them. Soon, the clouds had moved over them, and rain fell over their bodies.
“Mike! Mike what are we going to do?”
“I don’t know we need to find a place to stay dry.” But where? “There!” Mike pointed towards a pine tree. “Go, go get under the branches.”
“Mike you’re nuts!” Jen protested, climbing under the broad branches of the tree. “Shit, Mike, shit! Where’s the cabin? Why did you ever listen to that Ripp, dumb fuck, why would you listen to him? Now what? Now what do we do?”
“Jen, hold on a second,” he calmed her, holding out his hand. “Look, there’s no rain under here. Right now, we are as wet as we’ll get. Take out your pocket knife and help me clear out some of these branches so we don’t hit our heads.”
“Why are we, how long do you plan on being in here?” Jen protested again.
“Baby, I have no idea,” Mike was grabbing branches, trying to break them. “It’s dark, it’s raining, we have to prepare for anything right now.”
“Okay, but look, don’t throw them, pile them out here with these needles,” she started to pile the needles under the tree around the edges. “Keeps the water out.”
“Now you’re thinking. That’s my baby.” Together they cleared out an area where they could rest, and remain dry under the old pine. “Why do we always find a way to make each trip an adventure?” Mike asked.
“Because trips are boring,” Jen giggled. “We are an adventurous couple that just can’t stay out of trouble.”
“We know how to have fun, huh?”
“We sure do,” Jen replied, pushing up the last bit of pine needles. “That ought to keep us nice and comfy.” She crawled over to Mike’s lap, curling her body into his.
“I’m sorry Jen,” he said, running his fingers through her hair.
“For what?” she answered, sitting up and looking into his eyes. “Baby, none of this is your fault.”
“No, but the trip was.”
“Mike,” she slowed down, her hand touching his face. “This trip is the best thing we have ever done. No amount of rain is going to change that. This is an adventure, and there’s no one I would rather be spending it with but you.”
“You’re sweet Jen.”
“This rain won’t let up will it?”
“Doesn’t seem like it, you got a watch?”
“Yea,” she reached deep in her bag. “It’s getting late. Told you we should’ve left earlier,” she said sarcastically, trying to make Mike feel guilty.
“Well,” he replied. “I’m not sorry anymore. I mean, come on, do you really regret getting stuck like this?”
“No, but I do regret not being in a nice warm bed with our bodies curled together.”
“But we’re here now, right?”
“Right,” she answered.
“Right, I guess we are, so how are we gunna get warm?”
“Well, you know,” she placed her hand on his leg, rubbing it gently. “We did come up here for a reason.”
“Jen, Jen come on,” he said, grabbing her hand, pulling her in close to him. “Look around, it’s getting dark, we’re under a tree, do you really want to do that here?”
“Well why not?” her voice was soft and sensual. She moved closer, whispering into his ear. “We have, after all, done it in a lot of strange places; this would just be another one for the list.”
“Jen,” he whispered back, kissing her on the lips. “Let’s get some light here and get warm.”
“Ugh, if you insist,” she leaned back, disappointment in her voice. “Okay party pooper, what did you have in mind?”
“Well, let’s make a fire.”
“Sweetheart that’s what I was trying to get going.”
“”Jen, let’s dig a hole and put some of these branches and needles in and light a fire. Let’s make dinner.”
“Dinner?”
“Yea, look,” Mike reached for his backpack, pulling out a box of graham crackers. “I’ve got marshmallows and chocolate in here. Want smores?”
“Some more what?”
“Ha, you’re cute, and funny and oh so delicious,” he joked back. They always had moments like this, Jen playing with the word Mike shot out at her, and laughter would follow that brought them closer. “Okay, want one or no?”
“Yea,” she said, helping him get all the snacks out of the bag. They dug a hole, pushing all the dirt aside, filled it with pine branches and lit a fire. “Oh, that feels so much better.”
“Come here baby,” they pulled themselves together, putting marshmallows on sticks and toasting them. “Here, here,” they smashed the two gooey marshmallows between chocolate and crackers, reaching and feeding them to each other.
“These are … good,” Jen pushed out, trying to get the words out between chews.
“Yea, first class meal.”
The shadows danced around them, the flames flickering about. “It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Jen whispered her attention caught up in the fire. “It reminds me of us.”
“How so?” “our passion, and eternal flame dancing in the night. Can you feel the heat coming off such a little fire? Our relationship Mike, it is so powerful, like that little flame. There is so much energy.” She sat up, looking directly into him, seeing deep inside him. “But our flame, our love, will never die. Our fire will never burn out, rather burn on and on for all time.” She pressed her lips against his. “Mike, I love you.”
The fire that rose within them burned hotter than any flame. Their attraction was still as strong as the day they met. Together, they lay in the bed of passion under the tree. The wind whirled outside and the rain still blanketed the forest. With every movement, the fire roared next to them. Their love was unlike any seen, and the intensity left them separated from the world. In the darkness they lay in love, listening to the tress dancing in the wind.
“I love you goober,” even in a time like this, she still had her sense of humor, and the ability to put a smile on Mike’s face. “You know, if you listen, the rain is kinda romantic.” She leaned up, kissing his cheek.
“You know, you’re right. The rain, it’s soothing.” Mike rested his body against the trunk of the tree, Jen, resting her head in his chest.
“I can really hear your heartbeat.”
“Each one is for you sweetheart,” he returned, kissing her forehead.
“Mike, you’re everything to me.”
“Jen, I love you so much, and that’s why I want to give you something.” He reached for his backpack. “Jen, I promised you something a while back. Baby, do you know what time it is?”
“Um, let me check my watch. Wow, it’s midnight.”
“Exactly. Jen, today is our two year anniversary. I love you so much and for as long as we have been together, I have fallen deeper and deeper in love with you. We have been through so much together, and there’s a reason I wanted to bring you up here. Today has been an adventure for sure, but we are together. The only thing I have ever wanted from you was a life together.
“Jen, I am ready to spend the rest of my life with you.” He pulled out a small box, raising himself off the ground and onto his knees. “I want our life together to start right now under this tree.”
Mike opened the box, and inside showed a diamond ring.
“Jen, you are everything to me, and you are the one I want to give everything to. Will you give me that chance? Will you marry me?”
“Oh Mike,” she covered her mouth, trying to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes. “Yes.”