Beauty

Chapter 12

Callie stepped back, wiped her hands, and examined the meal she had prepared for Michael and herself. Golden fried chicken, home fries and fruit salad lay neatly packed in a wicker basket with a blanket, two plates and cutlery. Callie's stomach growled in anticipation.

   "Let me cook this time." She had offered as they walked back to the house. "I've got a feeling you don't get much down home country cookin' out here." She teased and let her country twang saturate her words.

   Michael had laughed and gestured towards her to lead the way. "Be my guest." He sang through his laughter. Callie had found that she loved the sweet tune of Michael's laughter even more than any of the songs he had sang for her and she found his smile contagious. She felt herself glowing and as they walked inside the main house she turned, "Hey... Can we have a picnic?" 

   Michael had eagerly agreed and had gone to start a bon fire while Callie finished packing up the food. 'He's been gone a while.' Callie observed to herself wondering just how far out they were going. She looked down nervously at the dress she had changed into. It was a red, short sleeved ensemble with little white flowers all over it. It sinched in at the waist to show off her hourglass figure and ended just above her knee. She was wearing a pair of knit lace flats. She sighed. She imagined Michael's world to be quite glamorous and knew that her simple country style could never fit in.

   'Where did THAT come from?' She thought alarmed. 'Do I want to be part of his world... permanently?' She hadn't realized until that moment that her answer was a definite yes.

   "You look beautiful." Michael had just walked back in to find Callie fidgeting uncomfortably with her dress. She looked up and blushed then quickly turned to retrieve the basket from the counter. She had hoped he hadn't noticed her embarrassment. She turned back to Michael and smiled but could not meet his eyes. "You do." He reassured her as he reached out to take the basket from her.

   "Thanks." She mumbled anxiously. 

   Michael examined the food in the basket. "Looks good," he started. "But something's missing." He walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a few bottles and stuck them in the basket. Callie heard them clink together as he gently placed them inside but hadn't seen what they were. 

   She tried to shake off some of her shyness. "So, you were gone for a while..." she started.

   "It will be worth it." He promised with his amazing smile. "It's the perfect spot. Come on."

   She followed him without question. Once they were outside he motioned to a golf cart that was waiting for them. She sat down on the passenger side and Michael handed her the picnic basket before walking around to the driver's side and sitting down. He started the engine and drove down the path. When they got to the end of the path, instead of turning left or right, Michael went straight ahead, into the grass and headed for what looked like a pretty steep hill. 

   "Uh, Michael? How is this thing gonna get up that hill?" Callie asked nervously.

   Michael chuckled. "I thought you country girls knew about four wheel drive." He teased. "We'll make it, just hold on... It's a bumpy ride." 

   Callie play punched Michael in the arm then sat back with one hand on the basket in her lap and the other holding the handle on the ceiling of the vehicle. The sun had almost completely set and had cast a darkness over all the land. The light was too dim for Callie to check out the scenery and the headlights of the cart revealed only grass in front of them. So Callie lay her head back, closed her eyes and took in the scent of the grass around her and of Michael beside her and embraced the wind blowing on her face. 

   Fifteen minutes later, Callie opened her eyes. They were surrounded by thick woods traveling on a dirt path. She saw a glow up ahead. They came to a clearing in the middle of which Michael had built the fire. He shut off the lights and engine of the cart and Callie stepped out admiring the place. In the glow of the firelight, Callie could see that wildflowers grew all around the clearing. She walked to the fire and sat down on the log that lay in front of it. Michael sat down beside her and took the basket and set it on the ground beside them. He leaned into her and Callie could feel the hair raise on the back of her neck and she felt a chill through her body as his warm breath danced around her ear. "Look up." He ordered softly. 'I wonder if he knows how seductive he is being right now.' Callie wondered. The thought was lost as she looked up and was rendered breathless. 

   She saw more stars than she could count. There were more stars than she had seen in weeks. She hadn't seen the sky so clear and full since she had left home. And even before then, she had tired of looking at it; craving, instead,  city lights. Until now. Until she was here. With him.

   "It's beautiful." Her voice wavered as she said it and she hoped Michael hadn't noticed. If he had, he didn't show it. She felt overwhelmed with emotion as she felt her first tiny pang of homesickness. She also felt hope that perhaps Michael's world was not so different from her own and that there might be a place for her there after all. 

   "I told you it was the perfect spot." He giggled and bit his lower lip.

   Callie had guessed it was a nervous habit that he had and that he probably didn't even know he was doing it. She, however, was very aware of it and of her desire to throw herself to him every time he did it. 'Dammit, Michael, stop it!' She tried to order telepathically. Instead she smiled sweetly. "It is perfect." She confirmed. "Man, I'm hungry." She changed the subject. 

   Michael opened the basket, laid out the blanket and set the food and dishes on it. Callie heard the clanking bottles still in the basket and pulled one out. She examined it. "Beer? You brought beer?" She raised an eyebrow.

   Michael turned to look at her. "You don't drink?" He asked. 

   "I don't know." She looked down at the bottle and examined it again. "I've never tried it before... banned in my household." She laughed still looking down at the cold bottle in her hands. It had started to sweat and left her hands feeling wet.

   "It's not the Devil's drink." Michael started. "But if it makes you uncomfortable, I'll go get you something else." 

   "No, it's okay." Callie twisted the top and the cap popped off. "I wanted to experience life, right?" She took a big swig and made a face that made Michael cackle. 

   "My Lord!" Callie exclaimed still grimacing. "How do people drink this stuff?" She let out a laugh. 

   "It's a bit of an acquired taste." Michael explained still laughing. "But I think you'll find it goes well with the chicken you made." He handed her a plate. She took a few bites of the chicken and another sip of the beer and found that it did taste a little better the second time around.

   "Well," she said. "Happy fourth..." She raised her bottle and turned it up, this time welcoming the crisp liquid into her mouth. 

****

   Callie lay with her head on Michael's shoulder with a bad case of the giggles. They had devoured the food, and she was on her third beer. They were sitting on the ground with their backs propped on the log. Michael couldn't stop himself from laughing at her. "What is so funny, woman?"

   "I... don't... know..." Was all Callie could manage to say through her laughter. "I'm... sorry..." She offered as she stifled a few more giggles and then all was silent. The fire had died down to a dim glow and Callie shivered. She hadn't known she was cold until that moment. Michael grabbed the blanket from the ground and placed it around her. He kept his arm around her as he pulled her back in to lay against his shoulder. 

   He was struggling to keep up whatever guard he had left but could no longer deny his need to be close to her. Michael had never felt so much confusion in his life and it made him uncomfortable. But sitting here with Callie laying against him, listening to the nature around them and their rhythmic breathing, Michael had never been this comfortable away from a stage. He wanted to kiss her, but she was teetering on the edge of drunkenness and he wished not to take advantage. So he allowed her to rest her head and rubbed her arm up and down in a comforting motion. 

   "Michael?" He had thought she was asleep until he heard her soft sweet voice.

   "Hmm?"

   "Will you sing to me?" Her arm found it's way out of the blanket and around his chest. "Please?" 

   'How can I say no?' He thought as he started humming searching his soul for a song to sing. But the song that kept coming up, he kept pushing back. 'I can't sing that. Not here... Not now...' Michael protested and searched desperately for another song to sing. But when he opened his mouth, it came out of him anyway. 

"Each time the wind blows

I hear your voice so

I call your name . . .

Whispers at morning

Our love is dawning

Heaven's glad you came . . .
You know how I feel

This thing can't go wrong

I'm so proud to say

I love you

Your love's got me high

I long to get by

This time is forever

Love is the answer..."

   If she had made any connection between the song and this moment, Callie didn't show it. Michael pulled her in deeper and continued rubbing her arm.

"I just can't stop loving you...

I just can't stop loving you...

And if I stop...

Then tell me just what will I do...

Cause I just can't stop loving you..."