Two weeks later in Florida. They are having fun at the beach. Liz joins in all the games and talks and jokes with David and Jessica, but she’s very aloof towards Darien. Darien gave her space, pretending not to mind, he remained calm.
Jessica and David go bathing in the sea. Darien sits on the sand pretending to read. He notes surreptiously that Liz had gotten up and was heading towards the sea. The beach was a private one and was deserted. Darien watches Liz swim out far, and he tells himself, “She’s going in too far, and David and Jessica were farther away in a shallower part of the sea further away from where they were sitting.
He looked back towards where he last saw Liz, and saw that he could not see her. He got up scanning the sea, and started running. Liz, had tired herself out, and she started having cramps. She gave up swimming because she was weak, she starts to drown, and blacks out.
Darien swam furiously, and caught sight of Liz floating. He caught up with her catching her just before the wave and tide pulled her further. He tows her. Carrying her out, he placed her on the sand. She was not breathing, but there was a pulse. He starts, mouth-to-mouth, and rubbing her feet and hands. Jessica and David came running, they started warming her body up as, Darien continued mouth-to mouth.. Liz starts coughing and she vomits out the water. She tries to get up but is stopped by Darien. He makes her lie on her side for a while. David wraps a blanket around her as she struggled to sit up.
She sat up for, but was unable to look at Darien. She gets up and starts to walk towards the house, mumbling, “Thanks for saving me,”
Liz walks away, deep in thoughts. Deep down, she was very sad, and missed talking to Darien. She walks without noticing that she’s was walking straight to the pool. Darien who was following her, shouts, “ Liz, watch out!” But he’s too late. Liz falls into the pool. Darien rushes over and pulls grabs the flailing arms, pulling her out of the pool.
Shivering, with shock, Liz clings to Darien. She starts sobbing. Between sobs, “ Darien, please forgive me for being such a goose.”
Darien just held her to him, he says ‘ Sh..sh..It’s alright.”
“Darien, I missed you so..I ..I did not realize how much I really love you,” Liz continued between hiccups.
“Liz, my darling, I love you too,” Darien says holding her tighter.
Liz, becomes self conscious of how close she was with Darien, closes her eyes in confusion. Darien put her away, he cups her face gently and kisses her softly, on her lips, her first kiss on the lips since they have been going out. It always was chaste pecks on her cheeks.
This time, Darien, pour his whole being and his kiss was gentle but hard, that it was insistent, and her lips parted to let him suck on her bottom lip.
She opened her eyes and stared at him. He looked back straight at her eyes, and she saw his love for her shining in his eyes, and knew that he really loved her.
Jessica, comes to see what’s going on, is glad to see both of them hugging. She says, “calling to earth… Darien and Elizabeth! It’s time for lunch,”
Embarrassed, they moved away and they go inside to have lunch. David was watching from inside was grinning from ear to ear, and says “Congratulations, on your reunion!” The rest of the week passed beautifully and fast.
One morning as they were all sunbathing.. David calls Jessica to go into the sea to cool off. He calls Darien and Liz , but Liz too comfortable to get up says, “You all go ahead, I don’t want to move from this spot.
Darien stays back to keep Liz company. He talks and jokes with Liz, telling her about funny incidents that happened at the hospital.
They watch some birds flying and Liz froze as Darien suddenly turned toward her, one arm raised. With a sudden sweep downward and across her shoulder, he removed some small living creature from her person.
Liz began to giggle, “You just save my life, again!” she said grinning broadly at him.
“ The world is now populated by one less small spider,” he said giving her a beam of pride. He was now sitting very close to her. A wicked and mischievous look crossed his handsome features. “ I just realized – I bet you’re ticklish!”
“No! You wouldn’t dare!” Liz cried out, trying to scramble out the way.
“Oh, wouldn’t I?” he replied. In a flash he was up, his knees straddling her torso and pinning her to the soft ground. His fingers danced up and down the sides of her rib cage, and Liz squirmed and bucked and giggled and laughed.
“No, no, no, no, no! Stop, stop, Stop! She slapped playfully at his hands, but he grabbed her wrists and pinned them under his knees.
“Say Your Highness,” he demanded.
Elizabeth shook her head furiously form side to side and thrust her hips suddenly, trying to buck him off. But she was too weak from laughter, and all she managed to do was push his body forward and down, so that his head was inches from her own.
I’ll bet your neck’s ticklish too,” he announced gleefully, thrusting his fingers into the hollow formed where the base of her long neck met her shoulder bone.
“AH! Ah!” Liz squealed, writhing and twisting with renewed force. You are torturing me, Darien…please..”
“ I knew it!” he cried triumphantly. David and Jessica coming out of the water were laughing at their antics.
“Please, please stop,” Liz begged, gasping for breath, snickering and scrunching up her shoulders at the same time. “Your Highness – I’ll say anything you want!”
“Too late,” Darien retorted. “Jess, you didn’t tell me that Liz was ticklish!” he told Jessica.
“Well you didn’t ask!” she retorted. “Anyway, my whole family is ticklish,” she told grinning while looking at David.
“Oh! I see!” David said smiling mischievously.
“Oh! Oh! Me and my big mouth, I just said something I’m about to regret!” Jessica exclaimed, hitting her forehead.
Liz beginning to recover sits up to watch David pouncing on Jess and he starts tickling her.
Liz starts giggling and she doesn’t notice Darien coming near her. He starts tickling her again. All four lay exhausted in the sand, both Jessica and Elizabeth groaning, “Oh my sides! How they hurt!” David and Darien says together, “Well you two better be good or else?”
“Oh! Yes sirs, Your royal highnesses,” Jessica and Elizabeth replied.
David goes and buys them some ice-cream cones and they sit and watch the kingfisher birds flying and swooping down to catch fish. The day passed on to evening quietly.
