Love Is Won

Part One

Danny sat on the steps of the back porch, looking out at the sizable, private yard. His thin pyjama set did nothing to protect him from the cool autumn wind he had been warned tirelessly about. The greens and yellows had now fully given way to the oranges and reds, and the leaves dropped like paper airplanes failing to take flight. The trees of the surrounding woods were rapidly becoming bare and skeletal, standing tall, with their branches twisted and entwined. They braced for the frosts that, in a few short months, would bite at their beautiful, coarse exteriors. The ground was green and brown, dusty but not yet muddy; the rainfall had, so far, been minimal.

The fencing was high and secure, encasing the garden in a perfect square. A tyre swing swayed gently from the intruding branch of a solid oak tree, which resided in the back corner, a safe distance from a glass greenhouse. A small shed shared close residence with the swing, merely a storage unit for objects out of season. The rustic outdoor dining set, barbeque, hammock, the paddling pool, sprinkler, plastic slide and sun loungers had all been packed away at the end of summer to await the next. The space was unruly, yet, in Danny's mind, there was something so satisfying about the fact that nature was permitted to reign uninhibited.

Beyond the fencing, through the gate, a jetty trailed into the large, secluded lake. The lake was littered with masses of crisp, fiery leaves, moving with each pulse of wind. The water's surface reflected the greyness of the early sky, moody and glum, severely overcast, though still the most breathtaking of sights to behold, despite the almost blackness of the clouds.

The early morn was weary and slow. The cabin behind him rested soundly as he sat, barefoot and shivering, waiting on a black Standard Poodle to complete a thorough investigation of his surroundings. He hurried in wide circles, nose to the ground, tail in the air, pawing and panting, thrilled to be exploring the different yet familiar territory.

After twenty minutes, when Danny could no longer bear the cold, he whistled softly and summoned him to heel. He led him in through the back door, murmuring praise and patting his side in reward for his always unwavering obedience. Danny shivered as he boiled the kettle on the stove and prepared two mugs of coffee, watching as the dog lapped frantically at his water bowl. Once his thirst had been quenched and he had returned tiredly to his basket in the hall, Danny stooped to give him a refill. He then made his way through the open plan kitchen-dining space, into the hall, dodging the suitcases that littered the passage, and climbed the creaking stairs.

He stifled a yawn, weary from his early start and the chaos of the past twenty four hours.

The previous day was one of stress and exhaustion. Their flight from New York to Minnesota had been repeatedly delayed, causing them to arrive seven hours later than planned. Then, there was the drive from the airport to the cabin, deep into the woods.

Upon arrival, Jessica had collected the necessities from each suitcase, enough to get them all through the night, while Danny set to work gathering a pizza order. They had just enough energy left to devour the soft, cheesy dough before collapsing into the welcoming comfort of their beds, where they slept soundly until the morning.

"Shit!" Danny hissed, his full attention was regained upon spilling some of the scolding coffee down his left fist.

His skin burned red as he trod as lightly as he could, peering around the door of the bedroom at the top of the stairs as he passed. Two peaceful, blonde heads rested on their plush pillows, still sleeping deeply, cosy under the covers of their double bed. They each dipped into the centre of the mattress, almost forehead to forehead, breathing gently, completely undisturbed.

Danny smiled at the tender sight and carried on to the master bedroom at the end of the hall. He nudged the door open with his foot and crossed the room to place one of the mugs down on the bedside table next to another sleeping blonde head. He wiped his coffee stained hand and the bottom of the mug on his pyjama shirt and sucked the burn lightly to alleviate the sting. He took a sip of his coffee and sat gently on the edge of the bed.