Only With You

Chapter 6:What a Wonderful Birthday

I woke up with a smile already glued to my face. With high adrenaline, I jumped out of my bed, and ran to the mirror. for about ten minutes i looked at myself, checking to see if i looked any older. I mean, I was now 18. A woman.
Grabbing my houserobe, i ran down the spiral staircase in hopes that my mother had already made her famous belguim waffles.
Instead of the sweet smell I hoped would be wafting throughout the house, a feeling of gloominess rushed over me. Walking into the living room I stopped to see my parents and the houseworkers crowded around the television set. I rested my hands on the edge of the couch and looked. "One of the most famous stars in Hollywood history is dead of 36. Marilyn Monroe is found dead in bed from circumstances that were in dramatic contrast to her glamorous career as a comic talent. on the surface she seemed to have such a zest for life. her international appeal took her from command appearances to the other side of the world and entertainment for the Korean G.I.s. The star lead a far from normal childhood and had 12 sets of foster parents. Leading her to say in her last interview that she was never used to being happy so it wasn't ever something she took for granted-"
Father turned off the television set "god damnit!" He yelled and marched out the door.
I cried and ran up to my room, because it was the only thinkable thing to do other than being with Dennis, but he was in the studio and wasn't supposed to come over until the evening time.
My parents had grown to love Dennis. After the beginning shock from my father, he got along with him reasonably. And the whole family could see how happy I was.

"Lana..." I felt two hands lightly shake my shoulders "lana?"
I say up quickly startled. Dennis was sitting on the edge of my bed, a sad look peaking through on his face.
Hugging me, he whispered, "I am so sorry this had to happen on your birthday."
I looked at him, and ran my hand through his hair that he was now growing out. he smiled, "Let's go out."
I glanced at my pink clock radio to discover that it was 2:21 and that I had slept for 5 more hours and missed any chance of belgium waffles. I quickly changed into the outfit that I had picked out yesterday, which was a white and grey dress, with a lace floral trimming. Dennis came back and awed at me, as I stood still, looking at my reflection in the mirror.
"I always wanted to look like her you know. I almost met her once, my father usually gets to sit in for a few scenes of any movie he wants. I almost got him to take me into the set of some like it hot..." I looked down. "I got pneumonia the day before."
"Come on, it sure isn't swell to see you like this lana."
"You're right, lets go."
Denny and I walked downstairs, holding hands. The sound of nothing caught my ears. It was like no one even lived in the house. We walked outside the sun blinding me temperarily. It was a hot summers day. "Surprise!"
I blinked a hundred times to see what was happening. In front of my eyes was a light blue 1962 thunderbird convertable, wrapped in a giant red ribbon.
I can remember almost fainting. "Happy birthday dear," my father said, in a better mood than he was in the morning. Mother ran to hug me and whispered in my ear, "you're a woman now."
I smiled widely and looked in shock again. "Gee!"
The car was smoothly coated, and as I ran my fingers to the door handle, I found it nearly impossible to be sad.
"You kids take it out for a ride!" Mother yelled, wiping her hands gently on her yellow cotton apron.
Dennis hopped in on the pasengers seat. "Well, Mrs. Mercer, Mr. Mercer, do you mind If we come back a little later than usual, ive got a suprise for lana."
I blushed.
Father hesitated, then nodded his head, shewing us away.
The day we spent was almost normal for us. We went to the beach, then split a malt at Harrys drive in.
"Okay, my turn," dennis said, grabbing the keys to the car out of my hand as we walked out of harrys.
"What are we gonna do?"
"You'll see," he said, revving the engine. "This really is a nice car."
The radio blasted music while we drove up the coastal highway. It seemed as if Denny wasn't near the ocean he wasn't as happy. The smell refreshed him, the blue crashing waves relaxed him, and when the surf was up, even if he didn't know it, he was enlightened.
We cruised around with no particular place to go until it was dark out, and I could no longer know where we were. I felt as though it was near Malibu, but I had no way to be quite sure.
I started to see things I remembered all over wherever we were. "Hey this is Hawthorne!" I yelled.
"Well you're right, but just, don't look anymore ok?"
I took my headscarf and wrapped it over my eyes. I knew if not I'd peek and ruin the surprise.
We got out of the car and he grabbed my hands, moving me slowly and gently , and sitting my down by the sand. "Hold on one moment, don't take off the blindfold, I have to get something from the car,"
By this time I knew we were by the ocean on a beach. But I was still disoriented.
He came back and I could hear him setting up a few things, but the sound of clinking objects barely fazed the sound of the loud ocean waves.
Dennis walked behind me, a little out of breath and grabbed onto my blindfold. "Ready?" He asked.
I nodded. He counted down from three and in one swift notion I was able to see again.
I was standing where we first met, and right under the dock he had made a small picnic type camp out. Candles adorned the area, underneath was a small tablecloth and next to it was a big blanket. Denny brought his 45 player and a box of his records. There was also two bottles of champagne involved.
"Denny," I sighed happily. "You didn't have to!"
"Gee, well I sort of wanted to."
He pulled me close to him and then we sat down. I looked through the things he brought while he poured our drinks.
The stretch of the beach, each side, was completely deserted and I felt so comforted and safe with him.
I put on a classic, a song I had loved for years;earth angel. Denny got up and grabbed me into his arms. The record started.
We danced under the moon and next to the sea, who's tides drifted further and further away, just like our worries.
Denny sang softly into my ear, kissing my neck in between each verse. 1 after another Dennis put on love songs and we danced. 1 cup after another the champagne disappeared.
"Let's go down and swim," Dennis said, a big smile on his face.
"Denny its midnight!" I laughed.
"Come on, it's warm, and there is no waves at all. You'll be safe with me."
I thought for a moment and then ran down after him. There is certain points in life you shouldn't pass up because you were to square to do it. This was one.
By the time we reached the water, the song "sea of love" started to play. Dennis had just put it on.
I stopped for a moment at the water and He did too. "Denny I don't have my Bathing suit, we have to go back to the car,"
He paused and smiled, taking his shirt off. "Fuck it," he stripped down fully and ran to the ocean, immersing himself in the warm California water.
"I can't believe I'm doing this, I cant believe I'm doing this," I mumbled, taking off my tights and shoes and unzipping my dress. The white and grey dress with lace trimming fell onto the sand in an instant.
"You're 18, Lana. Live!" he yelled.
I took off my undergarments and ran to him wanting to yell, 'don't look, don't look!!' But never got the chance.
The water was warm and I found Dennis waiting for me.
"I hope you don't mind me saying this but gee you're beautiful."
We kissed in the water, holding on to each other closely. When we got back under the pier... Well lets just leave it at this; I really did become a woman that day.