The Crying Bridge--Chapter 13

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 Evan showed up carrying an expensive looking picnic basket, dressed in dark blue shorts and a white polo shirt. He looked as handsome as ever and Del wasted no time before wrapping her arms around his waist and kissing him, quite passionately.

"Mmm," Evan murmured. "I missed you, too."

"So what's in the basket?" Del asked. There was a bottle of red wine strapped to the top of the basket, but the inside was a mystery.

"It's a surprise," Evan said. "It's supposed to storm tonight after the sun goes down, so we should get moving."

The temperature had dropped a little and it was indeed cloudy. Del grabbed a blanket and they made the walk along the trail through the woods. Del told him of her meeting with the psychic as they walked.

"So she doesn't think this is anything to worry about?" Evan asked. He'd finally given up on it being anything but something otherworldly.

"Nope," Del said. "So I'm not going to worry about it."

They reached the clearing that opened onto the pond. It was a nice spot to spread the blanket, still secluded, but the ground was flat and there was plenty of space. They sat down facing the water.

Evan pulled the bottle of wine from the top of the basket and reached inside for the wine opener. "I hope you like red wine," he said. "A bottle won't fit in the basket when it's full, so I didn't know how we'd keep a white wine chilled."

"I love red wine," Del said. "Now what else is in there? I'm hungry."

Evan brought out small containers holding an assortment of cheeses and fruits and a French baguette. There were even some chocolate-covered strawberries. "I hope this is light enough."

"This is perfect," Del said. She took a bite of cheese as Evan poured the wine into some nice glasses that had been stashed in the basket.

They sat eating, sipping the wine and enjoying the view of the water. After having their fill of all but the strawberries, Evan packed all but those away, poured each of them more wine and moved it aside. They sat cross-legged, facing each other, eating the strawberries.

Evan told Del about his day, minus his conversation with Dan and they slowly moved into discussions of their childhoods and family life, recounting funny stories to each other, learning more and more about each other.

Del was in the middle of telling a story about herself and three girlfriends when they were in junior high. They had snuck out to see a movie none of their parents approved of, and on the way home, they had laughed so hard, one of the girls had peed her pants. She stopped suddenly. Evan was looking at her so intently that she felt a little self-conscious. "Evan?" she asked. "What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?"

He just smiled at her and took her hand. "I just wanted to tell you...I want you to know how..." he paused, shook his head, laughing softly. "Del, I am so very much in love with you already," he finally said. "You know that don't you? I love you."

Del smiled back at him in awe and gave his hand a squeeze. "I love you, too, Evan," she heard the tears in her voice before she realized they were coming down her cheeks.

"Why are you crying?" he asked.

"I just hadn't dreamed, hadn't dared to dream I would ever be this happy, Evan. Thank you for that."

"I'm happy, too. The happiest I've ever been." Evan put their wine glasses aside and pulled Del into his lap. They kissed, and it wasn't a kiss driven by passion, or not just passion but by what they had just shared.

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