Candice was the apple of her father's eye until one day everything changed by one decision that was made in haste. She must confront her life on an uneven playing field that no one quite understands. Her father was her world until her world cru .mbl...
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Chapter Six
Monday morning arrives and I find myself standing in the Texas sun as a line leading to the administrative office is about forty people deep. I still have the role of the fifties in my pocket just waiting to be set free. It took almost two hours before it was my turn to check in for my classes. I finally step up to the window as I fumble with my papers for admission. I couldn't believe my eyes when she said, " next" and I was the next she was referring too. Our eyes seem to both be in a zone looking right at one another. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen and I was like a love-struck child mesmerized by her beauty, those beautiful blue eyes seem to take me away into a distant land. I could feel her presence like my very breath as we meandered through the overgrown grass hand in hand. Her warmth seems to fill me like the scent of honeysuckle that was so prevalent from the years beyond time. We looked at one another and it was like I had been transported to another time beyond reality into a place filled with the harmony and peace. She opened her mouth and began to speak to my heart as lovers often do when she said, " name please? " And I thought how funny the love of my life and she doesn't even know my name? That sounds more like a country song." It was then I felt a finger poking on my shoulder in a deep manly voice saying, " she needs your name if you're going to register for classes. It's really hot out here so how about you get this line moving?" It was then I realized it was me standing in front of the office of the register looking at the young lady working there who seem to be a work study. I glanced at her name tag and knew I had found the girl of my dreams. I gave her my pertinent information, paid my tuition, and said, " I am going to marry you one day." She responds, " that's nice Bart I count the moments, next! " I walked away knowing I had found the girl of my dreams and though she didn't know it soon and very soon she would know me as the man she would come to love. Here I sit in my first real class on Fire Prevention 101 for my degree as a First Responder. It is there while sitting in class my heart remembers my father and mother and how they died those years ago. I had promised them that I would save others though I couldn't save them. My mind seems to be a thousand miles away as the teacher had begun his lecture. The seat beside me was empty as I heard the clattering of a woman's shoes heading in my direction. I looked up and there she stood " the next lady from the administration." She plops down in her chair and whispers to me, " oh' it's you." She just stares at me as a smile comes upon her face and we both knew this was only the beginning. The lecture continues but all that I heard was "blah, blah, blah. I sit there with my mind so preoccupied with her presence beside me I had to keep my focus toward the front of the room. I wanted to turn my head in her direction but at the same time, I didn't want to come across as a " creepy Conrad " or at least not on the first day. The lecture had finally concluded as we stand to our feet and I knew in my mind it was either now or never so I spoke up, " hello, instead of calling me the next guy how about we make it proper, " I am Bart Clark and you are?" She looks up from her books and replies as she rushes out of the room, " I am late for class, thank you, Bart Clark!" He stands there looking as she runs out the door with a satisfying smile firmly attached to his face, and says to himself, " she said my name which means we're on speaking terms." The instructor stops beside me and says, " if you promise to start focusing your attention in my class I will tell you her name? Her name is Rachel Cinders." He walks out of the room while I am still in Rachel land just enjoying the wind as it whistles her name through whispering trees, Rachel Cinders." On the day after their encounter Bart finally catches up with her as she sitting on a bench reading a book about angels, when from a distance he yells, " Rachel, Rachel Cinders! " she turns her head toward the direction of the sound and comes face to face with Bart. " oh' its the one and only Bart Clark." He invites himself to have a seat beside her as he sits down. " so what are you reading?" As he pulls on the front of the book at an angle and says, " angels, now I bet that is interesting, to say the least." She looks at him, sits the book down on the bench and asks, " do you believe in angels?" He looks at her for a moment and replies, " I guess that question had never crossed my mind?" " well, something tells me maybe it's something you should consider if you're serious about spiritual matters." I look at her thinking, " there is something quite different about this Rachel Cinders and I think she has caught my attention. " I then see this as an opportunity to open up a discussion for a lunch date, so I decided to act very inquisitive about the subject matter of angels and just maybe she could spend some one on one time teaching me about angels. " Rachel how about we have lunch and discuss this subject matter in further details?" She hesitates for a moment and replies, "ok, it might even be nice if you're serious and besides a lunch could be a great opportunity for some personal socialization." On the following Saturday, we have scheduled a meeting near the park upon the college breezeway near the library. She comes walking on the breezeway and she was looking ever so lovely in a beautiful yellow sundress. She really reminded me of the first day my Aunt Joann picked me up at the hospital after the fire and took me home with her. She was also wearing a yellow sundress very similar to hers. Rachel had a big smile as she bounced across the breezeway. When I say bounce I am referring to her upper carriage and wow what a set she had on her. I could hardly wait as she approached me. She gives me a very comforting hug and I could feel her breast mash up against me. I really don't mind admitting she really made my boat float. She opens the angel book and showed me where it had been autographed by some famous preacher. I really had never heard of him but at this point, I really didn't care because she was so close I could feel her very breath. We both decided to go to a small mom and pops diner not too far from the campus so we walked over there talking about the book. I made several attempts to hold her hand as we walked toward the diner but she crossed her arms across her chest with the book secured in the center of her chest. I wasn't really sure if she was a bit standoffish or was oblivious to how relationships work. We arrive at the diner and are seated as the waitress comes to our table for our order and asks, " what would you like to drink? We have a beer, wine, soda pop, along with water. " I was about to order me a glass of wine when she told the waitress, " I am a Christian so I don't drink wine or any other spirits. It like my mama used to say, " lips that touch wine will ever touch mine." I look at her and say, " Rachel you get whatever you want but I think I will have a soda pop." Inside though I was thinking about a little wine to loosen up our friendliness. We start to eat and just as I was about to bite down on my steak she began to pray over the food. I placed my fork along with the steak back unto my plate but thought, " something tells me this date has a long way to go before I get to see her goodies. We finally finish lunch as we walk back to her car. I open her door, she starts to climb in which was my chance to dive in for a little smoothie. I build up my nerve and am inches away from her lips when she slaps me across my face. She then says, "I don't know what kind of girl you think I am but I don't give out free samples to just anyone!" She slams her car door and it almost catches my fingers in the door jam as I jump back. She then drives away as I stand in a cloud of dust trying to figure out what just happened to me and even though I am a bit confused about the whole thing in my heart I am head over heels in love with every ounce of her being. I stood alone in the middle of the road thinking that maybe, just maybe this is the way normal people are as opposed to everything Aunt Joann taught me as her plaything.
