And That Was It, Part III

Part III

Lois shielded her eyes from the bright sun-off-the-water reflection and watched her boyfriend and her niece race ashore, neck-and-neck.  “He’s so good with the kids,” she whispered.  “He’s so good to me and my family loves him.”  She sighed and the Mona Lisa smile returned to her full lips.  “And he’s just so…beautiful.”  She watched them for another few seconds.  “He does it for me.”  Then she dropped her hand and yelled, “Come on, Rainy, kick his behind!”

Rainy splashed in first, touched the side of the dock, and raised her hand in triumph, her smile so big it almost outshone the sun sparkling off the water.  “I won, I won!” she screeched over the cheers and laughter coming from the milling mass of kids and grownups.

“Woo!  Good for you!”  Lois yelled.  She waved her arms overhead for a minute, then, still smiling, she sat down, picked up the oars and began rowing in to shore.

She bumped the shoreline and was lifting the dripping oars into the boat when the boat was yanked further ashore, almost toppling her from her seat.

“Hey,” she squealed, her eyes flying wide open as she turned around on the seat. 

“Just giving you a hand,” Bill grinned from his position at the bow with one hand on the boat and the tie-up rope in the other.  He looped the rope around a tree and held his hand out to her.  She grasped it and stepped out of the boat to stand next to him.  She looked up with a smile just in time to be pulled into his embrace for a long kiss.  This time, in the shelter of the trees, they were able to share a few private moments.

They pulled apart and stood with their foreheads touching.  

...to be continued