Arizona Skies: The Muse

by S. Cruz

  “What are we going to do? I know you’ve fallen for Scott too.”

  “Yeah, we’ve both gone over the edge without a life vest. Somehow we’re going to have to keep each other together,” she said.

  “Going home is going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” I said, wiping my tears.

  “Listen, we’re on the home stretch. We’ll have our degrees soon. We can go wherever we want. If this all works out, maybe we’ll be in Arizona this time next year!” she said, giving me some hope that maybe this wasn’t going to end after all. “Let’s keep the faith and trust in our guys and enjoy the day,” she said. She patted me on the back as she reached for my curling iron.

  I shook my head. “I’m just going to put my hair up in a ponytail today, casual and comfortable. They have to practice this afternoon; we can get glamorous then,” I said. I put some lotion all over my skin and threw on shorts and a tank. We headed out to meet the guys for breakfast at our usual spot. We agreed to keep each other’s spirits up as we walked in through the door and were met by two very handsome, smiling faces.

  “Here they are,” Scott said to Jesse.

  “I was worried; you took so long,” Jesse said, taking my hand.

  “I’m OK; just had a weepy moment, but Shelly talked me through it,” I said, putting on a brave face.

  “Thank you, Shelly,” Jesse said with a smile at her. Shelly winked at him, turned, and walked away with Scott. We ate while listening to the guys talk about their last performance. They liked to play older songs by the Rolling Stones, Foreigner, and Journey because they suited Jesse’s voice. They also liked to introduce some of the classics to a younger crowd. John explained that while he was growing up, his parents were always playing those groups’ records, and they were some of the first songs the band learned.

  Jesse didn’t like some of the newer songs; they were too repetitious, and a lot of them didn’t tell a story—just one line sung over and over with a heavy beat. When he sang, he poured his heart and soul into every song. The band wanted his talent to be appreciated as he told a story with his amazing voice. Some sad and soulful, some lively and fun, they really showcased his singing skills. As they talked I realized that they all had input in every original song. Jesse wrote most of lyrics; then they all added their ideas to the get the melody and the music just right. Scott was a musical genius, according to Jesse, playing several instruments to get just the right sound. I found it fascinating to listen to them, awed by this new life I was being introduced to. Every member of this band was becoming near and dear to my heart.

  We went ashore at Grand Cayman, the largest of the three Cayman Islands. The beaches were white and the water crystal clear. There were beach bars with lounge chairs and hammocks to lie peacefully in the shade of the palm trees and stare out at the tranquility of the stunning ocean view. From the brochure there was kayaking, diving, snorkeling, exotic spas, submarines to explore the ocean floor, or glass-bottom boats to see the underwater spectacle without going beneath it, and, of course, all kinds of shopping and restaurants with island delicacies to enjoy.

  “Let’s get you relaxed at the spa and then just lie in a hammock today,” Jesse suggested. He knew I was stressed and had been crying. We both needed to relax.

  “OK,” I said, not really caring what we did as long as we were together.

  John and Keith wanted to shop for their families. Scott and Shelly wanted to go kayaking, so we all went our separate ways. We found a nice spa and went in for massages. They put us side by side with soft music for ambiance as we enjoyed getting all our muscles rubbed with oil. Jesse reached over to let me know he was with me, keeping his hand on my arm as I felt all the tension flow out of my body as I relaxed. Then we sat in the sauna letting the dry heat warm us through to our bones and detox our skin. A lovely, tropical-smelling lotion was in my dressing room, which I applied all over my squeaky-clean skin. I felt so much better, revived and renewed.

  I enjoyed an ice-cold, fruity drink that was served when I came out of the dressing room by one of the attendants. It had a slice of fresh pineapple on the rim of the glass, with a long toothpick loaded with fresh mango, papaya, and maraschino cherries. Jesse was sitting on the couch waiting for me with his drink in his hand, looking polished and positively beautiful.

  We walked back to the beach and carefully got on a hammock, which was not easy. We were laughing trying to get in it so we could lie side by side without flipping it over. Finally, we managed to find a comfortable position right in the middle. I hung on as the wind blew and swayed us back and forth. Jesse adjusted the pillow and held his arm out for me to rest my head comfortably. I sighed with relief when I finally let go and relaxed into his body. The breeze was cooling and gently rocked us as we looked out to sea.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked, lightly stroking my arm.

  “Island paradise, just like the brochure promised,” I said.

  He kissed my temple and ran his fingers over my heart necklace.

  “I never in a million years expected to find a woman that I would fall in love with on this cruise,” he said, lifting my chin to look into my eyes. My breath caught in my chest—he just told me he loved me. I didn’t know what to say. I was speechless as his green eyes searched my face for what seemed like an eternity.

  “You love me?” I asked, questioning that I’d heard him right.

  “Yes, I do, very much,” he said, kissing me.

  “I love you too,” I said, smiling at him.

  “I don’t think I’ll be able to function without you,” he confessed.

  “We don’t have a choice; in three days the cruise is over, and we go back to our separate lives,” I said sadly.

  “Bailey, I just found you, and I’m not ready to let you go. Come to Arizona and finish school out there?” he asked.

  “Jesse, it’s too soon. I have to finish college so my mother can see me graduate. I have a job and an apartment, and what about Shelly?” I asked.

  “Have you seen her and Scott? They’re serious. He can’t stop talking about her. For God’s sake, they hit the sack the first night they met,” he chuckled.

  “That’s good to hear, because I know she’s fallen hard for him. Look, you guys are going to be busy with the album. February will be here before you know it,” I said, being the voice of reason for a change. We lay there swaying in the gentle breeze, contented to just hold each other. I dozed off for a while and woke hearing our friends’ voices coming closer to us. John and Keith were loaded down with packages. Scott and Shelly were laughing.

  “Well, don’t you two look comfortable? Time to go, man,” John said, smiling at us.

  “Oh my God, we have to get out of this thing,” I said, laughing as Jesse tried to sit up with me in his arms, making the hammock rock back and forth very fast. I grabbed the side and held on for dear life. Everyone was standing there watching us as we tried to figure out how to get out of that damn thing.

  “Anytime soon,” John said with a smirk.

  “On the count of three, sweetheart, swing your legs over the side and jump out,” Jesse said.

  “OK, but I’m scared,” I said.

  “Don’t worry, Bailey; I’ll catch you,” John said, putting his packages down and stepping closer to me. He slapped his hands together like he was catching a football.

  “Ready, one…two…three,” Jesse said as we both bolted out of the hammock. I landed on my feet but lost my balance and fell forward into John’s arms as he grabbed me around the waist.

  “Steady, girl,” he laughed as he caught me. I couldn’t stop giggling as John held on to me. Jesse growled and took back my hand as John chuckled and picked up his packages from the beach.

  Jesse

  Since I met Bailey, I’d been sleeping better than I had in years. Having her body next to mine somehow calmed me. I didn’t know how I’d ever be able to sleep alone again. Next morning I woke up, and she was gone. I heard the water running in the bathroom,
so I waited for her to come out. Today was the Grand Cayman Island, and then we sailed back toward Florida.

  I wasn’t particularly interested in exploring the island; I wanted to spend time with her, relaxing and enjoying the day together. I invited her into the shower with me for another of her special showers. Looking at her was getting more and more difficult. She was so beautiful, and I knew letting her go was going to be the single most difficult thing I’d ever had to do.

  She looked at me with the big, brown, trusting eyes, and my heart crumbled, my knees weakened, and I wanted to tell her just how badly I’d fallen in love with her. I didn’t think I could take watching her beautiful face as I made love to her, so I turned her around and bent her over the edge of the tub. This could be construed as cold and uncaring sex, but I didn’t want to stand there and see that water cascading down her beautiful body and know that in a couple days, I’d never see that erotic sight again. Her long hair was all around her feet on the bottom of the tub as the water pounded on her back.

  I held on to her because I was going at her pretty hard. Her slender body was no match for my larger one; she was completely at my mercy. After our shower sex, she didn’t seem like she was very happy, making me feel like a complete asshole for putting her through that. She was so sweet and caring when we made love. I was worried that maybe I had made a big mistake and ruined it with her. I asked her several times but only got a slight smile in return. She finally confessed that it was all right, but I felt she wasn’t completely thrilled by my performance.

  We had our usual breakfast with everyone, and then went out on deck to watch our ship dock at the big island. I decided that a little pampering was in order to make amends for my rough treatment in the shower. I’d treat her to a nice massage at a spa I’d read about in the brochure. I could tell she and Shelly had been crying when we met for breakfast. She looked relaxed and smelled fantastic when she emerged from the changing room after an hour on the massage table.

  We strolled down by the beach, choosing a shady spot with a double hammock so we could cuddle together and watch the spectacular view. Our friends all had their own itineraries today, each going their separate ways.

  Getting into the hammock was quite a feat of dexterity. I finally got on and moved to the center to steady it for Bailey. She had complete concentration on her face as she attempted to lie down and snuggle into me. I couldn’t help but laugh at her expense, which got her laughing too. She was pretty terrified of falling until I reached over and put my arm under her head, holding her against me. We finally managed to get comfortable as the hammock swayed in the breeze. We lay there for several hours, talking and looking at the ocean. She even fell asleep for a while. I lay there watching her, tracing the shape of the diamond heart necklace I’d bought her.

  I confessed to her that I was in love with her—it kind of slid out, but I wasn’t sorry it happened. When she heard my song, she was going to know anyway. What did surprise me was her telling me without hesitation that she loved me back. I’d had women tell me that they loved me before, but I never said it back to any of them. I’d never cared, but I never thought I’d want to hear those words so badly as I did from her. It made my heart sing, and I knew right then that I’d never get over this girl.

  As usual I could hear the gang way before I ever saw them approaching us. We had only a short time to get back to the ship. John was his usual bossy self. Not that I minded; he was good at his job, and we all appreciated him. They all stood there watching us as we tried not very gracefully to get out of that damn hammock. If you think getting in it is hard, try getting out! I told her on the count of three to jump out. John had put down his packages and was ready to catch her. I swung my feet over the side, hopping out quickly, but when I did the hammock swung back, launching Bailey into the air. She didn’t weigh very much and flew about twenty feet before her feet hit the ground. Since John was a football player in high school he caught her around the waist before she could face-plant in the sand. He hung onto her as they both giggled. That sight bothered me as he steadied her back on her feet and took his hands off her. I lunged for her hand and held her in a possessive hold. John’s eyebrow’s shot up as he looked at me, but I didn’t care. She was mine. Everyone was laughing at us as we headed back to the ship.

  It was a bittersweet day for Bailey and me. Both of us had confessed how we felt about each other. I held her hand as we walked along the white sandy beach, it was beautiful and tranquil. I had enjoyed our day together and was thinking about how we had to go our separate ways in a couple days. Every day we got closer to the end of our cruise and I got choked up with this feeling of incredible loss that was approaching. Will I be able to handle it, will she?

  John looked over his shoulder at me as we strolled along toward the ship. He gave me a sad smile and unspoken words of encouragement. I smiled back at him and nodded my head as I held my girl in my arms. She was smiling sweetly at me, feeling the same end of our love story looming just ahead.

  “Oh sweetheart,” I said pulling her head to mine for a kiss on her forehead. She looked up at me and a tear ran down her cheek. “I know what you’re thinking Bailey, we’ll get thru this somehow,” I said trying to give her words of encouragement. I was determined to make the most of what time we had, and by God, she was coming to Arizona if I had to go and get her and drag her there.

  Fifteen

  Bailey

  Shelly and I decided to go for a swim while the guys went to practice. We had several hours to kill before dinner. We stopped by Liza’s room to make sure she was OK. She opened her door still slightly pink but feeling better. She admitted to being tired after being up all night with Keith, so she had decided to sleep in. We told her we were headed out for a swim and that she could lounge in the shade if she wanted to. She agreed and changed her clothes, grabbing a book to read.

  We swam until my arms were sore and then lounged with Liza, trading stories of our lives back home. It was nice to get to know Liza better. She was twenty-four, a year older than Shelly and I. She had gotten her nursing degree and then went to work in a large hospital not too far from her home. I was shocked to find out she was dating someone, but she said it wasn’t serious. I wondered if she’d told that to Keith when she stayed up all night with him. I realized I was starting to feel protective of these guys and their feelings. They were starting to feel more like close friends instead of strangers I had just met.

  The afternoon went by fast, and soon it was time to get cleaned up. Shelly and I went to our rooms to perform our nightly ritual. I realized that when I was in my room without Jesse, I was lonely, wondering what he was doing, and anxious to see him again. I had it bad, and I knew it was only going to get worse.

  I took the time to text my mom, telling her I was OK and having lots of fun and that we’d get together when I got home. I took my shower, putting on the exotic lotion from the spa that Jesse bought me. I chose to wear the light-blue tank dress tonight that I had bought in Cozumel. I put a silver chain belt with it, silver jewelry, and my sandals. I thought I’d let Shelly do my hair and went to ask her, but when I opened my door there she stood with her hand in the air to knock.

  “What are you psychic or something,” I smirked.

  “What’s wrong? She asked.

  I wanted to know if you’d do my hair?” I asked.

  “Oh, OK,” she said, pulling me into my room. She was already dressed in a pink outfit, looking cute and sassy.

  “How do you get ready so fast?” I asked her.

  “I have to be at school early, so I’ve got my routine down to twenty minutes. My father would be impressed; he used to bitch because it took me so long to get ready,” she explained.

  “That’s impressive. I thought I was fast, but you’ve got me beat,” I said.

  “That blue dress looks great, but it’s very short, so don’t bend over,” she said, smirking as she looked at my back.

  “I know; I love it. It’s simple perfection,” I sai
d, looking in the mirror.

  Shelly did my hair in long curls and then brought up the sides by twisting them together with a hair clip. I did my makeup, and we were ready for a night out with our guys.

  Dinner was great as usual, and all the chatter around the table was about the island we visited today. Liza showed up and joined us, looking much better in a tight, black dress that showed off her long legs. Keith scooped her up to sit her next to him. Shelly and Scott talked about kayaking in the inlet area of the beach. John and Keith had gotten all their shopping done and managed to find time to go snorkeling. This was beginning to feel like a family gathering every night—talking about our day, everyone listening to each other’s stories, laughing and joking with each other like families do. I had fallen in love with the lead singer of the band, but I also loved every member of this band. Shelly and I had been accepted into the fold like they’d known us our whole lives. There was no jealousy or judgment. All I felt was love from every person around the table.

  We decided to nightclub it tonight, dance the night away, and have fun. I’d been melancholy all day and needed to cut loose and act my age. I was on my second glass of wine, laughing at Scott and Keith’s crazy antics, trying to outdo each other’s stupid jokes. Jesse had on his signature black jeans and a dark-green button-down shirt, which really brought out his green eyes. He kept looking at me as I laughed at those fools, watching my every move.

  “Let’s go and find a table before the place fills up,” Scott said, pulling Shelly to her feet as he headed toward the door. We all followed them out to the deck, walking along the railing and looking out at the setting sun over the ocean. Shelly stopped, pulled her camera out of her purse, and started snapping pictures of us with the sunset in the background. Jesse and I posed for a couple shots. Keith, Liza, Scott, Shelly, and John joined us in some of the shots. We got a man passing by to get a shot of all of us together with the sky behind us, bright orange and red.