Reader in the Park

by Rachel Maldonado

  When she arrived at the second platform, Anna was waiting for her patiently. Just like earlier, others were already pushing off from the platform or already working their way down through the other ziplines. It had made Anna smirk as she thought about it as a game of miniature golf when someone wants to play through because they're in a big hurry to get through to the end. She always found that she was never in a big hurry at all. She loved the challenges and trying to make sure that each time she gently putted the golf ball that it had a precise place that it was intended to go. She didn't like feeling rushed. For her it was all about timing, patience, and precision.

  In a similar fashion, to some degree so was love. And right here right now, Anna loved waiting for Nikki. She patiently waited for her to work up her courage, then enjoyed watching her soar through the air toward her with a smile brighter than the sunshine and the wind passing through her hair. She knew that the thought was somewhat cheesy, but she hoped that in life Nikki's heart would also swoop, swoon, and soar toward her just like she was physically doing on a zipline.

  Meanwhile, Nikki was also feeling an overwhelming sensation of warmth and wonderment. She felt as if the world was a magical place, and she was light as a feather as she flew like a fairy and zipped down with lightning speed with her tiny, frail wings down every slope. It was though each subsequent venture in the air was better than the one before; and each time, each wonderful time, Anna was there waiting for her, watching her, caressing her face and hair with her eyes. It was as if she could almost feel her gentle touch against her skin as she watched her.

  By the time the two women reached the bottom of the hill, Nikki thought it might be something that she would have to do at least one or more times a year.

  “Ready to go again?” inquired Anna playfully. Although Nikki wasn't sure if Anna was serious or not this time. She was still filled with energy. Had there been any walls present, she surely would've been bouncing off of them.

  “How about we make plans to zipline again in six months or so?” suggested Nikki. She too was feeling energized and excited.

  “Six months?” asked Anna as she began to take off her harness.

  “Sure, it's only March. Maybe by September and October the trees will start to change colors. It will be magnificent.” Nikki followed suit and began to remove her equipment as well.

  “Okay, it's a date.” Anna was overjoyed to discover that Nikki loved ziplining. If everything worked out in her favor, she might have to plan a vacation for the two of them to go to Vegas so that they could zipline through downtown past The Fremont, The Golden Nugget, and The Four Queens clear across to the other end of where the casinos stood and over thousands of people. Even though Anna had done almost every thrill-seeking adventure imaginable, and had been to Vegas several times in her lifetime, she hadn't yet been through the Fremont Experience. It would be something that she was sure she would love to do with Nikki, especially after this downhill zipline through beautiful Helotes.

  “Ready to go home?” inquired Nikki as they walked toward the shuttle to be driven back to their car.

  “Not exactly. I was hoping to go for a drive.”

  Nikki laughed. “Don't you ever get tired?”

  “I'm a ball of energy, aren't I?” she asked laughing. “Not usually. I sometimes have moments when I have insomnia. I guess the adrenaline rush gets my heart going and then I feel too pumped up to want to just sit or lie down. Know what I mean?”

  “I guess that's understandable. Where did you want to drive to?”

  “First off I thought we could stop by our homes to pick up some clothes, then head out to the coast to book a room. Spring break is not until next week, so we shouldn't have a problem getting a room tonight. What do you say?” She once again had those pleading eyes that Nikki found so irresistible.

  It didn't take much convincing. All it took was that look before Nikki responded, “Okay, but don't be at all surprised if I fall asleep in the Jeep.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Sure enough, as soon as Anna pulled onto I-37 South to get from Nikki's in San Antonio to Corpus Christi, Texas, Nikki was fast asleep. The drive was only two and a half hours, and although the radio was on, she had turned the volume almost completely down when she realized Nikki had fallen asleep. The sun was beginning to set toward the west. Anna could feel the warm glow of the sunset upon her face. She suddenly had an epiphany. She had had the most amazing date with the most incredible woman she had ever met. But it wasn't just that she was realizing she had an amazing woman. It was the realization that at first Anna had felt cursed that she had met a woman while she was in a dream state only to find out that when she awoke from her coma that she hadn't known her at all. She had wondered why life would play such a cruel joke on her. But now that she was beginning to fall in love with Nikki just as she did in her dreams, she felt blessed. This was her epiphany. She was falling head over heels in love with the same gorgeous woman that was in her dreams twice over, and she truly felt doubly blessed.

  Anna was glad to have put the top back on her Jeep when they had stopped at Nikki's because it began to lightly drizzle. She opened her window to take in the fresh air and the earthy aroma of soil just as the rain falls. She loved that scent. The gentle swish swish of the wiper blades was almost a soft hum that must've kept Nikki from waking because she slept the entire drive down. Anna even stopped for gas when she arrived in Corpus Christi and was surprised that the stop, the car door shutting as she exited and entered the vehicle, or the roar of the ignition didn't rouse her. She contemplated whether or not to wake Nikki in the event that she might need to use the bathroom, but she decided against it. She figured that if Nikki had to use the bathroom that she would've awakened from her slumber. She chose instead to drive to the Ocean Villa on the Bay. It was one of the nicest hotels complete with a hot tub in every room and a king size bed that included a complimentary breakfast for each guest. Anna had been there several times on business trips and was aware of the nice accommodations having used the conference room, computer room, and ordered room service on occasion. She was always considerate in booking a room for her client and a room for herself on a different floor so as to not make her clients feel uncomfortable. In any case, she had grown to love the hotel, but had never actually stayed there with a love interest. It often made her cringe when the woman at the counter would smile and ask, “Is this for business or pleasure?” And she always said with a forced smile, “Business as usual.” She wondered if the women that worked at the hotel thought that she was a workaholic and didn't have a personal life. This time it was going to be different. She was going to walk into the lobby, sign up for a room, and when asked, “Is this for business or pleasure?” She would proudly say with a real smile and not a forced one, “Pleasure.”

  When they arrived at the hotel, the rain had subsided. Anna gently nudged Nikki's arm. “We're here, Nikki. Rise and shine.”

  Nikki finally stirred awake and grumbled. “Is it morning already?” She stretched her arms out while yawning.

  “No, hon. We drove to the coast, remember? I just got here. Let's go in so I can book a room.”

  Nikki tried in vain to rub the sleep from her eyes to no avail. She still looked like she'd just woken up from a nap. The left side of her hair appeared sort of smashed and in disarray due to having been lying with her body half turned toward Anna as she drove, her head resting on the headrest of her seat. She grabbed her bag and followed Anna into the hotel lobby plopping herself down on one of the white couches as she waited for Anna to sign in and get a card key.

  Anna was pleasantly surprised that the woman behind the counter recognized her. “Two rooms as usual, Ms. Kincade?” she asked with a bright white smile that almost seemed too white against the color of her dark red lipstick.

  “Not this time...umm.” Anna couldn't recall the woman's name, so she quickly and awkwardly glanced down at the woman's name tag before blurting her name. “Samantha.” She felt instant relief since
she wanted to avoid an embarrassing situation of having to explain how she'd been there countless times and still didn't know the woman's name.

  Samantha grinned sheepishly at having to ask having noted that Anna had walked in with someone. “And is this for business or pleasure?”

  Anna felt her face become warm as if divulging the word 'pleasure' meant something naughty. “Pleasure,” she beamed as she glanced over in Nikki's direction. In her mind, when the moment finally came that she would finally stay at this luxury hotel with a woman, she would say the word 'pleasure' in response to that question, then glance over to a beautiful super model that stood by an open door near the beachfront. She'd have her hair blowing in the ocean breeze, but even though it was slightly windy, her hair would still be immaculate. She would be wearing a sexy, revealing red dress that wasn't too risque, but hung in all the right places against her curves. She imagined a woman much like the ones she'd seen in movies or magazines posing with her mouth slightly open as if she was awaiting a kiss from her. But at this very moment, here and now, as she said the word 'pleasure' and glanced over in Nikki's direction to notion to Samantha that's who she was with, Nikki had slumped over the side of the couch with her hair in a complete mess, and her mouth was slightly open, but it appeared as though a bit of dribble was coming out and onto the armrest.

  Anna chuckled nervously when Samantha furrowed her eyebrows as she glanced over at Nikki sleeping.

  “We had a long eventful day,” said Anna, trying to explain away the way things looked. “We had a zombie run and did some ziplining. We're both tired.”

  Samantha handed Anna the keys. “No need to explain, Ms. Kincade. You're very well liked here. One of our best customers.”

  “That's good to know. Thank you,” said Anna as she took the keys.

  “Not a problem. Let me know if you need anything.”

  “Sure thing.” Anna walked over to Nikki and grinned. “Wake up, beautiful,” she coaxed in her ear.

  Nikki stirred awake once more, then sat up and attempted to run her fingers through her hair. “I look a fright. Don't tell me I'm beautiful right now.”

  Anna smiled warmly. “Nonsense. You're gorgeous,” she whispered, then kissed her softly on the forehead.

  Anna recalled the image that she had once held of the type of woman that she would take there and realized she had been wrong. It wasn't the image of a perfect woman at all. Despite being groggy, having bedhead on one side, and the rest of her hair being a wind blown mess, Nikki was still the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen. She didn't want or need a fantasy of a woman that might not even exist or that exists only on the big screen. She was in love with a woman who's true beauty was within her, and she was exquisite in every way imaginable. In actuality, she thought, Nikki really was quite stunning whether or not she was all dressed to impress or not.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  The evening had been an uneventful one. Since both women were exhausted from the day before, they asleep almost immediately after settling in to their room. Nikki, of course, was the first one to hit the pillow and was out like a light. Anna stayed up for a short while as she made some notes on a hotel notepad trying to plan out the weekend.

  By morning, Nikki was awakened by the sound of water bubbling and the aroma of fresh coffee brewing. She rolled over to find that Anna wasn't in bed beside her. She sat up to discover that the room was filled with flowers and rose petals. There were also several scented candles that were going. It smelled like vanilla. She could see that the bathroom door was ajar and hear that the water in the tub was running. She felt pleasantly surprised and hopped out of bed, then padded to the bathroom in her bare feet to find that Anna was sitting on the edge of the bathtub as it filled with hot water and soapy bubbles.

  “Good morning,” said Nikki.

  Anna was startled. “Good morning,” she said with an air of surprise in her voice. “Glad to see you're awake.” She grinned recalling how sleepy she'd been the previous night.

  Nikki smiled warmly. “Yes, I think I finally caught up on some much needed rest. I like what you've done with the room. I wasn't expecting all the flowers and candles.”

  “Thank you. I was trying to surprise you. I wanted the room to feel warm and inviting. It makes for a more relaxing stay. I was going to wake you as soon as your bubble bath was ready.”

  “Bubble bath? Now that sounds nice. I can't remember when I've had one of those.”

  “After our busy day yesterday and all our adventurous dates, I thought maybe you'd want to take it easy.”

  “Anna Kincade takes a day off from her thrill-seeking, adrenaline pumping activities? I wasn't even sure you ever did that unless you were at the office or asleep.”

  Anna chuckled. “I have days when I stay at home and relax. Those days are few and far between, but nonetheless they're there.” She reached over to turn the faucet off, then tested the water to make sure it wasn't too hot.

  Nikki noticed that Anna's hair was wet. “Did you take a bath already?”

  Anna shook her head. “No, I showered.” She stood up from the tub and walked toward the door. She stopped at the door to turn around and talk to Nikki. “I woke up really early, went to the store to pick up some things then when I returned, I set up the flowers and candles, took a shower, and started your bath. That's when you woke up.”

  “Will you keep me company while I sit in the tub?” asked Nikki.

  “I will. But I have to make a quick phone call. There's something I was trying to plan for us for tomorrow. I need to call to see if I can sign us up.”

  Nikki giggled. “So much for taking it easy.”

  Anna smirked. “We are taking it easy—today. Tomorrow I want to do something fun.”

  “So what do you have planned for us today, or is it a surprise?” Nikki walked over to the tub and tested the water.

  “First there's breakfast. I'll make a couple of calls and be back in here in a few,” said Anna as she walked out of the bathroom, her voice trailing off. “What should I order?” she asked from the other room.

  Nikki thought for a moment. “Pancakes!” she said loudly to ensure that Anna could hear her. She began to undress and slowly eased into the steamy, soapy bath water. She leaned back into the water to wet her hair, then sat up against the tile at the back of the bathtub.

  The bathroom door remained open, and she could hear Anna placing an order for room service, then she heard another call where she was speaking in a hushed tone. Nikki grinned. She wondered what Anna was up to and hoped it wasn't shark diving. In her mind, she was imagining Anna on a big boat chasing after a giant shark or a whale much like in the story of Moby Dick. She giggled to herself, and then briefly shrugged the idea from her thoughts while she anticipated pancakes. Mmm, warm, soft buttery and fluffy pancakes with lots of syrup, she thought. They'd fallen asleep without eating dinner, and she was so hungry she nearly felt like her stomach was eating itself. She had another thought about Anna probably seeking the rush of trying to capture a whale for the blubber to make oil for lamps just like in the days before electricity. She closed her eyes and let her imagination run wild. I can just picture it. Anna Kincade—whaling, she thought once more, then laughed.

  “What are you laughing at?” asked Anna as she stood in the open doorway.

  Nikki opened her eyes. “I was just thinking about something silly.”

  “Yeah? Like what?” questioned Anna as she leaned against the door frame, then crossed her arms in front of her.

  “You'd think I was nuts if I told you,” said Nikki still grinning as if she was about to laugh.

  Anna laughed. “What if I think you're nuts already?” she teased. “Just tell me.”

  “I was picturing you as a fisherman in a big ol' rain slicker, boots, and a hat...” she paused as Anna interrupted.

  “A hat? What kind of hat? Was it a Gordon's Fisherman bright yellow kind of hat?”

  Nikki laughed. “No, it was more like a Paddington Bear sort
of hat.”

  “Paddington bear? I think that's the same kind of hat.”

  Nikki laughed once more. “Anyway, you were in this fisherman outfit and you were on a boat with a spear. The ocean waves were bouncing your boat to and fro and it was windy and raining and you were chasing down a whale.”

  “I was whaling, huh?” Anna laughed. “And why were you suddenly picturing this?”

  Nikki shrugged her shoulders. “I don't know. My mind wandered away from me when I started thinking what you must've planned for us to do tomorrow.”

  Anna laughed. “Whaling...I could've been a whaler. But there's more money in being in advertising.”

  Nikki grabbed the soap and a wash cloth. “Will you scrub my back?”

  “Okay,” replied Anna as she walked over to the side of the bathtub to sit down on the edge. “But only because you fantasize about me being a courageous whaler out on the open sea chasing down a mammoth whale.”

  Nikki laughed. “Yes, but I wouldn't say it was a mammoth. I don't know what kind of whale it was or what size because you were chasing it with a spear.”

  Anna laughed as she soaped up a washcloth and began to wash Nikki's back. “Maybe I wasn't on the ocean at all, but on a river and I was spearing some trout or bass or something?”

  Nikki smirked. “No, it was my fantasy, and I say you were on the ocean in a Paddington Bear hat and a spear.” She laughed again.

  “You're silly,” said Anna giggling. Just then there was a knock on the door.