Beneath the Sky

Nervous glances, holding hands,
Their first meeting as something more than friends.
Once so chatty over the phone,
As life histories came tumbling out;
Now tongue-tied, inhibited, waiting... for what?
Still in her teens, red-haired, petite,
She trotted along to keep in step
With his long, lithe strides.
Though awkward and out of sync,
They gave each other boldness
And she felt secure in his reassuring presence.
The sky, so blue on that sultry August evening, was
Kissed with white clouds and
Buzzing with anticipation.

Among the flashing lights and blaring music
Of her local funfair,
Nervousness evaporated.
They joined the throngs of people
All ready for a good time.
Laughter flowed as they deliberately crashed their bumper cars.
She rode the helter skelter
While he captured the evening in photographs.
Together they giggled about the farcical ghost house
And played for prizes without success.
As night fell,
The summer sky turned indigo overhead
Rushing through violet and red
To a burnt orange sun blazing across the horizon.

They took the long route home;
A high road following the coastline.
And away from the still-bustling seaside town,
Words cascaded easily
In the youthful thrill of being together.
They sat on a bench overlooking the sparkling sea.
The haze of summer and anticipation of the unknown
Hung in the air.
In the darkness, conversation stopped
And they leaned in for their first kiss.
The sky was black and full;
A witness to their fledgling romance.
Early stars twinkled like a firework display of celebration
Of a heady, electrifying evening
And the start of something enduring.