Chapter 9

Cara had just finished inspecting the work the young man had done on the pool. It wasn't a good job, it was a superb job! By himself, he had done what she never believed two people could do, and in less time too.

Getting someone to clean the pool was something she had been postponing day after day just as she had been postponing getting enough exercise to trim down the excess fat that was now building up in her body. She had always been chubby, but certainly not obese and she had no wish to make the progression.

Waking up this morning, she had suddenly felt the need to do something physical. But when she looked out of her window at the pool, it was a mess! There was no way in hell she'd consider swimming in such a gutter. Long disuse had turned it into exactly that: an unkempt gutter. So she quickly picked up her phone and dialed the guy that mowed her lawn, fixed her faucet and other such odd jobs around the house. She was relieved when he told her that he was free and would come over immediately. She really could not bear to imagine that the pool would remain in its current state for yet another day. She was tired of procrastinating and today, she would not postpone any activity. Time was always on the move and she would move with it.

Three hours later, the young man, Gale, had finished his work and the entire pool area looked like how it had been when she and her ex-husband moved in a year ago. She was surprised, and grateful. She asked him to give her a minute and darted into the house. She would surprise him just like he had surprised her, not only with a large tip, but she'd also let him have a note and her mobile number, so he could present them as references to new customers.

She went into her room, counted out the money and wrote and signed the note. Leaving her room, she shut the door behind her, but before she could take a step forward, she bumped into a breathless Lance.

"Whoa Lance! Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Just wanna talk to you."

"Anything the matter? Is your mom okay? Anna?"

"No. Um.. yeah. It's not about Mom or Anna."

"Oh. Okay then. Um.. lemme go pay..."

"No no," he shook his head vigorously and grabbed her hands. "I wanna talk to you now."

"Yeah. I won't be long. I'll just pay him and then we can sit and talk."

"No," he stonily refused, still holding her hands. "I don't wanna wait any extra second. I've thought about this and there's no better time to do this."

"You're scaring me, Lance. What is 'this' all about?"

"You, Cara," he replied, looking straight into her eyes.

"Me?", Cara asked, puzzled.

"Yes, you. I dream about you, always. I think about you, always. Every good feeling I have is somehow related to you.. always. I'm in love with you, Cara. I don't think I..."

"Lance! Do you..."

"No, let me finish. You're my first true love, my last true love and my only true love. I want you, Cara. I need you. No one can stop me from having you, not even you."

"I..."

"No, don't say anything. Just listen," he continued breathlessly. "I don't care what anyone thinks. I know what I want. My body knows it, my brain knows it, my heart knows it. It's you, Cara. No one else."

He took a break, but not to breathe. Cara watched him with her mouth agape as he performed his next action.

"Cara Neyes," he said, addressing her by her maiden name, ring in hand and one knee on the ground. "Will you marry me?"