“Ew.” Steve tried so hard not to laugh. “Oh, eeeew.”
“You picked it, baby.”
“So, that thing’s really going to turn into Donald Sutherland?” she whispered.
“Kayla, the hair’s a dead giveaway, come on.”
“Shh!” a voice scolded from behind them.
“Sorry,” Kayla said guiltily with a slight turn to her head toward the offended man behind her. Then she looked at Steve and grinned. “Shh,” she mocked to him.
Who me? He mouthed back to her. She grinned back and slowly turned back to the screen as she took another handful of popcorn. Like the Cheshire Cat, her grin seemed to linger long after she’d turned.
Steve had stopped paying attention to the movie a long time ago, and the whole thing just blew his mind. When they’d first settled into their plush red seats at the theater that did exist when he got to town in 1985 but not when he returned to it in 2006, he thought he might be in a movie, himself. The Salem Theatre was family-owned and showed month-old movies for 99₵. In 2009 second-run theaters were a dying breed, and no matter where you went the first twenty minutes were nothing but glorified commercials. Tonight they sat down, and before Steve could even dwell on the fact that he wanted to kiss her so bad that he couldn’t think straight the previews had begun.
He’d seen this and all the movies in this theater plenty of times before (well, once was enough on the marathon-length Deer Hunter), so he couldn’t help his mind wandering. And it wandered everywhere. Not just to Kayla, but the seats, the price of the tickets, the fashions, and the, without question, worst hair in the history of mankind. As evidenced by the man turning into a pod person before their eyes right now as Veronica Cartwright screamed her head off.
Suddenly, Kayla casually tossed a piece of popcorn at Steve’s head. What the? He turned to look at her, but she was facing straight forward with a very non-committal look on her face. He turned back to the screen and immediately another piece of popcorn bounced off his temple. Kayla continued to look innocent, and Steve couldn’t help but smile.
“Wanna tell me what you’re pelting me with popcorn for?” he whispered.
“Am I? I hadn’t noticed.”
“Kayla.”
“How do you know I’m Kayla and not a zombie?”
Steve wanted to eat her for dessert. “They’re pod people not zombies. You see any brains being eaten up there?”
“Zombies and pod people?” Now she looked at him playfully. “I’m scared now.”
“Oh,” he said, his green eyes glinting knowingly as the light of the movie screen reflected off of them. Steve felt young. He felt so young. The years between his body’s age and his real age had almost completely melted away like they never existed, and he was simply the man that loved this woman. And he wanted to put his arm around her as much as she wanted him to, he really did. Kayla got an impatient look on her face and pelted him square in the nose with one more piece of popcorn. “There, there, little girl, don’t be scared,” he said as he raised his arm over the back of Kayla’s seat and embraced her around her shoulders.”
“I’m not a little girl,” she said in a full voice as she sat up straight. The playfulness was gone, she was dead serious about him knowing that.
“Will you shut up!” the man behind her spat.
“Don’t you f*cking yell at her,” Steve spat back, the warning very clear that he back the hell off.
Kayla had not heard him use that word, but more than that she had not heard him use that tone. It was strong and confident and had absolute command of the situation. It protected her, it defended her, and it surprised and pleased her at the same time. Her face wore a look of shock, but Steve didn’t back down from the guy.
“Yeah, ok, fine,” he whispered. “Sorry. Can ya just whisper, I mean, I come on.”
Kayla nodded in the dark, which the man couldn’t see, and even though Steve finally had his arm where she wanted it, she looked at him now with sincerity. “I am not a little girl,” she whispered softly. “Don’t treat me like one.”
The light of the screen created shadows upon the small gap between Kayla’s breasts, and her eyes shone with a maturity that her youth couldn’t hide. Steve bent his elbow and palmed the back of Kayla’s head, threading her soft hair in his fingers. “No, you’re not. I’m sorry,” he said softly. They looked at each other earnestly for several seconds before Steve leaned over and kissed her temple, then he brought her in against him with his arm more tightly around her.
All now forgiven, Kayla settled against him, and the warmth hummed through her body like electricity. Excitement to be with a boy she liked was not a new experience for her. She’d swooned, she’d stayed up late talking to girlfriends about dates, she’d gone to school dances, she’d kissed, and she’d even been felt up on a couple of occasions. But never in all her life had she felt what she felt with this man. It was like every point of contact between their two bodies was an intricate puzzle piece she never knew existed that now knitted together into a bigger picture. There was nothing about him that she didn’t want to know and feel and be part of.
Steve closed his eyes to the feel of Kayla’s head upon his shoulder, and it was the first measure of sweet relief Steve had felt since he’d held her outside the cooler. She was warm, her hair caressed his neck, and her presence against his body made him feel good. He wished he could download her missing memories into her so that her head could catch up to his – then again, that wasn’t a pleasant experience when he went through it, so maybe not. But he did wish she was all there. Even so, she felt all there. This felt like Kayla, and as she’d once said, it’s not like this was a person that looked like her, this really was her. And even if she didn’t know it, he did, and he was tired of being without her. Part of him continued to fight this, but the rest was seducing him away from the resistance, and that was the part that was winning. It’s ok, Steve heard her say in his head. She is me. And suddenly all he wanted to do was hold her close and tell her how much she meant to him.
Kayla felt Steve lay his cheek on her head and nuzzle it, and she couldn’t help but let out a sigh. She’d never felt so right with anyone in her entire life. Not even her own family made her feel this kind of contentment. Whatever he was trying to tell her, she heard him, and she wanted to hear more.
They stayed that way for the entire rest of the movie, but neither of them really paid very much attention. It was too hard to really follow with the thrum coursing in and out of each other. Even so, when Brooke Adams suddenly showed up on the screen naked with her full breasts splayed in their faces, Kayla felt the heat rise in her neck. He felt her tense and smiled at the discomfort her inexperience made her feel while viewing the image with him. Not that it was titillating in the least, because if there was a scene of creepy nudity that had nothing to do with sex, that was it. The hairy armpit didn’t help, either. But naked was naked, and that woman was pretty naked, and he knew that Kayla was wondering if he was wondering what she might look like naked. Little did she know that he already knew. Only he didn’t, really, did he? Not this Kayla. Suddenly he felt as conspicuous in the light of this image as she did.
A few moments later Kayla lifted her head and turned toward him. Steve met her gaze and held it for a moment. “What is it?” he whispered so softly that she barely heard it.
“Why don’t you want to kiss me?” she asked.
Steve’s groin stirred, and his heart stirred more. “Oh, baby. I do want to kiss you.”
“Then why don’t you?”
Steve took a deep breath. “It’s complicated.” He ran his index finger down her cheek, and she shivered. Then with his free right hand he took her left and kissed the top of it.
Kayla searched his eyes and understood that there was something there he wasn’t telling her. She wanted to know what it was. But for now she laid her head back upon his shoulder and took heart in the fact that he wanted her, too.
Finally, blessedly, the movie ended, and as it happens, Kayla was paying more attention than he gave her credit for. “Wow. Twist ending,” she said somewhat impressed.”
The lights came up over the credits, and Steve turned to see that the annoyed man behind them was already out of his seat and heading up the aisle. “So, you liked it?” he said with skepticism in his voice.
“Yeah, it was interesting. I was entertained. And I liked the company,” she smiled sweetly.
They got up and followed the crowd out, and Steve took a moment to appreciate the architecture of the theater’s interior. It was truly beautiful. Ornate carvings in the walls, curtains draped above and to the side of the screen, and the single aisle’s carpet was actually very well-maintained. Popcorn tubs and candy packages still littered the floors, so that was pretty consistent. But with the glass bubble box office housing the single ticket agent outside the theater and the overall yesteryear feel of the place obviously built in the ‘40’s if it was a day, Steve realized with a bit of sadness that they just didn’t build them like this anymore.
“Thank you for dinner and the movie,” Kayla said with a beaming smile as she grabbed the corner of his arm to begin their walk home. And as they stepped out into the night and the snow fell upon them, Steve was struck at how beautiful his wife was. He had no words to describe her, she was just so very beautiful with the small flakes glittering in her long, blonde tresses and her red coat setting off the continuing pops of color that still shocked the two eyes he wasn’t used to having.
The rush of love that hit Steve in that moment was so overwhelming that he almost cried out. He stopped in front of the marquis and whirled her around to face him. He saw that he’d taken her by surprise, but he also saw that she liked it. The longing he saw in her eyes reflected his own, and when he finally couldn’t take another second more, he gently took the back of her neck with both of his hands, brought her to him as he bent his head toward her, and kissed her. Passionately, lovingly, and with all the pent up frustration of the past three days (at least), he kissed her. And, my God, did he feel his wife there. All this time, she was right there. This was not a girl he didn’t know, this was his wife, he’d know her kiss anywhere, and he got caught up in her immediately.
So much like their first kiss in Steve’s basement apartment so many years ago (to come), Kayla saw and felt fireworks in that kiss. Her heart opened up and didn’t have to beg to be filled, Steve willingly and desperately filled it. She felt his hands leave her neck so his left arm could embrace her as his right held the back of her head. She let her hand drift up to his shoulder and hold him tightly while her other touched his face. Steve had to feel his wife, all of her. His right hand left her head to rest firmly around her waist, but he couldn’t keep his hands off her face, so he stopped trying and let himself feel the soft, supple skin of her cheeks and neck.
When they came up for a breath, they had no words. Just desire and need and the inability to go back to simply sharing a bathroom as nothing more than mutual crushes. Steve couldn’t let go of her face as they shared the same look in their eyes, and before long Steve went in for another kiss. “Oh, Kayla,” Steve whispered as they kissed in the middle of the sidewalk in front of the theater marquis with people walking by and gawking at them. They didn’t care, no one existed but them. Without even thinking about it, Steve’s tongue slipped into Kayla’s mouth, and she moaned into his kiss as she welcomed it with her own. Their tongues danced as their lips tasted each other and Steve gathered her up tightly and held her close. He couldn’t feel enough of her, and he wanted to cry. He wanted to cry tears of relief from the loneliness and from missing her. But he didn’t, he held them in, because somewhere in the back of his unconscious mind he knew he could never tell this Kayla and that she’d never understand.
With that thought, Steve abruptly pulled away, leaving Kayla breathless. She was dizzy with feeling, and they both held on to each other for more reasons than one. He was so conflicted. Strangely, he didn’t feel very guilty about it, because she felt so real, so much like it was really her, and … it was really her. “God, Kayla,” he said as his voice broke.
She saw the last bits of struggle in his eyes and felt desperate to keep him. “Steve,” she said in a soft but confident voice. “I feel the same way about you as you do about me.”
“I know,” Steve replied without a shred of arrogance. “I know you do, Sweetness.” And Steve crushed his lips to hers a third time. It was nearing 10:30 PM, and most of the street in front of the theatre was now clear of the gawking onlookers. It was just the two of them with the softly falling snow and the marquis having just dimmed for the night, and their kisses created a bubble of aloneness that felt impenetrable.
Steve had let her in. And now that she was there, he had to feel the warmth of her body. Steve’s black overcoat was already unbuttoned and hanging open. Without breaking away from her lips, he let his fingers fall to the three large hooks on her red coat and undid them. Was he undressing her, Kayla wondered? Go ahead, undress me, I’m in heaven. He wasn’t undressing her, but when she realized what he was doing, it touched her in a way she couldn’t explain. When he’d unhooked her coat, he opened it and shoved his hands inside, around her back, and up toward her shoulder blades. He then pulled her to him so that their bodies could share each other’s warmth without the burden of their bulky coats, and Kayla cried out with the sensation. It was intense, and she felt how important she was to him. Kayla didn’t even know it when her arms reached into his own coat as his had with hers, and Steve whimpered at the relief her body brought to him. Kayla felt high, and she never ever ever wanted to come down.
Their kisses went on as if that’s what they were born to do, and incredibly, Steve felt the love pouring out of her. Could she really be in love with him? It wasn’t likely, that’s not how real life worked. She liked him, alright, and he turned her on, but even as he knew that, he couldn’t deny that she was bonding to him; it felt an awful lot like love coming from her. And he liked it. He wanted to feel more of it. And he could not stop kissing her, touching her, feeling her, loving her.
Finally, the sheer fact that they needed oxygen forced them to pull their lips from each other, and the reality of this very dark night settled upon them.
“Steve,” Kayla said softly as he caressed the hair away from her face. “That was worth the wait.” Steve smiled. “What took you so long?”
Steve chuckled at the woman he knew so well. “It’s only been three days, Sweetness.”
“It’s been a lifetime,” she said with absolute seriousness. She had no idea of the wisdom that statement held. He bent and sweetly kissed her lips once more, then he wrapped her back up in her coat and fastened the hooks. He didn’t apologize for doing what he’d done when he’d unhooked her coat, and he didn’t feel any shame for having done it. He only buttoned her up because it was simply cold, and he needed to get her home.
“It’s going to be a long walk home, baby, I’m sorry. Do you want to catch a cab?”
Kayla shook her head, he’d spent enough money. “No, I want to spend as much time with you as I can. Let’s walk.”
Steve felt the thrill of her words. But it was really cold. “I dunno, baby, I promised your pop I’d get you home at a decent hour.”
“And you heard my pop say that I didn’t have a curfew and that we should have a good time. I’m having a good time, and you are, too, so let’s walk. Maybe you can hold me close so I won’t shiver.”
Steve chuckled. “You’re persistent, that never changes.”
Kayla didn’t pick up on Steve’s slip, and he resolved to do better with that.
Steve couldn’t keep his hands off her on the way home. He held her close as they walked, but he alternately caressed her hair, her face, and held her hand throughout the walk that, she was right, ended far too soon. When they made their way up the walk of the front door of the house, neither of them wanted to go in. But they were shivering, and while they both wanted to kiss each other before the door opened, something held them back, and they just looked at each other knowing they wanted to, and that was enough to make them both smile.
Steve was sure there would be a welcoming committee when they walked in, but there wasn’t. the living room was empty, and only the table lamp was left on for them. Bo was nowhere to be seen, and when they got to the bedroom hallway, they saw his room was dark, so he was still out with his friends.
Now that they were back in the house and their coats were off, Steve wanted to have her back in his arms as soon as possible. They hadn’t said a word since they entered the hallway, and Kayla could see Steve was hopping with energy to kiss her again. She loved it and felt the same way. But their date was over, and now they were in her parents’ home, and it was after 11 o’clock at night as they stood at the thresholds of their respective rooms.
Just then, Caroline stuck her head out of her door at the end of the long hallway. Steve froze as Kayla saw him look toward the telltale sound over her shoulder. Caroline was in a long, sensible robe, and she held it tightly across herself as she ventured out into the hallway hovering very close to her own door.
“Did you kids have a nice time?”
“Yes, mom,” Kayla said nervously. Yes, Kayla was definitely nervous. Steve wasn’t sure why, she’d been so confident when she, apparently, told them of their date earlier. What he didn’t know was that she was falling in love with him and, therefore, had no control over the breathiness of her voice.
“Yes, we went to see a movie and had dinner at Carlucci’s,” Steve said. “I wanted to make sure she was home at a reasonable hour like I promised.”
Caroline smiled. “Thank you, Steve. You kids better get to sleep, we’ve got church in the morning.”
Church? Steve thought? Been a while.
“Yes, ma’am.” He said. “Goodnight, Mrs. Brady.” Then he looked at Kayla, who was looking at him longingly. “Goodnight, Kayla.”
“Goodnight,” the two women said in unison.
Without delay or a look in their direction, Steve went into his room and closed the door. His heart ached. It wasn’t done loving her yet.
He brushed his teeth, put on the damnable sweatpants, and made damn sure his underwear was still on. Then and there, he decided that come hell or high water, tomorrow he was going to try to pick off some clothes from Bo, because if he had to wear this sh*t again tomorrow he was going to go nuts. He’d hustle some pool at the Cheatin’ Heart then Monday he’d buy a few things of his own.
Steve heard Kayla in the bathroom, then across the closed doors moving about her bedroom. He thought he heard what could possibly be a drawer open and close, and he imagined her putting her hair up in a pony-tail again as she readied herself for bed.
As he listened to the sounds of his wife in her room, he thought more about the fish market plan that had been rolling about in his head since Bo had unknowingly planted the seed there this morning. He didn’t have to work the docks or find income under the table or even hustle up a game of pool to make money. All he had to do was get Shawn to give him his old job back at the fish market. No, it wasn’t his lifelong dream, and no, it wasn’t something he truly enjoyed. But there was no way anything more perfect could possibly have landed in the lap of this or any jump. Steve wasn’t jumping, and he knew that because the thought of doing so without Kayla arriving first was too horrifying to accept. So, it wasn’t happening and that was that. Kayla wasn’t here yet, and tomorrow was going to be their ninth day. There was no question he had to make some money. Shawn needed help at the market, Steve had all the skills because Shawn taught him, and he wasn’t going back to the merchant marines. He’d already proven his worth, now he had to make it permanent. Tomorrow he would convince Bo once and for all to go back to high school. Then at church he would mention his plans and that he has to find a job. He was sure Shawn would then offer him a job at the fish market. If he didn’t, nothing was going to change, but he and Kayla were going to be hurting for income.
Steve found himself drawn to the bathroom and looked up at his door. He knew he should just go to bed, but instead he got up, went to it, and stared. After a few moments, he heard her knock faintly, and he jumped. Steve smiled as his heart beat faster and slid open the door. Kayla was standing there in the same green nightgown she wore the other night. Her hair was not up yet.
“And what can I do for you, Miss Brady?” Steve smiled before he glanced appreciatively down her nightgown.
Kayla squinted her eyes. “Did you just look down my shirt?”
“I might have.”
“Why are you always looking?” she scolded teasingly.
“Why are you always showing up in the bathroom with something for me to look at?”
Kayla was all grown up, yes, but she’d somehow bitten off more than she could chew when Steve rose to the occasion and met her teasing with his own, and now she felt her cheeks flush.
Steve chided himself. He was going to let himself kiss her and hold her and love her, but he would not be doing anything more until the rest of her showed up. And just when is that going to be? he asked himself for what would be the last time for a little while.
“I’m sorry, Sweetness, I didn’t mean to embarrass you, I was just playing.”
“No,” she shook her head, knowing he saw her embarrassment, and looked to the floor, “I started it, I need to watch what I’m doing.”
Steve tilted her chin up with his finger. “I’ll never hurt you, Kayla. I’ll never take advantage of you. I—c—l—care about you, and you will never have to worry that I’m going to rush anything.”
“Ok,” she whispered.
Now he leered just a tiny bit. “So … that said … did ya need something?” Kayla nodded with a gleam in her eye as the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. Steve brushed his lips upon hers and kissed her sweetly for several moments. “Was that what you needed?” he said when he pulled away slowly. Kayla nodded again and smiled. “Need any more?”
“Uh-uh,” she said as she slowly shook her head.
“Well, if you change your mind, you let me know.”
“Ok,” she said in her drunken haze. Then she smiled as he slid the door closed.
Steve stood there, and not ten seconds later the door opened again without a knock, and Kayla startled at seeing he was still there. “I changed my mind.” Then she threw her arms around his neck and attacked his mouth with hers.
Steve held her tightly as they kissed with wild abandon. Tasting, sucking their bottom lips then top lips into each other’s mouths, and showing how they felt about one another.
“I’m glad you changed your mind,” he said between kisses. “Mm, Kayla,” he softly moaned. “Sweetness.” Her lips were so impossibly plump, and when he felt her fingertips caress his face, he couldn’t control the sting in his eyes. He missed her so much.
Kayla pressed her body against his and gasped at the hardness she felt against her belly. She pulled away and took a very small step back just enough for their bodies to separate. Steve knew immediately what had happened, and it was a significant reminder that this Kayla was not just inexperienced, she was a virgin, and to her, right now, he was not her husband.
“Sh*t. I’m sorry, he said as he tried, yet again, to adjust his patch. He didn’t wish it was there by any means, but he did feel annoyed that he wouldn’t have that nervous crutch to depend on now. “Don’t be scared.”
Kayla had recoiled and was now frozen as if she’d been caught with her hands in the cookie jar. “Is that for me?” she asked with genuine wonder.
“You see anyone else here, Sweetness,” he replied with a tinge of frustration, “it’s not for Ernie Banks.” Kayla let out a nervous laugh.
“Shh!” Now he was annoyed. Your parents hear you they’re gonna throw me outta here, baby, then where would we be?” It was a reference to having to stay together on this jump, which she would not understand but, thankfully, sailed right over her head.
“Sorry,” she said with an apologetic tilt to her head. “I’ve never, um. Felt … seen …”
“I know that! You think I don’t know that, I know that!”
Kayla dropped her grin. “Why are you mad?”
“I’m not mad.” Kayla gave him a look that said not to patronize her. “Ok, I’m mad, but not at you. I’m mad at me. I can’t help it, that’s what you do to me. In fact, I think you do it to every red-blooded male in America, and I don’t have any natural immunity like your lab partner does.” Kayla giggled. “You know what they say about men.”
“I don’t believe everything they say,” Kayla said sweetly, palming his face.
“Some of what they say about men is true, Kayla. I’ll try to control it. But I promise he won’t bother you if I can’t.”
Kayla loved him. It only took three days, but she loved him. And she wasn’t sure how long she wanted him to control it.
“That doesn’t mean that I’m not going to keep kissing you.”
“Good, because I never want you to stop kissing me.”
They continued to stand in the bathroom doorway and kissed softly and sweetly for minutes on end. He felt selfish, but every moment of her lips on his was sweet relief for his lonely heart. He told her in his head that he loved her over and over, and she felt it in his kisses.
Now Steve wrapped his arms around her body, lifted her vertically, and dropped her gently into her room. “it’s time to go to sleep,” he said regretfully. Kayla pouted, and Steve wrapped his hand around the back of his neck. “Don’t look at me with that lip, Sweetness, we’ve got a big day tomorrow.”
“We do?”
“Yep. Church, apparently.”
“’Fraid so,” she agreed.
“I’m guessing more fish market.”
“It’s Bo’s turn.”
“Another date, then” Steve said with a smile, and she returned it with a hopeful smile of her own. “And more kissing.”
Kayla wanted to start off tomorrow’s more kissing part right now as she felt her body heat up.
“Goodnight, Kayla,” Steve said to his wife and kissed her quickly one more time. “Thank you for the wonderful night. I … I love you, baby … I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Me, too,” she said.
Steve closed her door, then his own, got in bed with the taste of his wife on his lips and love overflowing his heart, and slept fitfully waiting for Sunday to arrive.