Sunday Morning Pt. 05

Abbie gave a gleeful yes reply. "We have to figure how to make some money to live and pay bills."

They hugged and sealed the plan with a kiss. After looking a bit longer, they decided to start back. By now, they were getting hungry and found a small family restaurant on the road side. The food was served in wax paper lined baskets. The serving sizes weren't small burgers and fries either.

"I'm going to have to exercise this lunch off," Abbie laughed with a warm glow in her eyes.

"Did you have an exercise in mind?" David returned her smile not making it too obvious he understood her hidden meaning.

"Might have to run a couple laps around the shore line. Water might be too cold for a swim."

Abbie did a good job of disguising her answer as what she truly wanted to do. "Well, a nice run would limber us up."

David paid for lunch and they were back in the car. "Did I say run? Gee, I meant romp." Abbie gave David a teasing grab of his crotch. "Too bad, you're just not up for it."

"Be careful, you don't know what I might be up for."

"We do have to get the bed changed. The mattress must be aired by now."

The teases and sexual allusions continued the rest of the way back to lake. Gone was any thought of tiny houses and open family lots.

The short street to the row of lake homes was a welcome sight with David's house coming into view. He parked in the drive and both jumped out in a dash and were at the door. For a long moment, they stared at each other sensing something was wrong. They backed away from the door as fear began to register.

They didn't know what was wrong although David already had his cell phone in hand calling emergency 911. As if knowing they needed protection, both ducked behind David's car. They realized what was wrong was the smell of LP gas escaping from somewhere.

"Lay flat," David screamed to Abbie. They took a prone position behind the car just in time to feel a sudden shockwave before hearing an explosion that ripped through the house. The explosion and a searing heatwave tore across them mostly deflected by David's car.

He clutched Abbie against himself entangling his body with hers. He felt every muscle in her body contract in one physiological spasm. He did the same. At a moment when one might have expected loud screams, neither uttered a sound.

As the split second of the shockwave and heatwave past, and the realization that they weren't hurt befell them, they began to stir. They heard loud cries coming their way yelling Abbie's name. It was Abbie's aunt.

David always parked his car at the end of the drive when his parents were home. It was a habit that proved the difference between surely being badly burned and only being singed. Hearing the voice of her aunt was a welcome noise to Abbie as they began to disentangle themselves.

David's hair was singed on his head but the clothes he wore protected him from anything more. Abbie had some hair singed but not to the extent of David. They found their way to their feet with the most public display of affection and love they kissed deeply in front of Abbie's aunt and the gathering on lookers.

Sirens wailed as fire and rescue hit the scene. Water began pouring in the remains of the house before the trucks stopped it seemed. The fire and rescue team fully expected to recover bodies from the wreckage and were surprised to learn the house was empty.

After a long and loving embrace, Abbie ran to her aunt followed by David. The relief on her aunt's face dissolved into weeping tears. The EMT team noted that there were no serious injuries leaving the pair to connect with Abbie's aunt.

They did approach David and Abbie after a couple minutes, ushered them to the ambulance, and began taking vital signs and looking for anything not visible. With nothing notable wrong except both needing trips for hair care, the paramedics pulled away. They called their station with the news that the house was empty and there were no causalities.

David faced the task of taking out his cell phone to call his family telling them they had no home to come back to. "No, no one hurt. Hair singed a bit, no burns. ... We were out driving around and got home. We walked to the door and had a feeling something wasn't right. I yelled to Abbie to duck behind the car and we laid on the ground just before everything went up. ... I parked at the end of the drive like always. That is what saved up, I think."

Abbie, David, and Abbie's aunt began walking down the street. Friends of both David and Abbie greeted them. "Man, you guys know how to freak out a neighborhood!"

Abbie clutched David's arm and gave a knowing wink before saying, "There was a lot of freaking."

Abbie and David, covered in soot and their hair a mess from being burned, their faces dirty and slightly scraped from road rash due to laying on the pavement, giggled and broke into stress relieving gut laughing before finally embracing again and crying in each other's arms.

Their friends followed to Abbie's aunt's house and were all invited in.

"Hey David," one chimed. "I'll go home to get you some clothes since were the same size."

Abbie's aunt answered, "Yes, please do. I'll fix some drinks and snacks while Abbie and David get in the shower to repair themselves. How long before you can get back?"

"Five minutes, less maybe. I'm out of here. Be right back."

Down the street, the firs continued to burn for about another hour before it was under control and almost out. Abbie had a shower and was into clean clothes after about 30 minutes. Even her hair looked reasonably good.

Their friends noticed how nice she looked. "WOW! You're still the hottest girl in the neighborhood. But you don't have to burn the place down."

David got showered and changed into his friend's clothes. His hair didn't come out as nicely as Abbie's had. He knew he needed to trim it all off and start anew.

"Good thing Abbie is so cute. She makes you less ugly." They all laughed.

"He's my ugly and I'll keep him," answered Abbie.

David and Abbie got up to help with drinks and snacks. Abbie's aunt appeared in a minor state of shock and had some difficulties. Abbie's uncle came in shortly after. Seeing the crowd that took over the house, he sunk into deep relaxation know that everyone was okay. "I was in a meeting and for some reason, no one thought a fire was important to tell me about. David, I'll buzz you off if you like."

"No! leave him like that. We need someone to laugh at," cried a couple of friends.

Abbie threw a pillow. "Be nice. He saved my life today. And, if you want to live..."

Everyone laughed more.

It was too late in the afternoon for David to go shopping for clothes or for Abbie to get a refill of her lost birth control pills. She did have another month she could begin using so even that wasn't a problem.

After about another 45 minutes, the friends broke up and headed to their homes. Abbie's uncle made arrangements for David to stay in a motel nearby. Abbie looked forlornly at her uncle, David, and her aunt.

"Why can't he stay here with me, us, I mean?"

"Abbie," David began to reply, "I want to stay here with you, too. But we have to respect your aunt and uncle."

Abbie and David were left alone as both aunt and uncle left the room. Neither knew was being talked about in the other room as they sat closely contemplating.

"I don't want to stay in a motel, Abbie. I want to be with you. After today, I cannot imagine being away from you."

"I need you next to me, too. I felt you protecting me and want to feel that always."

Abbie sat on David's lap and they embraced tightly and kissed again. It was not a sexual kiss of passion; as Abbie's aunt and uncle came back into the room they saw the spectacle of their real love. They exited silently both knowing that separating them after what had happened that day would be completely wrong.

They returned with more flare causing Abbie to break away from David and redden deeply. The shy girl was alive and well. There was a knock on the door before anyone said a word. Abbie's uncle opened the door seeing a fireman there.

"I'm pretty dirty, I better stay outside," replied the fire fighter after being invited in. "Is one of the residents of the home here? We need to talk about cause."

David came to the door and followed him to what was left of his house. David retold the events and the sense that something was wrong, the ducking behind the car, the blast, and everything.

"Son, you are one luck guy and your wife..." David interrupter telling him she is his girlfriend.

"From what other tell me, if she isn't your wife, she sure should be." David blushed this time and was glad Abbie didn't see it.

"Anyway, your senses are outstanding. Early investigation points to some problem with the hot water heater leaking gas. When enough gas filled the house and the water heater came on, there was enough gas in the house to, well you see the results."

"I called my parents and they will be back tomorrow. I'll call them again with your opinion. Thank you, guys, for being here as fast as you were even though there wasn't anything you could do but put it out."

"That home you're in now, her parents?"

"No, aunt and uncle. We go to college here. Abbie is on the swim team."

"You should stay with her tonight if you can. You need her and she probably needs you. I'll tell her uncle that if you'd like."

David's smile was one of relief that the fireman understood. They walked back.

David opened the door and entered, the firefighter was there and waited for the uncle to come to the door. He was going to lend his support t David being with Abbie. However, it was clear that would not be necessary.

David noticed Abbie's aunt and uncle had small bags packed. "Well, hell, can't let a motel room go to waste. Just don't burn this place down."

The fireman told them the probable cause of the fire and left.

"Abbie, we saw the love in the kiss you and David had. We are not going to interfere with that." Abbie's uncle was clear in his message.

Abbie's aunt said their good bye, "We'll be back Sunday morning about 11:00."