A Life in Pictures

"A good one," she read a moment later.

It made her smile again and she also laughed a bit.

"Inside or outdoor plans?"

"Both."

Before she could ask for more details he texted, "Outside to begin with then inside for a late lunch or an early dinner."

"So no hints on the outside part?"

"No. That's very hush-hush."

"I see. You could tell me, but then you'd have to...."

"I would never do that. Except maybe with kindness."

Her heart skipped a beat when she read those words. It was utterly cheesy, but it was also sweet and...loving, and Summer hadn't been loved in a very long time. Since moving to Bangor she'd been telling herself she didn't want to be loved or at least not yet, but this feeling was so strong that it forced her to confront just how lonely she'd been living by herself.

It had been great seeing her son over the summer, but he had a life and a girlfriend, so the time she had with him was limited. He no longer needed her which is the way things were supposed to be, but that didn't make it hurt any less. She took pride in knowing he was self-confident and self-sufficient--with the help of his father's money, of course.

Now she was all by herself in a town she chose because a former college roommate who'd lived there told her many times that Bangor was like heaven on earth. Ironically, she'd stayed in Michigan, married a young doctor, and now had two children.

She had flown to Portland, Maine, then rented a car, and after just a few days in Bangor she fell in love with the town of some 32,000. It wasn't a major city nor was it a podunk town in the sticks. It felt like a Goldilocks kind of place that was just right. The people were friendly, and while she was there she interviewed for her current job. Summer was thrilled when the eye doctor wanted to hire her and gave her time to go back and get her things which she began doing the very next day.

That was mid-May, and while Summer knew it got very cold there, that wasn't an issue. Michigan got just as cold, and it had never bothered her, so she returned home, rented a U-Haul, packed up her belongings and headed east again to make Bangor, Maine, her new home.

Until Micah she'd been mostly content, something she'd craved and missed and loved. Now she was feeling confused, and yet she felt happy, too.

"Why can't happiness and contentment go together?" she asked herself as she decided to try and go to bed a little early for once.

The next morning Summer woke up with a headache. She'd slept fitfully all night and even dreamed about her upcoming date with Micah. A dream in which she was feeding him a bottle.

After a cup of coffee she felt better. Good enough to want to take another look at his photos as she nursed a second cup. By the time she finished going through them again she no longer felt confused. Age mattered, but it wasn't what mattered the most. Micah Wells was everything she wanted in a man with the exception of the year he was born.

"So why would I say 'no' to someone who has all of the qualities I want based on that one thing?" she said out loud, not really aware that she had.

She didn't need a long, drawn out answer to her question. The reason was simple. The other things she liked about him trumped the one issue that troubled her. Yes, Sherri might be a problem, but that would be her problem as Summer wasn't intentionally intending to cause it.

By the time Micah texted her the time and date she felt completely comfortable with her decision and told him that sounded great. He would pick her up around 11am on Saturday, and they would see a few things then have a late lunch.

"I'm looking forward to it!" she told him truthfully, even allowing herself to feel guardedly happy about seeing him outside of the office.

Summer had kind of loosely believed in a higher power all of her life, but she didn't give much thought to it as it was a subject that didn't interest her all that much. But when Sherri began flirting with another attractive male patient the very next day, Summer had to wonder about the whole thing.

When he came back the next day to ask her out she said a silent prayer to whomever it was that was watching out for her.

Friday morning Summer learned Sherri's new man's name was Nathan, and that they'd had a wonderful time the night before, and they were seeing each other again that evening. As the day wore on Sherri kept talking and talking and talking about Nathan and how wonderful he was. At one point she mentioned that he was the same age as her and how she couldn't believe she was ever even interested in Micah.

"I mean, he's five years younger than me! Can you imagine how that would be?"

Knowing that just a few days ago Summer would have agreed with her, she tactfully replied with a comment about how age isn't really that important.

"Okay. Maybe five years, as big a gap as that is, isn't all that big a deal, but take you for instance."

Before Sherri could explain why that was preposterous, Summer was saved when the doctor brought a patient to them.

"Oh, I'll take her!" Sherri said with so much enthusiasm that the doctor looked a little surprised.

As she walked by Summer she whispered, "I'll have what she's having!"

Summer dutifully laughed. A little. But inside she was again beginning to wonder what she was doing, and that only grew worse as Sherri prattled on and on about Nathan anytime they were both free to talk.

As they were leaving the office on Friday, the last thing Sherri told her was, "I really like this guy!"

Summer wasn't about to mention her upcoming date with Micah, but she did let Sherri know how happy she was for her and wondered if she would feel that way after spending time with her own...her...what? What exactly was Micah to her?

As Saturday morning rolled around Summer was feeling several emotions, the strongest of which was nervous. It was hard to understand because she hadn't made any kind of commitment beyond spending a few hours with Micah. As she got ready she realized that in spite of her doubts from the previous day she was feeling like that because Micah made her feel hopeful, and since a few years before the end of year marriage that feeling had been in very short supply as she simply existed from day to day.

She now understood the reason she hadn't been interested in men was that she had no hope of ever meeting one she could truly trust and who would love her with all of his heart and be willing to accept the love she was now ready, willing, and able to give to him.

She wasn't under the illusion that a man so much younger than her was going to be some kind of panacea, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was at least the possibility that he might. That, in turn, made her anxious. And excited. And yes...hopeful.

The only additional information she could coax out of Micah was that they wouldn't be doing anything she needed to dress up for. The expected high that day was going to be 59 degrees, so she choose a long-sleeved pink sweater and a pair of jeans and the black leather boots she hadn't worn since the weather warmed up in June.

For the first time in her life Summer was concerned about gray hair and looked very closely in the mirror at her long, dark hair and breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't see any. Not a single one. She had the slightest little creases in her eyelids, but with a tiny bit of shadow they were invisible.

"No crows feet. So at least I got that goin' for me," she said, quoting a famous line out of the movie "Caddyshack."

She painted her nails to match her top then added some lipstick that she'd bought with the polish. Even at 41 she looked very good and although she was still paranoid about being so much older than her date, she had a firm body, a tight waist, and was a small C in the boobs department; a size she felt were perfect for a woman who was 5'7" and weighed 122 pounds.

Summer tried to relax but kept checking the clock every few minutes until she saw Micah pull into the driveway. She might have been the older person but her heart was beating like a drum when she opened the door to let him in.

The first thing she noticed was his amazing smile. The second was the bouquet of roses he'd been holding behind his back.

"Micah. These are beautiful! Thank you!"

"Beautiful flowers for a very beautiful lady," he told her as she accepted them and went to put them in some water.

"And may I say you look amazing."

Summer wasn't prepared for the way he was making her feel. Between the smile, the flowers, and the compliments, she was experiencing a high she hadn't had since she and her former husband were dating.

"I'm not used to all this," she said as she trimmed the stems.

Micah moved closer to her then smiled.

"Oh, my. Then I would caution you to get ready, because I have every intention of keeping it up."

She didn't blush, but she did feel a rush of adrenaline or some kind of endorphin as she glanced over at him. She felt so good she let herself say something she was sure she'd never have otherwise said.

"I think I could probably get used to that."

She was already buzzing from the chemical 'fix' going on inside her, but when Micah walked up behind her and put his hands on her upper arms she felt momentarily faint. As in...swooning...a word she thought was as absurd as it was outdated. But she was indeed on the verge of swooning as he ran his hands gently up and down her arms while telling her again she was beautiful.

"Okay. All set," she said as her hands trembled slightly as she reached for the vase.

Micah had taken a step back, but as she turned around he was directly in front of her.

"Hi," he said very quietly as they stood face to face just inches apart.

"Hi," Summer replied before looking down, unable to hold the gaze.

When he didn't move she looked back up and said, "Are you ready to go?"

"Almost," he told her as he closed the gap between them to maybe two inches.

"Almost?" she asked as he put his hands on the back of her upper arms.

"Uh-huh. Just one more thing first."

He didn't say what it was. He just slowly leaned her way and pressed his lips against hers. Summer was surprised, but she not only didn't flinch or push him away, she closed her eyes and let him. She then put her arms around him and kissed him back, a slow, delicious kiss that lasted for several seconds.

"Okay. Now I'm ready," he told her as it ended.

"That...was...amazing," Summer said just above a whisper one word at a time as her eyes danced with his.

Micah stepped aside, and Summer, whose heart was pounding in her chest, stepped by him saying, "Let me just grab my coat and purse."

He walked with her, and as she picked up her coat, he reached out and said, "May I?"

She handed it to him and let him help her put it on.

"Thank you," she told him as she turned around.

"Are you getting used to it yet?" he asked, that smile of his causing a stirring deep inside her.

"Not yet, but I think I'm getting there," she replied very sweetly.

As he pulled his car onto the road he asked Summer if she'd been to the Maine Discovery Museum yet.

"I haven't. Is that where we're going?"

Micah smiled and said, "I had a few things in mind depending on what you had or hadn't seen."

"That sounds nice."

They spent about 20 minutes slowly walking around and looking at the exhibits. Many were geared toward children, but it was still a pleasant experience. From there they agreed to walk to Central Street to look through the Rock and Art Shop, a place they both enjoyed even more. Summer loved knickknacks and doodads, and she was in heaven just looking around.

"Do you feel like doing some more walking?" he asked when they left the Shop.

"Sure. It's so nice out."

It was already 59 degrees and as warm as it was going to get, but as long as they were moving Summer didn't feel cold.

Their third stop was at the Orono Boardwalk, a bog that covered some 600 acres as part of the Caribou Bog complex in Penobscot County, Maine. The slowly sauntered along the wooden path just talking and watching nature at its best.

In all three locations she loved having Micah take her hand, and there were a couple of times when she took his. He no longer seemed so young to her, and the truth was she could now see him as a peer regardless of how old he was. Even more pleasant was the conversation that told her he was a very well-educated man who seemed to know something about almost everything and yet there wasn't a smug bone in his body.

By the time they sat down for a late lunch Summer had a new fear rise up inside her. It didn't matter that it made to sense, she knew she was falling in love with him, and that scared her because she felt so vulnerable. Were he to somehow turn out not to be who he seemed to be, it could break her heart and return her to her former place of not trusting men. Or worse.

He took her to the Timber Kitchen & Bar on Park Blvd, a place she wanted to go to but had avoided because it was pricey. It was quite possibly the nicest restaurant in Bangor, and she not only had a delicious meal but enjoyed their small talk even more.

She had to carefully push him to talk about himself as he only seemed interested in learning about her. It was flattering and unusual as her past experience had been with men who didn't want to engage in conversation but who rather waited for their turn to talk. About themselves. Incessantly. But not Micah Wells.

Summer was able to get him to tell her how he'd ended going to West Point although he was light on the details. It wasn't that he was hiding anything but more that he thought he wasn't all that interesting.

He summarized his time in the Army (to include West Point) by saying that he loved the camaraderie and feeling like he was part of something bigger than himself. That seemed like a natural place to ask him why he didn't make it a career, but when she did she saw his demeanor change.

"Micah. If I'm treading on...."

"No, it's okay," he assured her.

He looked at her then said, "The accident."

"The accident?"

"I was the only one who survived."

Summer knew that but didn't know how or why.

He pulled the sleeve of his shirt up on his right arm exposing a huge scar that was close to half an inch wide.

"Oh, my god," Summer said with a little gasp as he pulled it back down.

"That runs from my shoulder down my arm. It was from a rotor blade. It killed my co-pilot. Instantly. The edge of it struck my body and let's just say it did enough damage that flying was no longer possible. Not for the Army, anyway."

Summer teared up as he spoke and told him he didn't have to say anything more.

"It's okay. I'm done anyway," he told her, a distant look in his eyes.

"I've never told anyone that before who wasn't part of the investigation."

Summer was flooded with emotion but managed not to cry.

She just reached across the table and laid her hand on his arm where the scar was.

"I have no words to describe how awful I know that had to be."

He put his left hand on hers then tried to smile.

"I don't feel sorry for myself. It's the other three pilots who died. All of them were married. One had two kids. It was so much worse for all of them."

"I can't imagine," she told him quietly and supportively.

"The only saving grace was that both kids were so young they won't have any horrible memories."

She wanted to say, "Unlike you," but didn't speak.

Micah sat up straight then looked at her and did his best to smile.

"And on that sunny note...would you like some dessert?"

She hadn't taken a bite in several minutes and was no longer hungry.

"No, thank you. I think I'm okay."

As he drove her home Summer reflected on where they'd gone and what they did. Her heart was both full from the joy of their time together and heavy for him for what he'd been through, but one question kept running through her mind.

"Micah? I know you said you have this 'sixth sense', but why me?" she finally asked.

"Promise you won't laugh?"

"I promise."

"I knew you were the one the first time we talked."

She looked at him then said, "You knew? From...Cousin Balki?"

Micah laughed, nodded, then said, "Yep. And unless my sixth sense is way off, I was right."

A feeling of warmth radiated through her body as he reached out his hand for hers. She took it without hesitation then told him he wasn't wrong and that she trusted him.

"I'm crazy about you, Summer, and I meant it when I said I'd never betray your trust."

Just two weeks later he told her he loved her and Summer said it back immediately and with more feeling than she'd ever said anything in her life.

*****

Just three months later Micah asked her to marry him, and time she said 'yes' before he could finish asking the question.

Micah had been getting physical therapy (PT for short) on his arm and living off of a disability payment from the VA that was 50% of his active duty salary--more than enough to get by on. He used some of that money to continue flying a helicopter at a local airport, and when he finished with PT he got a job as a flight instructor for the company he'd been paying to fly to stay current. The owner was impressed with his ability and needed one more pilot, and Micah was the perfect fit.

Sherri was not only not upset when she learned that Summer was dating Micah, she was actually happy for her. Well, after warning her to be careful because he was 'so young'. Summer thanked her for the advice and promised her she would but had never needed to do that as there'd never been a single moment when she didn't trust him completely or not know that he loved her with all of his heart--the same way she loved him.

It truly was a matter of love at first sight followed by a whirlwind romance in which she'd literally been swept off her feet, and not to mix too many metaphors, placed on Cloud Nine, a place she never left from the moment their relationship took her there.

Life with Micah was all that she'd ever dreamed a marriage could be. A handsome, loving husband who thought the sun rose and set with his beautiful wife, and just when she thought it couldn't get any better she learned that she was going to have a baby.

Micah was over the moon and doted on her even more after she told him. It was almost embarrassing to have him do so much for her, but she knew it was his way of giving love, and it wasn't exactly hard to accept it.

The happy couple were blessed with twins of the fraternal variety, a boy and a girl they named Noah and Bethany.

Summer had learned about her future husband via 'A Life in Pictures' and he had given her a picturesque life that was happy, full, and complete.