Harvest of Expectations Ch. 08

"Every chain has at least two links," he decided and knew that answer would have to suffice.

After some time she broke away and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I wish that we were making love to each other right now," she whispered to him, and then he felt her tongue dance over his earlobe.

He thought at once to mention Darlene's apartment, but stopped because he was afraid that it might sound opportunistic and ruin the moment.

"Darlene is seeing someone and I think they're probably together right now in her apartment," she told him. "We can't go bursting in unannounced. I wish we could be there together right now."

Jim drew a deep breath.

"Hildy, just hearing you say that means a lot to me."

She looked up at him.

"I've said it before, at least in so many words."

"You didn't say it like you just did. The other times it was something you were agreeing to do. This is a lot different," Jim answered. "It's something I'm going to remember for a long time."

"I never meant it quite this way before," she said.

They relaxed, holding each other for a while. Her clothes and hair were still wet from the rain. There had been times when he'd held her and taken more pleasure from the feeling of her body next to his. But he had never held her when she was all his and he decided this it was the best of her that he'd ever had.

She didn't move, but he felt her take a breath.

"You must promise me," she said, "that if you ever change your mind you'll tell me right away. I want to always be sure it's real between us, so please promise me that."

"Hildy, you don't have to worry..."

.

"Just promise me—and make sure you keep that promise."

"Yes, Hildy, I promise."

She relaxed again but in a few seconds she spoke again.

"How do you think we'll end up," she asked.

Jim was ready for the question.

"Well, I think we're headed toward, you know...maybe someday we'll be...be..."

"Married?" she asked.

"I suppose so, Hildy. But, I can't ask you that now. I have no money, no job. All I have is a Rustmobile and who knows how long that will last?"

"Jim," she answered, "I would go with you if you asked me to live in a cardboard box."

He laughed a bit.

"Well, I won't be asking you to do that. Things will work out for us, Hildy. It's something that's meant to be."

"Darlene told me from the start we would end up like this," she purred. "She would remind me whenever I stopped believing, and I would be patient for a while longer."

"Did she tell you when I gave you that crummy hat and scarf set for Christmas?"

"She thought it was cute," Hildy laughed. "Besides, I like it."

"I'm liking Darlene more all the time," Jim replied.

The Fifth Dimension tape had been playing all the while. They had been too busy to hear it. As they sat in the car, thinking about what had just happened to them the tape had recycled to "Stoned Soul Picnic". They listened to some of the words:

There'll be trains of blossoms

There'll be trains of music

There'll be trains of trust

Trains of gold and dust

Sweet trains of thought

Can you surry? Can you picnic?

TO BE CONTINUED