Mary and Alvin Ch. 12

The Mountain By The Sea

Mary had seen pictures, and any number of movies and television shows, but nothing had prepared her for the glory of a New England October. From the back window of her apartment she had always enjoyed the view of the harbor, but for the first time she came to appreciate the sight of the gently rolling hills on the other side of the water, where the land angled eastward towards Turner Point. What had been a nondescript landscape of green was now a kaleidoscope of yellow and orange, flaming red and subtle bronze. Here and there a swath of pines remained loyally green.The drive to Alvin's house was just as spectacular, and on one of her days off she had ridden her bike out of town and spent the morning reveling in the painted world she passed through. So when Alvin suggested they take a weekend road trip to "look at the color", she eagerly agreed.

Alvin woke up at first light on Saturday morning. He pushed Angus off the bed, got up and went to the bathroom. He considered waking up Mary and getting an early start on the day. But he was still a bit sleepy, so he climbed back into bed.

Mary began to stir when the mattress shifted under Alvin's weight. She rose up on one elbow, but he was already softly snoring again. She reached down, under the covers, and cupped his balls in her hand. He moaned, but did not awaken as she gently massaged them. He shifted his legs and she moved her hand to his cock. It had grown rigid. She slowly stroked it, watching the expression change on his face as her touch brought him awake.

He looked up to see Mary grinning at him.

"Good morning, baby," she cooed.

"Mmm, it feels like a very good morning."

"It could get better," she said, kicking off the covers and sliding down the bed. She looked closely at his cock as her hand caressed it.

"I think I told you the first time we were together that you have a pretty cock," she said.

"You did tell me that."

"As soon as I said it, I couldn't believe I did. I thought, Jesus, Mary, you don't say shit like that."

"You said you didn't sleep with men on the first date, too."

"I don't. You were special."

"I guess I was."

"Don't let it go to your head." She took the tip of his cock in her mouth and sucked on it, continuing to move her hand up and down the shaft. Alvin moaned loudly, and tangled his fingers in her hair. Mary took as much of him in her mouth as she could, struggling not to gag. Alvin arched his back. His legs trembled. Mary sensed his rising excitement and tightened her grip, moving her hand faster. She could tell from his quickening breath that he was close to an orgasm, so she engulfed him in her mouth and sucked hard. He came in her mouth, hot and salty.

Mary sat up and wiped her lips with her hand.

"That was fantastic, sweetheart," Alvin said.

"Thank you, baby," Mary said, getting up, "I need to take a pee and get in the shower."

"Why don't you just pee in the shower?"

"Because I'm a girl."

Alvin laughed and watched Mary walk out of the room. "Hey," he called after her, "can you come back here for a minute."

"What?" she said, reentering the bedroom, "I have to pee."

"Oh, I just wanted to watch you walk out again."

"Ass!" she said as she turned to leave.

"That's what I was thinking about," he called after her.

When he heard the water running in the shower he rose from the bed and went into the bathroom.

He opened the shower stall door. Mary was shampooing her hair. He slipped in behind her. There was barely enough room for the two of them. She leaned back against him and he began running his hands though her hair, massaging her scalp.

"Oh, that feels good," she said, "You can do that any time."

He took the scrubby from it's hook and squirted body wash on it while Mary rinsed her hair. When he had it well lathered, he reached around and began running it over the front of her body, around her breasts and over her tummy.

"You can do that, too," she murmured.

Alvin ran the scrubby up and down her thighs, then dropped it to the floor of the shower. His soapy hand ran up the inside of her leg and began caressing her mound. She put her head back on his shower and closed her eyes. Alvin kissed the side of her face and slipped his fingers inside her. She put her hands on the wall and leaned forward, pressing her ass against his loins. The hot water ran down her shoulders and trickled over her breasts. As Alvin pumped his fingers in and out of her, the heel of his hand rocked against her clitoris, and she came, and came again. She slumped, her face pressed against the tile wall, and he kept stimulating her, and she came yet again. He wrapped his free arm around her waist and held her tight and she came once more.

Mary's knees gave out, and Alvin had to hold her up to keep her from slumping to the floor. He lifted her and she turned and he kissed her, then reached behind and turned off the water. He pushed the door open, pulled a towel from the rack and wrapped it around her. She was shivering, but warmed up quickly as Alvin rubbed her dry.

They stepped out of the shower and Mary took a second towel and began drying her hair.

"Hey, you got both towels, I got none," Alvin said, padding on wet feet to the linen closet in the hall.

"I should get a second hair dryer and leave it here," Mary said.

Alvin came back into the bathroom, drying himself. Or you could just live here, he thought, but he just leaned in the doorway and watched her dry her hair. She caught him looking and smiled at him. He kissed her, then went to his bedroom to get dressed. Mary came in as he was finishing.

"I'll go get the coffee started," he told her, "want some breakfast?"

"Yeah, I kind of worked up an appetite," she laughed. By the time she had dressed and done her makeup, Alvin had toast and jam on the table and eggs scrambling on the stove.

"So, have you decided on a route for our excursion?" Mary asked as they ate.

Alvin nodded and swallowed a mouthful of eggs. "Yes, we are going to go over to Acadia."

"The national park? Oh, that's great. I have really been wanting to go there."

"Well," he said, "I thought so. So I made reservations for tonight at the Bar Harbor Inn."

Mary frowned. "I didn't know you were thinking we'd stay overnight."

"Why not," Alvin shrugged, "I figured we had the whole weekend. Is there a problem?"

She put down her fork and crossed her arms. "Alvin, the problem is, you made plans without asking me."

"I like to surprise you," he said defensively.

"And that's lovely, to a point."

"And where's that point?"

Mary thought for a minute, then careful spoke. "Alvin, when my marriage was falling apart, Wyatt said to me that I made him feel like he was the junior partner in the relationship, that we were not equals. I didn't really understand that when he said it, but I think I get it now. I love you and I know that you love and respect me, but you can run roughshod over me, particularly when we make plans or go places. I am at a disadvantage. I live in your world, where you know everybody and where everything is, and I don't. So, please, take some care about that, okay?"

Alvin nodded. "I apologize, Mary. I can see your point. I'll be careful."

"Thank you sweetheart." She patted his hand and went back to her breakfast.

"I did have at least one more surprise planned for you today."

She looked up at him and smiled. "One more surprise won't hurt. But, you know, we will have to go by my apartment so I can pick up some things if we are staying over."

"We ought to get a move on then."

They headed into town to Mary's apartment. Alvin waited, trying to be patient, while Mary packed her overnight bag. It was a big day, an important day, and he was anxious to get going.

Mary came out from her bedroom and said she was ready to go, but then stopped in the middle of the living room.

"What now?" Alvin asked.

"Just thinking, did I forget anything?"

"Jeezum, Mary, it's one night, we aren't sailing to China," he replied, but without thinking, he patted his own pockets, making sure he had everything he needed.

Finally, they were on the road, heading into the bright morning sun.

"Why do they call it Down East?" Mary asked.

"Because it is down wind out of Boston and Portland," Alvin replied.

"Okay, that makes sense. So, is Londonderry Down East?"

"Depends who you ask. Some would say so. Others say Down East is just Washington County. The common view is that it starts at the Penobscot."

"And the Alvin Faulkner view?"

"I'm a Penobscot man myself," he said, as if he had given long and serious thought to the issue.

They drove along the northern edge of the bay. Alvin pointed out landmarks on the way, tourist traps and historical sites. When they passed the road leading down to Sandy Point, he told Mary of a great naval battle that had taken place there during the Revolution.

"I am always amazed at how much you know the history around here," Mary told him.

Alvin shrugged. "I think it's important. You should know the place you come from. You should know about those who came before you."

"Most people don't. Most Americans, anyway. I suppose people in Italy or Greece have a much deeper sense of history. I am sorry to say I don't. That's one of the things I like about Maine, the sense of history."

"Explains being interested in an old man, too."

"Stop that," she said, "You've been doing that lately, and I don't appreciate it."

"I was just making a joke, Mary."

"Well, jokes can be a way to say what we really think. I don't love you because you're older than me. Or despite it, either. I don't have any doubt that if we were the same age, I'd still love you."

Alvin reached out his hand. Mary took it in both of hers and held it in her lap.

"I'm sorry, Mary," he said, "I guess you might say it was a joke coming out of my own insecurities."

"You're worried about my Mom. Well, stop it, let me worry about that."

The highway made a great turn along the mouth of the Penobscot River. The land rose and the color in the trees, already resplendent, became even more extravagant.

They rounded a curve in the road and Mary saw a pair of tall concrete and glass towers rising high above the trees.

"What are those?" she asked.

"Penobscot Narrows Bridge," Alvin said. A moment later, they passed a turnoff viewing area. A pair of tour busses were parked there, and a group of tourists were snapping pictures of the massive bridge and the river, flowing more than a hundred feet below it.

"Leafpeepers," Alvin muttered.

Mary laughed. "Isn't that what we are doing?"

"We didn't take a bus hundreds of miles to do it."

She shook her head. "Alvin, you just don't realize what a special place this is."

They drove on to the bridge and Alvin slowed down. Mary looked out the side window as they crossed. She could see all the way down the wide river below her in it's deep wooded channel, a dark blue ribbon between the canvasses of red and yellow and green that flanked it. Beyond the river's mouth, the bay opened up, decorated with scattered dark islands.

"I do realize it, Mary," Alvin said, "believe me, I do."

They passed through Bucksport and continued east. Mary saw smoke rising ahead of them. As they got closer, she saw a wide slope, covered with tangles of low purple-red plants and peppered with rocks, some as large as houses. A group of men were burning a patch of the vegetation.

"That's a blueberry barren," Alvin explained, "they burn away the plants after they've harvested the berries, to clear the way for next year's crop."

Traffic slowed as they crawled through the shopping area of Ellsworth.

"A traffic jam," Mary said, "now I feel like I'm back in L.A."

Alvin laughed. "You ought to see it in the summer. You getting hungry?"

Mary said she was. Alvin drove on until they were clear of the city and pulled into the parking area of a ramshackle drive in.

"Best fried clams in Hancock County," he told Mary.

"Sounds good."

Alvin went to the order window and in a few minutes brought back two baskets overflowing with clams and french fries.

"So, I'm wondering what your other surprise is going to be," Mary said as they ate.

"I imagine you are."

"Is that all you've got to say?"

"I'll say thank you for the surprise you gave me this morning."

Mary ate a few fries before replying. "You know, I used to think about doing that with Wyatt, and I never did. Not once." She looked at Alvin. "I'm different with you."

"Well, I like you this way."

"Are you different with me? Did you ever get in the shower with Bonnie, things like that?"

"When we were young, yes." He thought for a minute. "I guess you change once you have kids."

"But you still, I mean, you didn't stop wanting each other?"

"It was the time that got scarce, not the desire."

They crossed the bridge to Mount Desert Island and drove into Bar Harbor. Mary made note of some of the little stores and boutiques as they went through the town. Alvin drove along the harbor and pulled into the parking lot of a sprawling white building on the edge of the water.

"This is where we are staying?" Mary asked as they got out of the car.

"It is," Alvin replied. He held Mary's hand as they entered the lobby. "Best place in town. Best restaurant as well."

"Okay, this is a pretty good surprise."

They checked into their room, and dropped off their scant luggage. The room was luxuriously furnished. It opened on to a small balcony. Mary opened the door and stepped out.

"Alvin, this view is amazing!"

He joined her on the balcony and wrapped his arms around her waist. They had a sweeping view of Frenchman's Bay. A lobster boat slowly puttered to the dock and began unloading it's traps as they watched.

"You see those islands out there?" Alvin asked. Mary nodded and he said, "Those are the Porcupine Islands. Give you any ideas?"

She elbowed him in the ribs. "Gives me the idea that you are a goof."

They left the hotel and headed toward the park. Alvin pointed out some of the spots of interest around the town.

"Jordan's Restaurant," he noted, "best blueberry pancakes in Maine. Thought we'd get breakfast there tomorrow."

"It's a date," Mary said.

The traffic into the park was steady but lighter than Mary had expected. Alvin drove on to the Park Loop Road. After a few minutes he pulled off into a parking area.

"Are you up for a little walk?" he asked.

"Sure," she replied, although as she got out of the car the area did not look particularly impressive. A narrow boardwalk trail led into the woods and once they started down it, however, she was amazed at what she saw.

"This is called the Wild Garden of Acadia," Alvin told her, "Every plant that grows naturally in Maine can be found here."

The light filtering through the autumn trees gave everything a golden glow. Alvin held Mary's hand as they strolled past groves of birch, ponds crowded with lily pads, meadows bursting with ferns. They stopped at a wooden bench and sat together, not speaking, just breathing in the cool fresh air and enjoying the peace of the woods. When they were rested they returned to the car and moved on to Sand Beach.

Alvin picked up a handful of the sand and showed Mary that it was made up of the remains of billions of clam shells, pulverized over eons by the relentless surf. They walked along the beach, scattering a flock of plovers in front of them. A harbor seal was playing in the water just offshore. It stopped and watched them as they passed by, then went back about it's business.

From the beach a trail led to Thunder Hole, where the incoming waves came booming against the rocks and sent spray high into the air. They continued on and stepped cautiously to the edge of Otter Cliff and stood on a ledge of granite, one hundred feet above the sea, and gazed out toward the misty horizon. A flock of gulls, perhaps hundreds of birds, passed before them.

The wind was stiff and cold, and Mary grew eager to return to the warmth of the car, but Alvin held up a hand to her, gesturing her to stay, while he slowly scanned the empty expanse of water.

"I'm cold, sweetie, let's head back," she pleaded.

"Just a minute or two more."

"What are you looking for?"

He did not answer immediately, but after a few seconds he pointed into the distance. "There."

Mary shielded her eyes from the sun and tried to focus on where he had pointed. "I don't see..." But then she did. There was a faint ripple in the water, and then a shape broke the surface. Another followed it, and a third.

"Pod of whales," Alvin said, "four or five, if I'm not mistaken."

Mary could not make out anything more than glimpses of the whale's backs as they rose and fell, but the mere idea that they were watching whales filled her with a childlike joy. She clapped her hands in delight.

Alvin looked at her. She was so full of life that just being in her presence gave him a feeling of renewal. It was time, he knew, for them to go to the top of the mountain. He took her hand and led her back to the car, and began the winding drive that would take them to the island's highest point, the summit of Cadillac Mountain.

There were a half dozen cars in the parking lot at the top of the mountain.

"You come up here in the summertime, you sit in bumper to bumper traffic," Alvin said. They parked and got out. At the edge of the pavement they stepped onto one of the great slabs of pink granite that made up the mountain. A few other sightseers were milling about. They walked a little ways and passed an elderly couple who sat, side by side in lawn chairs, holding hands and sipping bottled ice tea. Alvin nodded to them and they smiled back.

Mary kept her eyes on the uneven ground until they stopped at a high spot. She raised her face and drew in a breath. She was looking out over miles of ocean. She could see a few small boats close to shore, and some larger vessels further out to sea. Beyond them, the sea and the sky faded into each other. She felt a touch of vertigo and gripped Alvin's hand tightly.

"If we sailed straight out from here, where would we hit land? Ireland?"

"Sail due east and you'd run right into the backside of Nova Scotia. But angle around it a little and you'd come up on the coast of France."

"I'd sail to France with you." She let go of his hand and took a few steps to her left, turning to look down across the island, to the clustered buildings of Bar Harbor, looking like toys from this distance, and past the town, to the scattered islands of Frenchman's Bay and the mainland beyond.

When she turned back towards the open sea, she was startled to see that Alvin was no longer standing beside her. He was down on one knee on the stony ground.

Alvin looked up at her. Her auburn hair was rippling in the ocean breeze. She looked at him, her face tilted down and slightly to one side, and for a minute he thought of that statue in the Londonderry cemetery, the angel with the serene expression on it's face, the one holding the rose. My angel, he thought, my Mary.

"Mary..."

"Oh, my god..." Her breath caught in her throat.

"Mary, I don't have the words to tell you how much I love you. Or to tell you how much I believe that you love me."

He reached into the pocket of his jacket and took out a small black box.

"Mary, please, will you give me your hand? Will you marry me?"

She looked down at him, tears pooling in her eyes. "Oh, Alvin, of course I will."

Alvin popped the box open and removed the ring. It was a gold band, set with an emerald flanked by a pair of diamonds. He took Mary's hand and slipped it on her finger. She raised it to her face to look at it, while Alvin rose to his feet. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. She wiped her eyes, then looked at him. She thought of that bright day in May, when they had stood on the deck of his sailboat and shared their first kiss. Somehow, she thought, she had already known then that this man would bring love into her life.