Mary and Alvin Ch. 12

"Good reason for that," Mary mumbled. She drifted off to sleep, but in what seemed like only a few minutes, Alvin was stroking her hair and saying her name.

"Come on, sweetheart, wake up."

Mary sat up and yawned.

"You will perk up as soon as you get out in the fresh air"

He was right about that. She came fully awake as soon as she stepped into the biting mountain air. There were a few other cars in the parking area and somewhere in the distance she could hear the murmur of voices.

Alvin retrieved a blanket and a flashlight from the back of the car. He took Mary's hand and, shining the light on the ground, led her from the parking lot out on to the crown of the mountain.

A faint glow was visible on the far horizon. Mary stepped up onto a large flat table of rock. She thought it was the same spot where they had stood yesterday, but in the dark, she could not be sure. Alvin climbed up next to her, and wrapped the blanket over both their shoulders. As he draped his arm over her, he could feel her shiver, and pulled her closer. She rested her head on his shoulder.

The light rose, growing brighter and taking on a magenta hue. The shapes of the pines and the outcroppings of granite on the mountain's slope began to take form.

"The first light to touch America," Alvin whispered.

They stood in silence, warming each other with the heat of their bodies. The magenta faded and the eastern sky became a glowing gold. The shapes of wispy clouds became clear and the water shimmered with light. The long slope of Cadillac seemed to shine, as if illuminated from within.

Mary turned her body towards Alvin, her eyes still held by the rising sun. She hugged him tight. He kissed the top of her head and she turned her gaze to him.

"A very wise man told me that the best thing about the sun going down is knowing that it will come back up in the morning," she said. She reached up and touched his cheek, the stones on her new ring flashing in the sun, and when he turned his face to hers, his eyes sparkled as brightly.

"Let's go get you your pancakes," Alvin said. He took her hand and they walked back to the car. Mary opened the passenger door, but stopped and turned back to the east to look into the bright new sun once more. We will come back, she thought. We will stand here and watch the sunrise with our children. We will stand and watch it with our grandchildren.