Mary and Alvin Ch. 18

Alvin nodded. "Alright, but if I drop behind you, it's probably for the view."

Mary rolled her eyes and packed her things in her bag. Hand in hand, they headed out into the narrow streets of Boston.

Alvin kept up just fine. In fact, he was full of energy as they visited some of the North End's renowned landmarks. Mary was once again impressed with the depth of his knowledge of history. And history seemed all around them. They saw the Old North Church and the site of the Boston Massacre. Mary took pictures of Alvin in front of the statue of Paul Revere and at John Hancock's grave.

For lunch, they shared a pizza at a little Italian bistro on Hanover Street. When they finished, they headed back towards the waterfront and entered Columbus Park. They strolled arm in arm under the park's long arched trellis. Sunlight danced through the wisteria that covered its latticework. Alvin looked at Mary in the dappled light and stopped. She half turned to him and he touched her face and softly kissed her. There was a small alcove nearby. They entered it and took a seat on a marble bench. Beds of flowers opened in front of them, and beyond them, the water of the harbor.

Mary rested her head on Alvin's shoulder.

"You miss the city life, don't you?" he asked.

"Sure, I miss it some, but we can come down here once in a while. Or maybe even go to New York some time."

"You ever been there?"

"Once, when I was a girl, for a dance competition. My Mom and I went."

Alvin looked at her in surprise. "You were so good you went all the way to New York for a competition?"

Mary nodded. "I didn't win, though. Not even close."

"Still, Mary. Jeezum, I didn't realize. It must have been hard for you to give it up."

She kissed his cheek. "Well, honey, you like my big butt, that's one of the things that put an end to my dancing career."

"Your butt ain't big, it's just that small butts are unreasonably fashionable."

Mary laughed. "You always know how to make a girl feel good, don't you?"

"Done well last night, if I recall."

"That, you did."

They left the park and walked down the Harborwalk toward the New England Aquarium.

"You about walked out for today?" Mary asked.

"No, I suppose I could hobble along a while still."

Mary elbowed him in the ribs. "Don't be a smarty pants, I'm just being considerate. I was thinking about going in the aquarium."

"Well, let's do that, then."

They entered the cool dark aquarium. Mary was captivated by the exhibits; the sea turtles and stingrays swimming around and around in the giant ocean tank, the multitude of colorful creatures in the coral reef exhibit, the incredible variety of sea life on display. She clutched Alvin's hand tightly as she gazed at cruising sharks and mammoth groupers.

"Dear god, Alvin, stay out of the water when you are out there!" she exclaimed, only half in jest.

"Generally, that's what the boat is for," he laughed in reply.

"I'm serious, the ocean is full of very scary things."

"Well, it ain't all Spongebob and his friends, that's true."

They laughed in delight as they passed the displays of harbor seals and penguins. When they had seen all the exhibits, they sat on a bench and rested their feet. Mary took out her phone and began tapping the screen. She opened her text messages, and stopped, looking at Alvin.

"What is it, honey?"

Mary found her eyes moisten and a smile widened on her face. "Sweetie, I got a text from Jennifer. Danni got the job."

Alvin looked at her blankly for a moment, then leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and held his head in his hands.

"Baby, are you okay?"

He looked up at her, and she saw he was fighting his own tears. "Mary, I have been so afraid that she wouldn't find a job, and they would end up moving away."

Mary rubbed his back. "Well, it looks like it will all work out."

Alvin nodded and stood up. He took Mary's hand and they walked over to the ocean tank. He leaned on the rail, while Mary looked to her phone again.

"There's an interesting Mexican restaurant near the hotel. I'd love to go there for dinner."

Alvin nodded. "Anywhere you'd like, sweetheart." He paused then said, "Mary, I'd like you to do me a favor when we get back to the room."

"Sure,honey, what is it?"

"I would like you to call your mother."

"Why's that, love?"

"Because her little girl moved far away."

Mary put her phone in her purse and leaned close to Alvin. They watched as a huge sea turtle swam by, then walked, arm and arm, back to their hotel.

***

Mary decided that she loved Boston. When she talked to her mother on the phone, she suggested that they meet there sometime in the near future, to shop and see the sights. Over the next few days, her feelings were affirmed. They strolled through Faneuil Hall Marketplace, where Alvin bought her a lovely pair of earrings. They drank pints of Guinness in The Bull and Finch, the bar that had inspired the television show Cheers. They browsed bookstores in Harvard Square and toured the Kennedy Museum. They sat in the spring sunshine on Boston Common and took a ride on the swan boats in the lagoon.

They spent hours in the Museum of Fine Arts, each giving the other time to linger over their favorite works. Mary was drawn to the Impressionists, and was enthralled by beautiful paintings by Manet and Gauguin. She was not surprised to find that Alvin favored Whistler, Sargent and other American artists.

After a year in a small town with limited culinary choices, Mary reveled in the variety and quality of the food available in Boston. They ate gelato from a cart on State Street and meat pies at an Irish pub in the South End. They sat by the docks and ate fish cakes and enjoyed stacked pastrami sandwiches at a Jewish deli. They tried Maple Bacon doughnuts and Burnt Caramel ice cream. They went to the Parker House just to sample their famous Boston Cream Pie.

In the evenings, they returned to their room and made love. It somehow seemed different now. Sometimes it was intense in its passion, at others, it was gentle, comfortable. Neither felt any need to impress the other, there was nothing that needed to be proven.

***

On Thursday they rode the subway to Fenway Park. Clouds were rolling in, but Mary had never been to a major league game, and so they decided to chance the weather.

While Alvin waited in the Will Call line, Mary watched the throngs of fans flow by. She had agreed to come to the baseball game because she could sense that it was a special thing to Alvin that he bring her. She wasn't a fan of baseball or any other sports, but there was a festive spirit in the air that was contagious. There was a timelessness to it all that filled her heart. From the brick wall of the stadium, the championship banners fluttered, the earliest reading 1903. She enjoyed seeing the people passing by, most dressed in blue and red. She imagined the throngs of fans that had come to the ballgame in 1903, women in long, full skirts, men in straw hats, and she thought of all the generations who had walked here since.

When she saw Alvin returning with their tickets, she wanted to express the feeling to him, but all she could manage to say was "You look cute in your little Red Sox cap."

"You ought to have a cap or something yourself, in case it rains." He led her to a souvenir stand crammed full of baseball merchandise.

Alvin looked at the rows of caps on racks behind the counter. "You got Dodgers caps?" he asked the merchant.

"Who the hell wants Dodgers?"

"Hey, my wife is from L.A."

"Alright, bub, don't get your nuts in a knot." He turned to his helper. "Hey, Bobby, look in the truck, see if we got Dodgers caps."

"I could get something else," Mary said to Alvin, "I could get Yankees or something."

Alvin snorted. "Don't ever say that around here, sweetheart."

Bobby came back with a stack of blue caps.

"Jesus Christ," the merchant said, "We won't sell that many for the season. Frickin' Dodgers."

Mary couldn't help but giggle at the man's accent. "Daw-gahs." Alvin paid for the cap and put it on her head. It came down to her eyebrows. He adjusted the size strap and fitted it on again.

"Well, ain't you a picture?" he smiled.

"I just hope no one gives me a hard time about it."

"Nah, nobody gives a crap about the National League until October. You hungry?"

"Yes, aren't you suppose to buy me peanuts and Cracker Jacks?"

"I can do better than that." He led her through the crowd to a small sandwich stand. There was a crowd around it and they had to move forward in the line before Mary could read the sign.

"Luis Tiant's Cuban Sandwiches? I've never had one of those."

"It's like a big ham and cheese and pulled pork and pickles and mustard sandwich."

"They must be good, so many people are lining up for them."

"Well, they come to see Luis, too," Alvin said as he placed their order.

Mary stepped out of the way while Alvin waited to pick up their sandwiches. Next to the stand, a dark, elderly man with a handlebar mustache sat at a high round table, shaking hands with the customers. Mary watched as he autographed a baseball for a teenage boy.

Alvin came to her side and handed her a big sandwich, wrapped in waxed paper. He held his own and balanced two cans of Coke in the crook of his arm. When the crowd in front of the table cleared, he stepped forward and Mary followed him.

Alvin set his sandwich down on the table and reached over to shake the man's hand. "Nice to see you, Luis," he said.

Luis smiled and thanked him. Mary shook his hand as well.

"How is your sandwich?" he asked.

"Oh, I haven't tried it yet," she replied.

His face lit up. "Your first cubano? Eat, tell me if you like it!"

Mary took a big bite of the steamy meat sandwich. "Mmm," she said, still chewing, "It's delicious."

Luis threw his head back and laughed. "Good, good, I am glad you like it. Enjoy the game, Miss Dodger."

They walked away, wolfing down their sandwiches. "I think that's sweet, for the sandwich guy to be so friendly with all the fans," Mary said.

Alvin laughed. "Honey, that was Luis Tiant."

"Right. Luis Tiant's Cuban Sandwiches."

"No, honey. He's El Tiante. One of the greatest Red Sox pitchers of all time."

Mary stopped and looked back. Luis was happily signing more autographs.

"I should have had him sign something for Stevie. I'm sure he'd know who he is."

"Well, go back."

"No, he's busy. Is he in the Hall of Fame?"

"Nope. Should be."

"Should be in the sandwich hall of fame, too," she said, as she finished her cubano.

They walked through the gate into the ballpark. It was cool and shadowy inside. Alvin took Mary's hand and they climbed a long ramp to the opening of their section.

"Here we are," Alvin said, turning to his right. They stepped out into the daylight. "Looks like the weather's going to be alright."

They walked down the steps and found their seats. They were about fifty rows up, just a little way past third base.

Mary looked around. The park was nearly full. "I'm surprised to see this many people on a work day," she said.

"If people get tickets, they call off work," Alvin said, "Jeezum crow, it's the Sox."

The announcer welcomed the fans and introduced a pretty young African American woman, who they identified as a mezzo-soprano at the Boston Opera. Everyone rose for her beautiful rendition of the national anthem. When she finished, the applause was spiced with voices calling out "Play ball!"

Alvin sat back and draped his arm over Mary's shoulders. He was glad to see that she seemed to be enjoying herself. He felt a bit guilty about bringing her to a baseball game on their honeymoon.

"I hope you have a good time, Mary, I know that this is my thing more than yours."

"Oh, honey, you indulge me so much, I am more than happy to come along with you wherever you want to go. Besides, I'm having fun."

The crowd roared as the Red Sox players took the field.

"And I get to spend the afternoon watching athletic men in tight clothes. I'm perfectly fine with that."

"Well, alright then."

The Orioles scored a run in the first inning, but the Red Sox came right back in the second when Mookie Betts hit a two run homer. The game settled into a pitcher's duel and Mary's attention wandered.

"You probably came here with your Dad, didn't you?" She asked Alvin.

"Oh, yeah, we came down a couple of times a year. Me and Tim and my Dad. Diana came a time or two. Saw Yaz play in one of his last games. I was twelve or so, I guess."

"Did you ever bring your girls?"

"A few times. We all come down, the whole family. Charlotte would sit and read a book the whole game." He laughed at the memory. "Jennifer really wasn't much interested either. She was always a basketball girl. Me and her come down to see the Celtics a number of times."

She took his hand and squeezed it. "Do you ever wish you had a son?"

He scratched his chin in thought. "It would have been great, but I never regretted having girls." He sat quietly for a minute, then said, "A son would be nice."

"Well, who knows what the future might bring," Mary said, kissing his hand.

The clouds moved back in during the fourth inning, and in the sixth, a light rain began to fall. They retreated under the overhanging upper deck and bought beer and hot dogs at the concession stand.

"When you were a boy, did you ever fantasize that you'd play here someday?" Mary asked.

"Oh yes, I sure did."

"So why did you stop playing in high school?"

"Well, I was pretty good, but I wasn't big league good. Never saw the point in doing something you ain't real good at. And I was more interested in being out on the water anyway."

The rain tapered off, and they returned to their seats. Alvin wiped them off with napkins he had grabbed from the concession stand. In the middle of the eighth inning, Mary was surprised to see the entire crowd spontaneously stand up. Alvin rose, and gestured Mary to join him. Music was playing over the public adress system, and people began to sing along.

Where it began, I can't begin to knowin'

But then I know it's growin' strong

Was in the spring

Then spring became the summer

Who'd have believed you'd come along

More voices rose to join in, and many in the crowd raised their hands, joined together.

Hands, touching hands

Reaching out, touching me, touching you

The whole stadium began to roar out the chorus, Alvin right with them.

Sweet Caroline

And then, in the short musical break, the fans added their own "Bum! Bum! Bum!"

Good times never seemed so good

"So good! So good! So good!" Mary laughed and joined in.

I'd be inclined

"Oh! "Oh! Oh!"

To believe they never would

"What's this all about?" she shouted to Alvin over the music.

"It's our song," he shrugged. Mary just shook her head and joined the crowd for another chorus. It seemed so silly, thirty thousand people standing and singing along to an old Neil Diamond song for no particular reason that she could discern. But it was so much fun, it did not matter.

When the song ended, they sat back down. Mary felt a pat on her shoulder. She looked behind her. One of the middle aged men in the next row gave her two thumbs up. "Good job, L.A.," another said. Mary smiled, and he raised his hand for a high five. Mary obliged him, then turned to Alvin, grinning beside her.

"I think I'm an official New Englander now," she said.

Light rain began to fall again, and the crowd thinned. The Orioles went down one, two, three in the ninth and the remaining fans left, happy with a victory. Alvin and Mary filed out with the celebrating fans and made their way to the subway station.

The car was crowded, and they had nowhere to sit. Mary held on to an overhead strap and Alvin stood behind her, his hands on her hips. When the train lurched forward, she jerked backwards, bumping her rear end against him.

Alvin put his chin on her shoulder and said, "Damn, this is better than going to a game with Tim. He pressed his crotch against her. Mary laughed and elbowed him in the ribs.

As they walked out of the subway station they heard a clap of thunder. The storm clouds opened and rain began to fall in sheets. Hand in hand, they ran down Broad Street. When they dashed across the Greenway, the doorman saw them and held the door open. They stopped in the lobby, laughing and struggling to catch their breath.

"You're soaked to the bone," Alvin said as Mary shook water from her shirt.

"So are you. I think a hot shower would be a good idea."

"I think a hot shower gives me a good idea."

As soon as they entered their room, they began to peal off their wet clothes. Mary started the shower and stepped inside. Alvin followed, standing behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. The gentle shower quickly warmed him thoroughly.

"You know," he said, "the only difference between this and the rain is the temperature."

Mary turned around. "And the privacy," she said, leaning forward and kissing him. They stood under the warm falling water, pressed against each other, their tongues dancing together.

Alvin pressed Mary against the wall and leaned into her. She wrapped her arms around his back and turned her face up to let the water run over it. Alvin grasped the back of her thigh and lifted it. She hooked her leg on his hip as he slipped his cock inside her.

Mary moaned deeply and raised her other leg, wrapping it around Alvin's thighs. She started to slide down the wall, but he grabbed the back of her legs and thrust upwards, again and again. She opened her mouth to his, not really kissing, just breathing together. The warm water felt like a thousand little fingertips on her skin.

Alvin leaned back, looking at her as he continued his thrusts. She opened her eyes and looked into his. He rested his forehead against hers, and pushed up hard inside her, and came. His body sagged, but Mary clung tightly to him. When his cock slid from her, she pressed her mound against his thigh and bucked her hips until she came as well.

Mary lowered her feet and slipped down into the tub. Alvin sat down before her and pulled her into his lap. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and they kissed, long and deep.

"I'm starting to get pruney skin," Mary said, after a while.

Alvin reached behind her and shut off the water, then stood up and reached for towels. They dried off and wrapped themselves in their plush hotel robes. The storm was still raging outside. Alvin opened the curtains wide and turned off the lights. They cuddled together on the bed and watched the lightning over the harbor. After a while, Alvin called room service and ordered a cheese platter and a bottle of chablis. They sat quietly, sipping the wine and nibbling on the cheese, as the rain continued to batter the window. Eventually, they crawled under the blanket and fell asleep in each other's arms.

It was still raining in the morning. Mary stretched and sighed. "Do you know what I'd like to do today?" she asked.

"No, sweetheart, what?" Alvin replied, getting up and turning on the coffee maker.

"Nothing. I'd like to lay around the room, order room service and maybe watch some movies or something."

They called room service and ordered western omelettes and Bloody Marys. When they finished eating, Alvin laid down on the bed. Mary stood at the window watching the rain for awhile, then joined him, resting her head on his chest. They both dozed for a while, then their hands started moving over each other's bodies. They made slow, relaxed love. It felt like a dream to Mary, and when they finished, she drifted off to sleep once more.

When they woke again, they snacked on the last of their cheese tray while flipping through the channels on the television.