The Heart

Emily went into the kitchen and waved goodbye to Pete and Gary, "I'm out of here. See you guys tomorrow," she said, picking up her big yellow canvas bag with a variety of things she took with her, including her thermos of water.

When she got her bicycle from the basement of Tony's Pizza, she said, "Wait here, Walt, I'll be right back" and she ran up the stairs, picked up the blanket she wanted and stuffed it in her canvas bag, fed her cat Gabby, petting her. She was wearing jeans and put on a sweat shirt over her t-shirt in case it got chilly then dashed down the steps, "Let's go. I'm psyched to see this spot of yours," she said.

Her bike riding was a little wobbly at first but then she quickly got in to a groove and followed Walter out of town, up the steep hill which took some effort but then they could coast down the other side, her long dark hair blowing in back of her as they now rode their bikes side by side. She remembered the many times she rode on the back of Jonathan's motorcycle. Walter looked at her and smiled. "Almost there," he shouted.

When they turned off the road and pedaled the narrow path through the woods, Emily somehow was not surprised to find where they were going and when they came to the clearing and she saw Grover's Pond, she was now surer than ever that what she was beginning to suspect was becoming clearer.

"This is it," Walter said. "I come here everyday."

Emily looked out at the water, looked around her at the familiar trees, the old willow tree, the two gnarled apple trees, the ducks on the water, the sound of frogs croaking. It all came back to her. She closed her eyes, breathing in the smell of the grass where she had stood so many times with Jonathan.

She lifted the yellow canvas bag from the handlebars of her bicycle, took out the Indian blanket, unfolded it and flapped it out over the grass.

"What a beautiful blanket," Walter said, looking at it, watching Emily kneel down smoothing it out. She then sat down on the blanket, looking at the water then up at Walter. "Sit with me," she said.

When he sat down, she turned to him, "I've been here before," she said.

"I know," Walter responded.

"You remember this blanket, don't you," she said.

"Yes," he said. "I remember this blanket.



Emily looked at him, nodding, smiling. "Make love to me like you used to" she said.

And they did, lying on the blanket, kissing gently at first then with growing intensity, Emily rolling on top straddling and riding him, looking deeply into his eyes, lifting herself then coming down on his bulging hardness faster and faster, leaning forward, their kissing growing more intense, their tongues swirling, their heat rising, her deep need to know again what she hadn't known since Jonathan died, her sliding off of him onto her back, squirming out of her jeans while Walter took off his then suddenly embracing Emily, holding her in his arms as if clutching his life, kissing her madly then lifting her shirt, kissing her breasts, licking and sucking her nipples, his hands touching her in the magical way she remembered, filling her with the desire to open and give herself to him, her strong legs pulling him into her, filling her, the sensation of his strong thrusts getting faster and harder, their breathing growing ragged, their moaning sounds so familiar getting louder, bringing both of them closer and closer to exploding, the force of his strong thrusts getting faster and harder, her lifting herself to receive and devour what he was giving her, their bodies tensing, trembling then writhing in overwhelming convulsions and ecstatic screams that shattered the quiet air, rising like a crescendo through the trees before Walter collapsed on Emily's satisfied body, panting, unable to budge then rolling onto his back pulling Emily on top of him, where she lay breathing heavily, her head on his chest, hearing the wonderful thumping of the heart she remembered and happy for the miracle that brought Jonathan back to her.