Thew View From the Hill at Twilight

Emily sucked in her breath. "Sounds like a good idea to me, Lover."

"I have also been thinking," Don slowly said after a few seconds, "that when we have that preliminary survey in three weeks, why don't we let Lisa stay with her grandparents and just the two of us go. She has had one long trip this summer already and will get another two weeks before school starts again. We deserve some time by ourselves."

"That sounds like it might be a lot of fun."

"We'd just be by ourselves for two whole weeks., Don went on. "No neighbors, no towns, no civilization. Just the two of us. We'd still have to do the survey, but I'm sure we could arrange enough time for some skinny dipping and making love outside."

Emily smiled. "Yes, that sounds wonderful. The two of us, outside, naked, making love in the afternoon sun and under the pines with the full moon shining through." She could tell that her words were exciting her husband. OK, they were exciting her as well. Again they merged in a deep kiss.

For another ten minutes they just sat together, Emily on Don's lap, watching the sun sink below the ridges, the clouds turning to molten gold. It had been a long time since Emily had first sat beneath this tree. But to the ancient maple, time didn't mean quite the same. To the old tree ten years, twenty years, even fifty or more meant nothing.

As dusk began to fall, the twilight fading, the first stars began to appear. Suddenly Emily became aware that Lisa was looking up and heard her quietly say, "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight ..."

Lisa closed her eyes, letting the quiet evening flow into her. Near by, but not visible to the three on the hilltop, a thirteen year old Emily looked on. And just behind her a pretty young Cherokee girl smiled and raised her hand in silent approval.