Chapter 4: Rain

During the next days, we established a happy routine. Rolf worked at home, so he had flexible hours, and could take me to a mountain trail or some other adventure.

I also convinced Rolf to show me the backdrops of his days as a shy teen. Places attached to a meaningful memory.

“I told you I wasn’t shy. I was quiet,” he corrected me.

“Noted.”

“Growing up in Middletown was magical. I could ride with my bike everywhere. After school, we used to play baseball outside. We would even stay outside playing way after dark under the streetlights. Our neighbors would sit on the front porch and actually engage in conversations. We spent our summers at the Indian Lake Campground.”

I just smiled and nodded, enjoying the expression on his face while he told me about his childhood and teenage years.

“The real reason why I never learned to swim is that one summer, a kid drowned at the lake. His body was recovered later from the bottom. I will never forget that day. The camp was closed and I was sent back home.”

He was looking at the lake while he was telling me the story. I hugged him from behind tightly. “I’m sorry, Rolf. Death is always a tragedy, but it’s especially tragic when the dead person is a child.”

“I have been afraid of going into the lake since then,” he said under his breath.

“And yet, you let me teach you how to float,” I said, resting my chin on his shoulder.

He shrugged. “They say we must confront our fears. Maybe, it was time to conquer mine.”

I shivered. My own dark fears pushed to come to the surface. They were always lurking in the back of my mind.

“Are you okay?” Rolf asked me, turning around.

I forced a smile and gave him a nod. “Yeah, I’m just chilly. That’s all,” I lied.

As though to confirm my words, a tremor shivered through my body, bringing up a rash of goosebumps on my arms.

“Oh,” he said relieved, and put his jacket on my shoulders.

Rolf claimed to be just an average guy, but he was indeed an extraordinary man. I’ve met lots of people around the world, but I never felt as close to any of them as I feel to him. I just hoped he didn’t get too attached to me. He shouldn’t, or he was going to end up getting hurt.

“Do you have any siblings?” I asked him.

“No, I am an only child. My mom gave birth to me when she was almost forty. Both of my parents retired and went to live in Florida when I went to college.”

With each passing day, we grew closer, learned from each other, and created amazing memories. I shared with him things I had experienced in my travels. Rolf shared with me about Middletown and the people who lived in it. I met a lot of interesting people and, sooner than later, I was making lots of new friends.

I got to know Sheriff Thomas and his deputy, Nick. They were both actively involved in community activities. Sheriff Thomas knew everyone, and everyone knew him.

I talked for hours with Laura, the owner, and manager of the only Bed and Breakfast in town, and we discovered we had a lot in common. Through her, I met her Aunt Molly, a fascinating person who had traveled a lot.

The Middletown Community Center offered a free weekly social dancing class and I convinced Rolf to come with me. We had so much fun dancing together.

Flowers bloomed in rich profusion beneath the slender trees, sending their sweet fragrance into the summer air. More than ever, the place had a feeling of enchantment as the slight breeze moved the leaves overhead, sending dappled pools of golden light dancing across the brilliant purple flowers.

Rolf and I made love in every improbable spot of the house. One day, while we were hiking, I grabbed Rolf’s hand and dragged him, running across a meadow toward an empty barn. We rolled over each other, laughing and kissing like two teenagers. We made love in the barn, filling each other up. That night, the sunset was like a Baroque painting.

One warm night, I finally fulfilled my dream of making love in a lake under the stars.