Chapter 8

She hauled off and punched me! And I just sat there and smiled. "I was just kidding!" she protested weakly. Then her eyes got really big, and she lit up the whole bay with her blush! I kissed her. "Mostly, anyway," her protest got weaker. I kissed her again, and she kissed me back. "A little?" she actually squeaked, and she raised up her eyes and looked into mine. "No, I guess I wasn't kidding at all – I was hoping."

"So was I, little girl, so was I" And the world went away, former sad realities erased by this new "together" that we had both suddenly realized we were hoping for.

We sat there quietly for a while, both caught up, I guess, in this "new reality."

Then she said "We've gotta have those chocolate doubloon thingies as table favors at the reception." And she started laughing and crying at the same time, and said "I knew I should have stayed in bed this morning! Wait until I get hold of that Donna – she dragged me into this, and, and, well, I guess we know the answer to 'if it's a girl!'" She smiled up at me, "If that's okay with you, Cap'n!"

I said "I've never met Donna, but after today I think I love her, too!" Ooops, had to duck, "As a friend! Only a friend!"

"You better remember that, Cap'n!

We sat there for a while, watching the swells roll by, and the sea birds diving and fighting over the small bait fish that schooled in these waters. And I had to say it. "You know this is too quick, don't you, Kay?"

She stiffened again, then sagged back against me. Almost inaudibly her whisper came. "Yeah, I guess I do." She looked up at me, "My Psych professor would say 'we got carried away by the moment'"

"Psych professor? I thought you were music and computers."

"Web design stuff – 'Psychology of Marketing', one of the electives. It's all about how to trigger and recognize impulse buying. Now I'm wondering if that's what we're doing."

"Having second thoughts?" When she hesitated, then gave an almost imperceptible nod, I sighed and said "Me too."

"Not exactly second thoughts, Rob, just wondering if we're getting ahead of ourselves. I don't want to do anything that would hurt either of us. And it's scary." We just sat there for a few minutes, neither of us wanting to break the silence. Then, "I guess we shouldn't order those chocolate doubloon thingies just yet." I couldn't help it, I started chuckling again, and she gave a nervous giggle that almost sounded like a giggle. "Are you mad at me?"

"No, little one, I'm not mad." I hugged her again. "We've got plenty of time to find out if this is real -- even longer for regrets if we do the impulse thing and it turns out to not be real."

"So now what do we do?" She sat back up straight, and looked at me. "You gotta know that I, we, need to find out for sure, but I'm scared, Rob – what if it's not?"

"Well, no real harm done, neither of us got hurt," I looked at her, "And I, for one, really enjoyed getting acquainted with you!"

"Me too," she said, "You're the sweetest pirate I ever met."

"Even without the parrot?"

"Arrr, matey!" She smiled, "But this is not over, is it? I mean, we can't leave it here." She did that hiccup-giggle thing again, "Not after choosing names, and all." I didn't say anything right away, and she whispered "So, what do we do?"