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‘Hey so, tell me more about Whistler...’
The team had finished up for the day and decided that a few drinks were required. They had found a new bar, right on the beach and Ernie and Lucy were at a small bar table nursing the jugs of beer and half empty mugs while the others took in some twilight beach volleyball under a bright spotlight.
It had been a long day and Lucy was spent. In truth, she probably could have used a bed rather than a beer but she didn’t want to be alone at home so soon. The days were busy and that was a good distraction for her but nights alone in her apartment just meant that all she had were her thoughts and emotions to keep her company. She had lost count of the nights they had made her cry.
‘Ernie...’ She groaned, not having enjoyed digging up the past earlier that day in the office. The memories were ones she wanted to bury, too painful to remember the highs. They somehow made the lows hurt that little bit more. She knew she needed to move on but she was still stuck wondering how Kate Whistler would fit into her life again.
‘Come on, please? I think it's beautiful. A love story for the ages. Tell me everything, minus the sordid details of course.’ He reached across the small table and put his hand on her shoulder.
She caved with a smile. ‘Well you're never going to get those details...’ She thought about it and shrugged with a sigh. ‘What the hell, fine.’
Ernie settled back on his bar stool, his eyes wide like a kid at Christmas. 'You met her in a bar. Like you picked her up, I mean Lucy, that takes balls.'
Lucy reflected on that moment and how she was feeling the first time she laid her eyes on the tall blonde. It took every ounce of courage to approach her, but at the same time, it would have taken a dozen marines and then some to hold her back.
'She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I had knocked back a few drinks by that time and I guess the liquid courage helped but... I don't know, I was on my own and so was she. She caught me staring at her and when she did, I couldn't bring myself to look away.’ She closed her eyes as she remembered the moment. The giddiness of the situation and how her heart pounded with adrenaline made her feel like a teenager again. She smiled at the silliness of it all.
‘She didn't break the stare either and... I guess I took that as an invitation. Like a dare, you know? I remember I opened with the worst line ever.' Lucy couldn’t help but cringe as that memory surfaced.
'Oh come on now, you can't say that and not share!' Ernie was invested in the story. Lucy didn’t have the heart not to disclose her awkwardness. She trusted Ernie enough to be open.
'Ok ok! I said "hey, What's a pretty lady like you doing in a place like this?" Like how lame is that?' She covered her face with her hands, embarrassed by their first interaction.
'But it did the trick.' He tugged at her hands and when she saw his face, there was nothing but softness and understanding.
She continued with a shy smile. 'It did. She said that she she liked the ambiance and took a chance, she was only on the Island for a few days and then asked me the same question. I said that this was my local and that I was a regular which was a terrible response because it made me sound like some kind of desperate booze hound.'
'Let me guess, she just laughed it off.'
Her gaze dropped to the table. 'She did. She shook my hand and introduced herself as Kate. I remember that first touch. Her hand was soft and warm, but strong. I think I held on awkwardly for too long before I told her my name.’
The memory of the moment made her shy. She had never shared the story with anyone, and their first touch felt so intimate despite the appearance of just a handshake. It was more than that.
‘Anyway, we laughed about her order, it was a seafood platter to go. I made a lame joke about how they were taking so long because they were out the back of the restaurant diving for the oysters. I was making such a fool of myself but she never made me feel embarrassed. She laughed at my terrible jokes and told her own jokes and facts about seafood, and about how she should have ordered the burger but then we'd be waiting for the cattle to age, so diving was the far quicker option.'
Ernie didn’t want to admit that it all did sound pretty bad, but that just added to the cuteness. 'I never picked Whistler as the kind of person to throw a joke around.'
'You'd be surprised Ernie. Kate, is very different to Whistler.' Lucy knew that it was all Kate Whistler, just different sides to the same beautiful coin. She wished that they could all see the kind and loving side that she saw immediately, then maybe they would treat her differently in the bullpen. Maybe something could have worked out between them.
She cleared her throat before she got too lost in thought. 'So then her takeaway came not long after and she said she wished she had ordered the burger just so she could keep talking to me.'
'Ooo.. the flirt begins.'
'Oh it began way before that my friend. Obviously, she's significantly taller than me, which is super hot by the way-'
'Small tall dynamics are a classic, the fans ship it like crazy.'
Lucy furrowed her brow, not quite sure what he meant by his comment. 'Umm.. yeah... I guess. So anyway, we were seated on this super small bench that was for one, but she scooted right over so I could come sit next to her, then inched her way back until we were right up against each other. Every time she said something to me, she had to lean over and her face was only inches away. Girl has got some moves.' She held her hand up to indicate the distance. Lucy turned her face as if she was looking into the sun.
'I am shipping this so hard already and you haven't even gotten to the good bit yet.'
Lucy still had her eyes closed. 'Man... Ernie, it was so hard not to kiss her right there in the bar. She was so beautiful and smart and charming and even though I initiated conversation, she just carried us through. It's hard to explain...'
'You got flustered despite making the first move and she helped you along by providing you with the support you needed through reciprocal communication and body language.'
She opened up her eyes and glared at him. It was just like him to know exactly what was going on. 'Yeah. Yeah that's exactly it. I hate it when you do that.'
'Ok so then what, how did you continue the conversation once she got her food? ' He ignored her comment and urged her to continue.
'Well... I went and ordered the burger’- Ernie held up his hand for a high five and Lucy obliged –‘so now we had to wait until they slaughtered that damn cow.'
'Nice. Was it good?'
'Yeah she was...'
'I meant the burger Lucy. Was the burger good...'
The wistful smile on her face now overwhelmed by a noticeable blush. 'Um, sorry. Yes. Well it usually is. I didn't end up eating it though. We talked for another 20 minutes or so and she never asked what I did. She said that she was from DC and came to the Island for a meeting. I thought that she was some hot shot corporate executive. I'm not sure why, I think the confidence in the way she carried herself and the fact that I couldn't stop thinking about her in a power suit...'
'She does pull off a suit better than most.' Ernie nodded along with Lucy.
'She really does.'
'Lucy, you're drooling...' Ernie snapped his fingers in front of Lucy’s face, breaking her out of her daydream.
'Sorry, where was I? Oh yeah, my burger came, and we took our takeaway packs outside. We were just standing there in the parking lot and I was so distracted that I almost got taken out by a car rushing for a spot. She grabs my arm and pulls me back and well... she held my hand and didn't let go. ' The sweet smile was back. she pulled her bottom lip between her lips to contain her memory.
‘Lucy that's sweet. Your knight in shiny black pumps.'
'Sneakers actually, she wore sneakers with a casual soft blue button up top and white shorts. She had her hair down and wow... I mean... legs...' Her eyes widened as she demonstrated with her hands. They were still sitting on the bar stools and Lucy almost lost her balance doing so.
'For days.' Ernie leaned over and steadied her.
'You're not wrong.' She winked at him as a thank you and a shared appreciation of Kate’s assets.
'So after she saved your life...'
'Oh yes, she said that she was staying at Turtle Bay and-'
'Turtle Bay?! I didn't think the DIA would have shelled out for that.'
'That was a terrible joke Ernie. Shelled?'
He was genuinely shocked. It was one of the more luxurious resorts on the Island and it was not customary to house government officials, especially junior ones, in such opulence. He could only think that perhaps the usual low rent accommodation or on base options were full and they needed to find somewhere else for her.
Lucy continued. 'Well I didn't know she was DIA so I was even more convinced that she was corporate executive. Plus, have you ever noticed her swagger? She's just so cool... and sexy... and-‘
'There's that drool again.'
'Stop it!’ She playfully swatted at him. ‘So she invited me back to her hotel saying that the luxury was too good for her not to share it with someone and that we can enjoy our meals which were now cold anyway. '
'Lame.'
'Oh totally lame. But I went with it.' She took a sip of the beer that she was still nursing. She drew circles with the droplets of dew that left wet patches on the table.
'So, I'm guessing that you barely made it to the room before tearing each other's clothes off completely forgetting about your cold dinners?' He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
She flicked some of the water droplets at him. 'Ernie, that's gross. But accurate. We left the food in the taxi and didn't remember until after-'
'La laa laa laa! No details!!' He squeezed his eyes shut and put his fingers in his ears.
She swatted at him again playfully. '-we got into the lift.'
'What's with you guys and lifts?'
'Right?! So the door closes and it's just the two of us. She turned around when the doors shut and steps right up to me...'
'Oh my goodness, I need to know who initiated the first kiss...' He sits up straight and fast claps his hands in excitement.
'She initiated, I executed.' Lucy couldn’t help but smile again. This time, she didn’t hold back the grin as she let herself fully experience the memory.
'Called it!' He pumped his fist into the air victoriously.
'What? When? When did you call it?' She held her hands up, a confused look on her face.
'In my head, just now!' He pointed wildly at his head, still fist pumping into the air with the other hand.
She shook her head affectionately and continued. 'I leaned up and just kissed her. And then... well... we get into details territory after that.'
Ernie finally settled. 'I'm such a fanboy. You know I'm going to make fan art right? Like draw little cartoons of you two, maybe put it on a t-shirt.'
'Please don't. The next morning, we just lazed about. There was more... details ... And then some sightseeing. She had her meeting and hung around then afterwards it was mostly, well... details.’ Her eye dropped again as she remembered every… detail. Her blush noticeable by the dim bar lighting. Her neck was flush and she gathered her hair to allow the cool breeze to take effect.
‘The second night, we had dinner on the beach. It was a secluded private beach and it was just the two of us.'
'It sounds magical.'
'It really was. I'll never forget how good she made me feel, how safe I felt in her arms. I couldn't believe that I had found the woman of my dreams and I didn't even know her surname or her job. She didn't know mine either, but we just connected on another level.'
They let a moment of silence pass. Ernie wanted to give her the space to reflect on something that was obviously special to her and Lucy was lost in thought. Their reverie was broken by the cheering from the beach volleyball. They waved and cheered back, not sure about what it was for, too lost in Lucy’s story.
'Was it sad when you had to say goodbye?'
'Yes and no. We knew it would end because it was just a fling and it had an end date. That's why we never bothered to get to know each other properly. I didn't even know if her real name was Kate but I didn't care. Everything about her was amazing. Too amazing for it too last.'
'That's not true. You're pretty amazing yourself you know.' Ernie reached out and held her hand.
Lucy appreciated the gesture and squeezed his hand back. She looked up towards the sky full of stars searching for peace or solace or whatever it would take to calm the rising emotions, but all she saw was beauty in their twinkling that reminded her of Kate. She blinked back the tears that were forming as she remembered the present. 'Not like her. She's so special to me. It was like a dream, and dreams don't last. Look where we are now...'
'Hey... How ever she broke your heart, I can't imagine two people more perfect for each other. You wait and see, the universe brought you two together for a reason. You know I don't believe in coincidences. '
‘I want to believe you're right. But I can't let myself live like this Ernie. I can't stop thinking about her. I took a chance on the most beautiful woman that I had ever seen, and I don’t want to regret it but…' an errant tear escapes and she wipes it away.
'When do you see the Kahuna again?'
Saturday afternoon.'
Ernie was still holding her hand for support. 'It's all healing Lucy. She's hurting too. I see the way she looks at you. She loves you. '
Lucy wished that she could be optimistic and agree with Ernie. She had tried looking at it objectively but found that every time she tried, she failed. The pain inside her was too great to ignore. 'You don't know that.'
'I'm no love expert but I see the way she is when you're in a room together. It's like there's a constant fight to resist the gravity towards one another. It's unnatural for you to be apart.'
Lucy couldn't deny it. She felt it. Every time they were in a room, she wanted to be near her, be with her. Touch her. But she was like the sun and Lucy was scared that getting too close would burn. She had already experienced it.
'I can't bring myself to believe that someone who could win your affection, could take the time to listen to your jokes and match them with her own horrible jokes, is a bad person. That's kindness and generosity. When you can feel safe in a stranger's arms, well that's because you're not strangers at all. Your souls, your body cells, your vibration... Whatever you believe in... They're just reconnecting. They’re where they belong.'
'You think so?' She wanted to believe him.
'I know so.' he stood up from his stool and pulled her into a hug.
They broke apart and Ernie sat back on his stool, taking a big sip of beer. He didn’t want to admit that this was making him emotional as well and the beer was a good distraction. 'Thank you. For sharing that, I know it must be painful for you to remember.'
'Thank you for forcing me to remember... Wait... That's why you did it, didn't you?' She sat up straight and placed her hands on her hips, glaring at the man across the table.
Another draw from his beer mug and a fake distant distraction was all he managed. 'I don't know what you mean...'
She slapped him across the shoulder playfully and he feigned hurt. 'You wanted me to remember all the good feelings I had with her!'
He rubbed his shoulder and focused back on Lucy. 'And it has been so long since I've seen you smile like you have in the last 23 minutes. You're welcome.'
'I- Thank you.' She softened. He was right. He had taken her on a journey of remembrance, and she was filled with renewed hope, even if it was just a glimmer. She had let herself forget the specialness of their time together. The instant and inexplicable connection they had made. Lucy Tara was a fighter, and Ernie had helped her remember that this was something worth fighting for.
'Don’t mention it. You know... you could name your first born after me.'
'Ernie...' she groaned, rolling her eyes at him.
'The fandom will demand it. You'll see...' He winked and poured her another drink.