Page 56 of A Bond with the Dark

“He’s amazing. He’s polite and charming. On our second date, he got my mom a star.”

“Awe,” both girls coo, the glint in their eyes reflecting a sincere empathy for me, but Claire’s face falls slightly as though she’s a bit jealous. It’s a good jealousy, though. My friends are genuinely happy for me, considering what they saw me go through after my divorce.

“I know! I really can’t even believe that I found someone like him. He brought me flowers and a candy bar for Gauge on the first date. He’s like the sweetest guy.”

“Does he have any single friends?” Anna inquires, her brown sunglasses reflecting the aqua of the pool and blue sky that has hardly any interruptions of wispy white clouds.

“He has a few brothers,” I answer. “One that he doesn’t speak to. But the other I believe he is on good terms with.”

“Why doesn’t he talk to his brother?” Claire asks.

“Something about a girl.” There’s no need to disclose the mysterious death associated with the strange story behind it. I don’t need their opinions of the man footing the entire bill for our vacation swayed.

“Ah. That’ll do it,” Claire says, setting her drink down and diving into the water.

“What else?” Anna asks. “What does he like to do for fun?”

“I’m not sure of that yet,” I respond honestly. “I only see him at night. We haven’t talked about what we do in the summer or anything. I really don’t know him all that well.”

A realization dawns on me that I really don’t know too much about him.

That will change.

“That’s okay, babe,” Claire says, resurfacing, slicking the water off her black hair. “You’re in the beginning stages of a relationship. You’ll get to know him more and more each time you hang out.”

“This is true,” Anna answers, taking her turn to dive into the water.

“Have you guys fucked yet?” Claire asks, situating her sunglasses again and retrieving her drink from the side of the pool.

“Not yet. Really, not even close. We’ve just hung out in public places. Once, he kissed me on the porch passionately and turned away. I thought I had bad breath, but he told me I’m the kind of girl he wants to be his last of everything, and he didn’t wanna ruin it by going too fast.”

“Oh my god, he said that?!” Claire exclaims, her mouth agape.

“Yeah, on ourfirstdate!” I respond, twirling my hair up into a messy bun. “It totally threw me off.”

“Why would it throw you off? I think it’s wonderful,” Claire retorts.

“I don’t know, ’cause I didn’t get that feeling around him. I just felt it was too soon to tell something like that.”

“I get that,” Claire says. “You’re being careful with your heart, as you should.”

“The more time I spend with him, the more I feel it. I mean, I don’t think he’s the one or anything. He doesn’t give me that ‘soulmate’ vibe. But I can see him becoming an epic love. That’s all I get for now.”

“Epic loves are the best,” says Anna, swimming over to us from the side.

“I agree,” Claire adds. “Even if it’s not something that lasts forever, it’ll be something you remember forever and ever.”

I take my turn diving underneath the water. When I resurface, the girls are chuckling about something one of them had said.

“What are you two whispering about?” I ask, swimming over to them.

“We were just saying tonight will probably be the night you two get it on.” Claire laughs.

“It’s the first time we’ll spend the night together,” I concur.

“Oh, about to lose your virginity,” Anna jokes.

“That is true!” I laugh. “It’s been so long; I think it grew back.”

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