Chapter Five
By the Seaside
People everywhere. In some ways the greater outside world hadn’t changed much in other ways it had woefully left me far behind. One thing hadn’t changed though, the noise. It filled my ears with its incessant racket and egged on the headache that was beginning to form deep in my head. I didn’t regret leaving this fast-paced world, where everyone was in a hurry and trying to drive overtop of everyone else. No I didn’t regret it at all.
Once we were out of the city it got better. Trent’s mother lived along the shore near a place called Cape May. I’d never been there before, but I was looking forward to the noise of the sea. That was a noise that I liked.
I left the driving to Trent and was grateful not have to navigate my way through the suburbia hell that had taken place in my absence from society. Finally we reached a quieter section of the seaside community. I could tell by how relaxed Trent was that he was glad to be here, like I was, when I was in the mountains of Idaho. No doubt he would settle here or somewhere like it, which meant I would have to travel to see my Deshavi and any little ones that might come into the world in the future. It was a sacrifice I’d gladly make in order to see Deshavi settled, happy, and better yet lovingly cared for.
We pulled up at a beachside cottage that I had to admit possessed a quaint charm to it. It was slightly run down, but well-maintained nevertheless. Trent got out and so did I. Not for the first time I wondered to myself privately, would Trent’s mother except Deshavi?
I didn’t have long to wait to find out. The screen door clattered and a slim woman with streaks of gray dotting her black hair ran up to Trent and encircled her much taller son with a tight grip. He returned the embrace with gentled passion.
From where Deshavi and I stood it was clear to see that Trent was a man who loved his mother with all his heart and she him in return. She stepped back abruptly and smiled at us charmingly. I was instantly captivated by both her smile and her as a whole.
Trent’s mother I had to admit was stunningly attractive. At fifty seven she had begun to gray somewhat prematurely, but it took nothing from her beauty. It was her eyes that fascinated me the most. They were very knowing eyes and I saw kindness in them, set against a backdrop of resolute toughness.
“You must excuse me please for not welcoming you first, but my son has lived on the edge of danger for so many years, that whenever I see him, after a long absence I cannot but celebrate the blessed occurrence of his return.”
I nodded full well understanding the hell a mother with a son in harm’s way goes through. No doubt it accounted for most of her gray hair.
Her eyes passed over me in a charming way that said ‘When I have time I’ll be back, but for now other things first.’ Her gaze centered on Deshavi and she stepped toward her. She took Deshavi’s hands and said, “I very much have been longing to see and meet you my dear. None has ever so captivated my son, as you have, and I can see why. You are absolutely gorgeous!”
Deshavi blushed and softly responded, “So are you!”
“You do me too much justice dear, now please do introduce me to the one member of our group that does at least have more gray hair than I do, thus stroking what little vanity I have left in my departing youth, in not being the oldest gathered here.”
I smiled and half bowed to her as Deshavi said, “This is my grandfather, Caleb Longtree. He raised me and without him I wouldn’t be here right now.”
My eyes left Ella Rogerson to meet Deshavi’s and then back to Ella’s. She was giving me a knowing look, “It is a good thing, when those we raise bless us with their words and actions, is it not Mister Longtree?”
“Yes it is!” I responded a little emotionally.
She smiled and said to all, “Come I have made a feast that now grows cold.
Ella Rogerson among many other things was an extremely good cook. After dinner the conversation had primarily been rooted on the young couple. I saw absolutely no cause for alarm when it came to any negative actions between either Ella or Deshavi. Trent’s mother in fact seemed to be overwhelming Deshavi with the depth of personable attention that she paid to her and some part of me rejoiced inside at the sight of it.
This relationship was going to be so good for Deshavi! Ella was the example of how a mother should be and exactly the opposite of what Deshavi had ever experienced in regards to her own birth mother.
Feeling at peace I let the conversation flow around me, joining in only when required to, content to bask in the aftermath of victory. Too bad Ted couldn’t be here to revel in the victory as I was now. Later I slipped away and made my way outside having been lured by the crashing of the waves.
It was getting darker and almost everyone had left the beach leaving me alone to enjoy a moment of quiet from the maddening crowd. It had been such a good day that is once we’d reached this quiet little hamlet by the seaside. Some sense of awareness bade me to stop and I turned to see a figure walking towards me. I waited and saw that it was Ella.
A thrill of awareness shot through me. The woman affected me powerfully and I had struggled the entire course of the afternoon to keep the face of normality on with her so near. She drew close and again there was that smile that pulled you in.
“I often walk the beach alone at night. Perhaps, for once, two loners might share the experience?” She asked with a hopeful tint to her words.
I extended out my arm and like the lady that she was her arm slipped through it and we began to make our way up the beach together in silence. It was the most companionable time I’d spent with anyone in a very long time. It was special somehow and I didn’t know what to say. We were almost back to the house, when she spoke.
“As I get older I become more conscious of how swiftly time is passing me by and how fleeting life can be. When we’re young we have nothing but time, but time is in shorter supply now, than ever before. I find myself more and more reticent about facing, what little time is left to me, alone. Perhaps after the children have had their moment there will be time for us to consider something more between us?”
“I would like that very much Ella.” I responded not at all shocked by what she had just said or by my own answer. I brought her hand up and I kissed the back of it lightly.
“Good night Caleb.” She said softly before she faded away into the darkness, as she headed up the beach to the house.
How strange the way things could be at times. I’d come on this trip to help reassure my granddaughter’s future and in the process I had met a woman worth spending the remaining future that I possessed with. I don’t know if you could call it love or even lust at my age, although there certainly was attraction at play.
The best way to put the emotion that was between us already from the first moment we had met was simply that it felt right. It simply felt right and I was glad that I wasn’t the only one of the two of us that felt that connection take place. If that had been the case I would have never said anything, but I would have just gone back to my mountains alone at the appointed time. But that wasn’t what had happened and the future was richer for it.