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When she turns to face me and continues walkin, backward, I see her glass is already empty again. Apparently noticing at the same time, she quickly grabs mine and takes a rather unladylike swig.
“Careful there princess,” I try to warn her.
“Princess? What do I look like to you, some kind of a nice gal? You think I’m a sweet old-fashioned mannerly lady you can pick up with all your…charm and…good looks?” she asks, sweepin her eyes up and down me like a predator.
“I think you’re a damn wild woman,” I answer, catchin her waist with both my hands as she almost stumbles backward into a crepe myrtle bush, “and I hope to pick you up with everything I’ve got.”
Now holdin both our glasses, she takes another gulp of mine before lookin down at my big old hands engulfing her middle. Hating to have to release my grip, I gently take the glasses and set them under the bushes. As soon as I stand back up, Fiona takes both my hands and places them back onto her waist. As someone exits the hotel bar, a slow, jazzy tune drifts momentarily out the open door and we begin to sway. She places her arms over my forearms and moves with me, almost imperceptibly, while I revel in the feelin of that long, lean body captured by my very own hands.
“How did you know? When did you know?” she asks with refreshing directness.
“I think I’ve always known. The first time I ever heard your voice, it hit me that you were her, the one I’d seen in dreams and visions. After hearin from you a few more times, I knew it could only be a matter of waitin.”
“Tell me about these dreams and visions,” she says, takin my hand once more and pullin it toward the nearest bench.
“Well, alright then.” I let out a heavy breath before beginning. She’s askin me to walk her into some pretty mystical territory already. “It really started when I was a youngster. You see, my mother died when I was fourteen and I believe she sent me a vision. She wanted what was best for me and used to send me all sorts of images and messages. Like she was guidin me from the beyond.” Fiona keeps her eyes scored on mine, riveted. “My first vision was a woman. I was so young, but I still could feel who the woman was. I wasn’t really thinkin about women yet, but this woman was so beautiful…and strong, so strong, I knew beyond doubt that she was my destiny.”
“That’s incredible.”
“Oh it goes beyond that…I’ve seen her countless times throughout my life, maybe once every two or three months. Always the same face, same eyes, same hair. One time I tried to reach out to her, but she disappeared before me…as if to say ‘not yet’. Then about, oh…five, six years ago, I started havin a different sorta dream about her. These dreams have been restless, disturbed even. Like she comes to me on nights when she’s in distress.”
“And you believe this woman is—“
“Beyond doubt. Beyond doubt I do. Now you can make of that what you will, but now that I’ve seen you in the flesh…I have no question yours is the face I’ve always seen. Always.”
She looks at me with an expression I can’t quite read, but I know she’s unafraid. I know this woman, somehow, and she has a strong tenacity for life.
“Well I think you’re the most interesting man I’ve ever met.” Fiona may be emboldened by a few drinks, but I can read her sincerity. This one’s as real as the day is long.
“Why thank you,” I respond with a smile, as we both lean back into the bench…loosening our grip to a hand hold.
“So your mother passed away when you were fourteen… were you raised by your father then?”
“No ma’am. Both my parents died together in the same night.” Fiona gasps and I give her a moment to process it. “Lightning ignited the horse barn aflame while they were in it,” I tell her solemnly.
Those events occurred too long ago for me to feel any more pain, but I know it must be a shock to new ears. She squeezes my hands tighter and her lips impart a faint smile. She sees that it’s all okay with me now; she gets me.
“Did you go into foster care then?” she asks gently.
“No…I have one sibling who was eighteen at the time. My big brother, Mack. Being raised on a farm gives you a lot of life skills you wouldn’t otherwise have. Plus, we had crops and we knew how to keep em goin. Mack never had any real interest in all that, but he delayed college to stick around and help me. He knew I’d sooner die myself than leave the farm and live with some strangers in the city, and he saw to it that would never happen.”
“Are the two of you still close?”
“Oh not really. Our lives went separate ways…you know, different interests and all. He co-owns a small chain of bars out in California these days. But I love him and I’m most grateful for everything he did for me.”
“That’s beautiful. So…one day you decided to turn the place into a wholesale flower farm?” Fiona asks with a look of fascination.
“Yes ma’am. It happened just about like that. My parents had owned the house and property outright, so my expenses were low. I shut off the electric and water in the farmhouse, which happens to be way too many rooms for one man, and fixed up an old toolshed. Put new wood paneling in it and moved in a kitchenette, made the place quite nice. Then I set to work cleanin up the property, got rid of old junked vehicles and whatnot, expanded the garden till I was growin a hundred percent of my own produce. Nowadays I get my meat from local farmers, but I kept my own cattle and hogs till I was about thirty-five. Around then I began focusing on flowers and business picked up fast. Almost too much for me to handle at first. I’ve got a couple guys now who put in part-time help and the place runs like a top.”
“No kidding…that’s quite a story. So did you get to finish high school and all?”
“No ma’am, I didn’t. But you know what, I never really missed it. My uncles taught me everything I needed to know about home construction and electric work, and me and Mack about worked ourselves to the bone the first few years. Eventually we refined our systems, updated equipment, got to where we could take care of the farm and still find a minute to fish or sit out on the porch, catch a movie here and there.”
Fiona stares into my eyes with a look I can only describe as awe. “So, did you ever marry?”
“Can’t say that I did, no. I meet women here and there through my work or at the local bars.”
“No takers, huh?” she asks with that gorgeous, flirtatious smile.
