I planned a dinner date with Mike, maybe this is the right timing for us. To start a real love connection. Maybe this time it's going to be a success, for me, the old maiden, my mind wonders as my nephew is asking me if I will have babies someday.
Aunty, do you want babies? he said
Well, I would like to have puppies someday, Milley and Milo might just gives us little litters of pups, would you like that too?
Yes! Aunty, he shouted, "I love Puppies!!!".
You will always be Aunty's baby...I kissed him on his forehead.
I went to the market very early in the morning to get the freshest seafood, as I planned to cook for Mike a surf and turf platter. Maybe with candle lights, and wine and as the night progress, silently anticipating our first real kiss.
I wore my yellow hat and blue basket weaved, as I saw the first haul of catches for the day. From shrimps, scallops, oysters, crabs, and my favorite lobster, everything is so fresh, I can smell the sea as I held the mussels and clams in my hand.
What do you want to buy Miss?, the fisherman asked.
I'll have a kilo each from your bucket Sir, all the seafood you can fit here in my basket. I'll also buy those seaweeds too please. "Thank you"
Here you are Miss, I bet this will be great for your whole family to enjoy. It's also good for cooking for your boyfriend. Only the best quality for your love ones, am I right?
I was blushing under my hat, I guess so, I replied. How much Sir for all of them? Please give me a good price, so my boyfriend will really love it. I was slightly haggling, and also flirting my way to a discount.
For you beautiful lady, Only $100.
"Oh thank you, kind Sir?" my eyes grew wide for I got a huge discount. From the mainland this might all cost up to $250-$350.
I gave him my payment, and offered him some of Mike's special Jerky. He smiled at me, and we finished the transaction. I'm feeling so good, and very happy. I strolled in the market some more and bought spices, vegetables, and fruits. I even dropped by the flower shop, which has just began to open by 6:00 am, and picked up flowers for our dinner.
Hello, Good Morning, I'd like to buy some special bunch of wild flowers, and I could use your advise, since this is for my first date, with a special Man in my life, I asked the florist.
Good Morning too Miss, well if you're confessing your love you will need Ambrosia, Camelia, and Red and White Chrysantemum, to say I love you, or I'm longing for your love. Also since it's for the very first date, start with Pink, and Red Carnations, and fill with yellow Forsythias so your love one will know you are anticipating your togetherness.
Oh, I love them, I'll have a bunch of each of those flowers you suggested. I told her.
Here Ma'am I put some vitamins in the stalk water so it will not wilt until your precious date starts. It will look fresh as if you picked them yourself.
"Thank you so much", I gave her a tip, and my payment. This will make my date even more special.
You're welcome, come by anytime, she said.
It was half past 3pm, I was preparing for an early evening date with Mike.
I put on my sheerest beige maxi dress, revealing my white bikini underneath. Wore leather strappy sandals, wooden drop earrings to match my tanned complexion, and put my hair up in a high messy bun. I wore my Mom's jade necklace and decided that my make up would be very minimal, but sensual, only highlighting my eyes and lips, a very Island chic look.
Out in the seaside I prepared the cloth sheet for our seafood fiesta meal, grilled veggies, opened up oysters and put them in iced box to keep them cool and fresh, and halve lemons on the side for garnish. I cooked all the food, and put the lovely flowers in a cut bamboo to serve as a vase. Tea light candles in a bowl with water encircled the space, and by the time the sun was ready to set, I texted Mike to meet me by the beach.
Mike come on over at the far south side of the Villa near the shore overlooking mangroves.
Okay, I'll be there in 15 minutes, he texted me back.
There's a trail of seashells leading to the candle lit dinner I prepared all by myself. This is to be the first ever date, we would have, not as previous colleagues, not as acquainted travellers, not even as friends, well more like friends who are beginning to really like each other, and wants to spend my last night here in the Island with someone special.
Mike called me up, I'm really near you, what am I to do next? Sweet mysterious Francine?
I was giddy and told him, "Just follow the trail of Shells from the first Palm tree you see. He was standing 20 meters from where I set up our dinner.
Slowly walk towards me as you put your hands on your eyes. No peeking, and try not to trip, I don't want you tumbling before you see what I prepared for us.
Okay, Here I come..He said in a sexy sultry, but a little bit funny voice.
Now open your eyes, he was standing a full meter from me.
Surprise!!! As I held my hands in the air.
Oh, "Wow!", You did all this by yourself? Amazing! Mike was in awe.
Before we eat here's a glass, I handed him a champagne flute. Here's to Us, in this wonderful Island.
We toasted to being here at this moment, looking in deep in each other's eyes, Mike uttered a sweet nothing.
To you the sweetest girl, who I thought would never see again, but here you are like a message in a bottle, finding your way to this place, for me to find, and unravel.
He almost made me want to kiss him, but since I cooked for us, I meant to thank him for opening his heart to me, a once lonely, confused, lost, indecisive me, to share this moment with him.
Mike, Would you be so kind to eat with me right here on the beach?
He smiled at me, caressed my face, he looked at my longing eyes, and said.
I'm so famished I could eat you up.
I laughed at his flattery and handed him his napkin.
We won't be needing any spoon or fork, we eat with our hands tonight.
We started to enjoy the feast, as he slurped on his mussels and gulped his oysters, I wondered how he kisses. How soft would his lips would be. And as I opened up another bottle of champagne cooled in ice, We watched the sun go down, as slow as our hearts are melting.
I'm so full, he gasped for air. I didn't expect you to be a good cook and especially a host. You did a great job preparing all this. It's my first time to have somebody surprise me like you did.
Of course I am my Mom's daughter, I learned to cook from her. The flowers I specially bought for you.
He smiled, Oh thanks, that's so nice of you. I wonder what those colors mean.
Those are my feelings, red for saying Why did I ever let you go before?
Yellow means, I don't want to be just friends.
and White, because You are simply the Man I started to like.
He fell silent, and he sat closer to me, held my hand. Since you started to like me, then I would make you fall for me, make you feel things you never have. Make you feel like I never went away.
Two years have been lived, two long years I tried to love again, and here was Mike ready to love me.
We leaned to each other, I closed my eyes and met his lips.
Softly, and slowly, we kissed. With only the waves sounded like a song playing, the wind whispering,
"Go and love this Man in front of you", He always loved you from the start.
He is my love connection.
The years of being a plain, Francine with no light to follow, was suddenly and surely was lit and glowing like the fire that we started. As we roasted marshmallows and looked into each other, kissing and embracing. Like a hot torch we are holding, we kissed passionately, and smiled in between.
Why don't you come work with me here?, Mike asked.
I'm planning to go back to the city, if you want we can open a new branch of the Jungle bar, with extra Monkeys hanging on the ceiling?, Let's plan things, dream things and conjure them up together.
Mike hugged me, whatever you wish my dear Francine, I'm really happy to be here finally with you.
He put an earpiece in my left ear, and the song that played told everything in our hearts that night.
Here's to the lives that you're gonna change...
Here's to the infinite possible ways to love you...
I want you to have it all...
Have it all
by Jason Mraz