Jewell giggled with excitement as she led him along by the hand, being careful to point out where he shouldn?t step. It was the least she could do as she had insisted on blindfolding him. She had led him off the well-trodden road, their shoes sinking into the soft, perhaps even somewhat sandy, ground of the almost non-existent path into the woods. Few ever came this way, which was what originally attracted her to the spot, despite the surrounding area being fairly well developed. The air was cool as they passed amongst the trees, walking several hundred feet off the road and into the woods before the sunlight hit their faces again.
She led him by the hand into a small clearing occupied by a solitary hut, nothing more than a broken down shack really, at the far end. A steady brook, pooling and water-falling in several places, overshadowed by an abundance of oaks and maples and even a few willows, cut through the left corner of the clearing before continuing on westward towards where the distinct sounds of seagulls could be heard by one listening close enough. She stopped him at the edge of the clearing, situating herself behind him with her arms around him. ?You can take off the blindfold, love.?
She gave him a minute to let his eyes adjust to the lighting, look around, and take it all in before she offered up an explanation. ?The old man who used to live on this land died recently?and it?s been up for sale for a while now but no one seems to want it because it?s so far off the road. And I just thought,? her came the hesitancy in her tone, ?that maybe we could live here. Not in that little hut, of course,? quickly clarifying what she meant, ?but that we could build a house. You and I. So that it wouldn?t just be my house, or yours, but ours?together. And we could have the fireplace just as you want, and if we clear a few of the trees you?ll be able to see the water because the land starts declining just a little bit ahead until it?s all rock and beach.?
Her speech picked up speed as she became enthusiastic and excited once more, not nervous. ?And it?s nice because we?re off the road so we could just be alone sometimes when we didn?t want to be around everyone but we?re still just up the road from Wyheree and the Sisters and everyone so we wouldn?t be completely secluded. And the house doesn?t have to be huge or anything because I don?t care about any of that, just big enough for us all to fit in. And the kids can play in the brook, and look?that one willow tree is perfect for just climbing all over.?
She finally stopped, peeking around his body to look up at his face in question, once more hesitant. She was afraid her enthusiasm had gotten the best of her, that maybe this was not something they both wanted.
She led him by the hand into a small clearing occupied by a solitary hut, nothing more than a broken down shack really, at the far end. A steady brook, pooling and water-falling in several places, overshadowed by an abundance of oaks and maples and even a few willows, cut through the left corner of the clearing before continuing on westward towards where the distinct sounds of seagulls could be heard by one listening close enough. She stopped him at the edge of the clearing, situating herself behind him with her arms around him. ?You can take off the blindfold, love.?
She gave him a minute to let his eyes adjust to the lighting, look around, and take it all in before she offered up an explanation. ?The old man who used to live on this land died recently?and it?s been up for sale for a while now but no one seems to want it because it?s so far off the road. And I just thought,? her came the hesitancy in her tone, ?that maybe we could live here. Not in that little hut, of course,? quickly clarifying what she meant, ?but that we could build a house. You and I. So that it wouldn?t just be my house, or yours, but ours?together. And we could have the fireplace just as you want, and if we clear a few of the trees you?ll be able to see the water because the land starts declining just a little bit ahead until it?s all rock and beach.?
Her speech picked up speed as she became enthusiastic and excited once more, not nervous. ?And it?s nice because we?re off the road so we could just be alone sometimes when we didn?t want to be around everyone but we?re still just up the road from Wyheree and the Sisters and everyone so we wouldn?t be completely secluded. And the house doesn?t have to be huge or anything because I don?t care about any of that, just big enough for us all to fit in. And the kids can play in the brook, and look?that one willow tree is perfect for just climbing all over.?
She finally stopped, peeking around his body to look up at his face in question, once more hesitant. She was afraid her enthusiasm had gotten the best of her, that maybe this was not something they both wanted.