We rode for quite a while. I was freezing. It's always about ten degrees colder on a bike than it is regularly outside, because of the wind. It was misty when we pulled into Metropolitan Park. People in the Cleveland area knew the spot. It was called "The Emerald Necklace," acres and acres and yet, more and more acres of gorgeous wooded land, huge ancient looking trees with big roots that snaked along the surface of woodsy paths, lush undergrowth, pretty meadows, ferns, moss, cool secluded little spots and, of course, the picnic areas. It was like the "forest primeval" of that old, old poem by Longfellow, that we read in school.
We drove on the park's roads, winding into it. Emilio was silent; I snuggled into his back. At last we stopped. I knew where we were. Through the mist rising from the ground I could see the Squire's Castle, the small part of a beautiful old gray stone gate house that I heard was built in the eighteen nineties, supposedly as the very first part of a great estate that was never finished. I always meant to look up the whole story of Squire's Castle, but I never did. (It was probably a tragic tale.)
Emilio's feet were on the ground. He killed the bike's lights, put it on it's stand and helped me off. My teeth were almost chattering. "Jeez, Maria," he said. "Here take my jacket."
He removed his motorcycle jacket and put it around my shoulders. I sighed, gratefully. "Thanks." I put my arms into it, zipped it up. It was deliciously warm from his body. "Why are we here?," I asked.
He shrugged. "It's romantic."
Man of mystery. "That's all?," I said when he didn't add more.
"Yeah, an', no."
"What do you mean 'no'?"
He reached into one of the side pouches of the bike, pulling out a metal thermos. He unscrewed the cup, unscrewed the top and poured a steaming cup for me.
I smiled. "Hot chocolate."
"Yeah, I don't like coffee."
"Or, tea?"
"Yuck!"
He looked down, rubbed the side of his nose, leaning back on the bike, his long legs crossed gracefully at the ankles. Then, he took my hand led me to some boulders where we could sit down. Fortunately, the moon kept coming in and out of clouds and we could sort of see where we were going.
He took the cup from me, drained it and put it back on the thermos. He set the thermos on the ground, Emilio took me in his arms, kissed me. I put my arms around his neck. He deepened the kiss, then broke it off. He looked down at the ground. "No use puttin' this off," he said.
I raised my eyebrows. "Oh?"
"Yeah." His eyes, in the part shadows, looked totally black. His stare was intense. "I need a wife."
"WHAT?"
"Damn, my ears! An', you're gonna scare all the little critters here."
"I don't care! Did you just ask me to marry you?"
He grinned. "Yeah."
"Why?"
"I told ya. I need a wife."
I frowned. "Not near good enough. I look on marriage as a life long commitment."
"Me too."
"Well, then, I don't get it. Uh, this is a bit sudden."
He grinned again. "I know."
"And, are you going to tell me why you need a wife, uh, so quickly."
"No."
"Then, the answer is a big fat no-no-no!" I folded my arms across my chest.
He looked off in the distance, scowling. "So, the promise of my whole life, my body an' whatever worldly goods I might get don't do it?"
I put my chin up. "That's right. Nice try,"
"I suppose ya want love."
"Yes!"
Those deep set blue eyes with the long lashes, narrowed. "Will ya think about it?"
I gave him my fiercest look. "Sure. Why not?"
His lips formed the faintest of smiles. "Ya hungry?"
"Starved."
"Fried Chicken from Kenny King's?"
"Great."
The smile became full. "Hey, I know quality."
"Does that apply to me?"
He walked to the bike. I followed. "Ya know it does."
"Thanks."
He lifted a leg over the bike, waited for me to get on. "Sure. You're just about the prettiest girl I've ever seen. Prettiest girl on the Hill, for sure, a natural beauty."
"No kidding."
"I don't lie about that kinda thing."
"But, you'd lie about plenty of other things."
"Maybe, but not that, never that."
"Really?"
He shrugged. "I'm too much an admirer of feminine beauty."
I suspected that was entirely true.
--- Copyright by Antoinette beard/Sorelle Sucere 2021.
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