Mountains of Dawn

"Life can take strange turns," Kevin said. He watched the waves break against the shoreline, aligned in rows and scalloped with lacy foam. One by one, they rose and broke upon the sand, then slid bubbling back. Vanessa glanced at him, her eyes a piece of the sky.

"We've had a lot of wonderful times together, at this cottage," she said. With one bare foot, she carefully drew a heart in the sand, then wrote 'Kevin' within. "I remember our first weekend here. You drew a heart in the sand with my name inside." A small wave broke over her sand drawing and erased it.

"You gave me a blue scarf, to protect my hair from the breeze by the sea. You said, 'It will match the color of your eyes.'" She slipped in front of him, the water rising over her ankles to wet the bottom of her pants. "You were always a sensitive lover," she said, looking into his eyes.

"Was I?" Kevin asked. "I'm glad you have good memories of me. I have so many of you. You were an important part of my life for more than eight years."

"Could we light the flame again, Kevin? Ignite the passion we knew in the past?" Kevin remained silent.

"Let me try," Vanessa said, slipping closer.