Chapter One of The Overlook

Her Time on Earth

​“Stephanie, wake up.” Jared laid his hand on her knee and squeezed gently. “It’s time.” He stood slowly and offered her his hand. It took effort to rise from the soft chair and she clung to him hoping she wouldn’t collapse.
“Did I fall asleep?” Her whisper was barely audible as she looked up into his soft, brown eyes. The understanding she saw there ensured her that he wasn’t angry.
“Just a little. It’s okay. We’re almost done and then you can sleep when we get to the hotel later, okay?”
“Do you really want me to sleep when we get to the hotel?”
“No, not really…” The shift of emotion in his eyes told her that he was just as ready for this to be complete as she was. It was a beautiful ceremony, simple and full of inspiring words for their future together.
Too bad I didn’t hear any of it. Jared led her over to kneel at the altar and he barely released her hand as he walked around to kneel on the other side. She kept her eyes open long enough to say “yes” when the officiator at the Detroit Temple asked if she would take Jared to be her husband for time and all eternity. He similarly affirmed his commitment, and it was done. They were married. Forever. Eternity is supposed to be forever.
 
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“Do you want a priesthood blessing?” Jared leaned close so only she could hear.
“I had one last night. I’ll be fine… soon. I promise.” Stephanie pushed the food around on her plate, still not feeling up to eating the obligatory piece of wedding cake. She looked up at her new husband and forced a smile. “It’s just a sinus infection. The doctor said once the antibiotics kick in, I’ll start feeling better.”
“Well, at least we have an excuse to duck out of here early.” He raised his eyebrows suggestively and she read his message loud and clear.
“Maybe I should sneeze real loud and they’ll kick us out.”
“Kick us out of our own wedding reception?” He bit his lip as if seriously considering the possibility. “Maybe you could feign a big yawn, too.”
“Do you think that would be too obvious?”
“If I yawned, it would be obvious. But you? You could probably get away with it. You are sick, after all.”
“True. I did fall asleep at our wedding.”
“I must admit, that was a bit unexpected.”
“Are you mad at me?” Stephanie pouted just slightly for emphasis, but the glint in his eyes assured her that he was not the least bit angry.
“Will you sleep in my arms tonight for the first time?” His whisper was so close to her ear that it tickled. She giggled, nodded her head and turned her face to his. “Then I’m not mad.”
With his lips so close, all she had to do was lift her chin slightly and they connected. They didn’t stop. Their kiss lasted much longer than was socially acceptable, even at a wedding reception. Somewhere in the room, someone whistled suggestively, and Jared finally pulled away just slightly. She reached for more, but he took her face in his hands and held her a few inches away from his. He chuckled softly.
“We should probably wait just a couple more minutes for this.” Jared raised his eyebrows and Stephanie moaned softly and reluctantly pulled away.
“Can I sneeze now?” she whispered.
“Soon.” Jared poked his fork into the cake on her plate and lifted it to her mouth. “How about some cake first?”
“Humph.” She opened her mouth for the cake, trying to communicate with just her eyes that cake was not what she wanted.
 
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“Just think, if the closing on the house hadn’t gotten delayed, we’d be driving in this snowstorm.”
“Oh darn, we have to stay in the hotel for another two days?” Stephanie rolled over and grinned up at her new husband. “Would you shut those drapes and come back to bed?” The room was suddenly dark.
“But I want to leave for our honeymoon.” His whisper was much closer than she expected and she startled.
“We are on our honeymoon.” She laughed and pulled his face to hers. “Besides, sixteen hours in a car is not my idea of a honeymoon. I like this better.”
“We’ll stop halfway to the island.” Jared spoke between kisses. “And when we get there, I’ll take you for a swim in the ocean.”
“It can’t be that much different than swimming in Lake Huron, and that’s just outside our window.”
“It’s a little bit frozen right now. Michigan in December is not exactly swimming weather. Besides, your mom described Edisto Island as beautiful, I can’t wait to gather seashells and walk on the beaches of South Carolina.”
“Would that require us to leave the beach house?”
“A little, yeah.” Jared looked down at Stephanie grinning up at him through the dark.
“Not interested.”
“I’m really glad you’re feeling better.” His sincerity was not disguised by his flirtatious expression.
“Me, too.” Their kiss silenced any further discussion for the night.
 
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“Would you like to do the honors?” Jared held out the newly-made key to the back door, which seemed to Stephanie like it should be called the front door. She would need to get used to the idea that living on a lake meant the front door was actually facing the lake, and the back door was facing the road. She opened her hand and raised her shoulders in excitement.
“Why thank you, kind sir.” She slid the key easily into the lock and pushed away two feet of snow as the door opened. They didn’t care that the walkway needed to be shoveled, or that they had no furniture. They had wood that the previous owners had graciously stacked next to the garage, and within a few minutes they had a blazing fire in the fireplace. They didn’t need any other lights or heat, which was good because they couldn’t figure out where the breaker box was or how to turn on the furnace. They snuggled up on the plush carpet right in front of the fireplace and stayed there until morning.
 
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The multitude of windows on the beach house suggested there would be an incredible view of the ocean from three sides. The place was divided into two apartments, but Stephanie’s parents had rented the whole beach house just for them as a wedding gift. After touring the house like a couple of excited kids, they chose to stay in the upstairs apartment for the week. They lugged suitcases up the stairs along with grocery bags full of food to stock the refrigerator and got settled.
The second night on the island they came up for air long enough to go to dinner at the local pizza place, a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant with homemade cobbler fresh from the oven and a scoop of ice cream sitting on top.
The remainder of their time on the island was less eventful, not discounting that one late-night trip to a very secluded spot on the beach with a full moon and a picnic blanket.
 
Those are the moments Stephanie will hold on to for the rest of her time on earth . . .
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