The day started out as it did every morning, with Carrie and Marc in each others arms. As Carrie lay there, she rolled her head to one side and a smile formed on her face when she opened her eyes. Her smile couldn't help but deepen as she looked at the still sleeping man who held her in his arms.
Not wanting to disturb him, she whispered "Good morning, Sweetie," as she softly caressed his cheek. But she couldn't help leaning down to kiss him lightly. Without warning he began to stir as he pulled her closer, deepening their kiss.
It was at times like these that they so wanted to cancel work and spend the day making love to each other. But there was always something that needed doing early that morning, so they would reluctantly separate, making plans to get together later in the morning or early afternoon. Today was one of them.
That afternoon Marc was taking Carrie out. He said that he had a surprise for her and that he would pick her up at exactly five P.M. And he did: exactly at five o'clock he was out front waiting for her. When he saw her come out of the office, he got out of the car and went around to open her door. Before she sat down, she gave him a smile and kiss. Then she tried one last time to find out where he was taking her.
"So where are we going?"
"Nice try, but I'm not telling you. It's a surprise," he said, closing the door and walking around to his side of the car. "In fact, to keep it a secret," he continued as he leaned over and opened the glove box and pulled out a satin scarf, "I'm going to blindfold you." With her blindfolded, they were on the road to their final destination.
After traveling miles out of town, they pulled into the parking lot that led to the lake, the very lake that bordered their home. As Carrie sat there, she wondered with anticipation what he was planning. Marc didn't say anything as he turned off the engine. As he got out of the car, he told her to wait, that he would be around to help her out. Before long he reached her door, opened it, and helped her out, leading the way. Finally she began hearing and feeling different sensations: the sound of the wind as it kissed her cheek and made her hair flutter and then the faint sound of the surf.
They turned one more time before he removed the blindfold and stood back to watch her amazement. They stood at the ledge of the cliff that over looked the water's edge. He had taken her to the very spot they went on one of their first dates. It was so beautiful, and all the memories of how they met came back. After standing there a few moments, a hand on her lower back was urging her toward the water's edge. Marc was almost as excited as a child going to a candy store.
It wasn't long before Carrie saw what he had planned. There were three men, a saxophone player, a flute player, and a cellist next to a romantically set table.
"Oh, my word!" she said, looking from the scene to Marc then back again. She was speechless. As she stood there watching, the flute player leaned over and lit the candles.
"Are you surprised?" Marc asked, looking at her reflection.
"When...how...I...yes, I am," came the words but made no sense.
"That was apart of the surprise. Shall we?" he asked, as he moved past her and pulled out a chair for her.
"Oh, absolutely," Carrie said, as she took a seat, already swept away by the atmosphere and ambiance Marc had worked to create.
(Never let romance leave your life after the wedding.)
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