Perfect Strangers

The broad-shouldered, dark haired, handsome man stared down at me, almost smiling as I reached up to stroke his cheek, shadowed by stubble that had been forgotten in the excitement and flurry of a family reunion. Only days ago, it felt like, we were perfect strangers; I had wandered onto the large estate, confused at my invitation to join this gathering of relatives, a group to which I did not inherently belong.

To my surprise, I shared a wing of the house with the Clark Kent look-a-like, a brooding fellow with little desire for association with his own kin, let alone the confused stranger with whom he shared a space in his grandparent's opulent home. As I tried to be friendly to this man, though, he changed slightly and acquiesced to attend family dinner and even to participate in the talent show to be performed a few nights later.

Warm and welcoming, I found my place in the family almost instantaneously. Never once was I considered an outsider by these wonderful people. Pleased, I believed, by my never-before-seen proclivity for bringing the "lone wolf" to join them, they encouraged our attachment, and no doubt secretly plotted our marriage and future life together.

Little prompting needed for me to relinquish freedom for the company of my gentleman--although quiet and often withdrawn, he was kind, thoughtful, and often put the needs of others above his own. Lost before, our relationship provided him a reason to come out of his solitude and into the warm embrace of friendship.

Talent night at the estate commenced with the children's adorable attempt at comedy. The adults oohed and aahed over the youthful wonder on stage. One by one, the other acts captivated their audience with romance, intrigue, drama, and mystery. The real masterpiece, in my opinion, was his arm around my shoulders, the unexpected yet accepted love that we now shared.

What must have been years later, we returned to the estate for another celebration. He carried our son in his arms, never handsomer. Depositing our little man into the doting arms of female relations, we disappeared into town. Finding ourselves the only occupants in a toy store, we played. Loud bursts of our own laughter disturbed the otherwise quiet store. Happily, we chased each other up and down aisles, stopping only long enough to head off our pursuer by creating projectiles out of teddy bears and action figures.

Finally caught, I surrendered into his arms. I stared up at his smiling face, slightly flushed from the exercise. He looked different to me--the smile not quite as wide as normal, not quite reaching his dark, intelligent eyes. Pretending not to notice, I lay my head against his chest. And questioned.

--Adapted from a dream I had last night 8/20/2011.