Free VINA IN VENICE (THE 5 SISTERS) by Kimberley Reeves

make sure you weren’t going to back out before I took them off.”
    “ I’ll have you know I’m a very down to earth kind of guy.  Admittedly, I do look exceptionally refined in my tailor made suits , but I’m just as comfortable in the kitchen or behind the bar in my restaurants.”
    Laughter danced in Vina’s eyes.  “Well, Mr. Refined Bartender, are you going to sit here and jaw all night or are you going to take me for that walk?”
    ***
    After stashing their shoes and stockings under the bench, they walked down to the shoreline, hand in hand.  It felt…nice, Vina admitted to herself.  She only wished she could feel ha lf as comfortable with other men as she did with Travis. 
    They stopped a few feet from the water’s edge to enjoy the tranquility of the moment.  Vina filled her lungs with the clean ocean air, fascinated by the glimmer of moonlight dancing off of the waves as they gently roll ed to shore .   The overwhelming power and beauty of the ocean had always touched her on an emotional level , but tonight she seemed especially sensitive to it.
    Poignant memories of family picnics and building sandcastles came rushing back to her, weighing heavy as a stone in her chest .  She turned her face away from Travis to hide the tears that were threatening to spill down over her cheeks.   Their evening together had been too enjoyable to spoil by spiraling into a dark depression or hav ing him witness one of her crying fits.   Drawing in a ragged breath, Vina blinked back the tears and forced her lips to form a smile.
    “It…it’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She looked out over the ocean.
    “Beautiful and brave,” he replied in a voice that was warm and tender.  
    “The ocean is brave?”
    “Not the ocean, Vina.  You .” 
    Shaking her head in denial, Vina lifted her eyes to his.  “If you knew how close I was to a meltdown, you wouldn’t think so.”
    “I disagree, but in a shameless attempt to stoke my male ego, I’m willing to let you cry on my broad , manly shoulders.”
    “Oh, Travis,” she went into his arms, half laughing and half crying.  “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
    “I’ll always be here for you, sweetheart.”
    Vina closed her eyes, grateful for the comfort he offered her.  Her cheek was nestled against chest, his strong arms locked around her in a protective embrace , and she couldn’t think of any place she would rather be at that moment.  Travis had always been able to pick up on her emotions so she wasn’t all that surprised he’d sensed her sudden mood change.   For awhile he said nothing.  Gently stroking her hair, he waited until the harsh sobs had dwindled into an occasional sniff before speaking.
    “Do you want to talk about it?”
    “Yes…and no ,” she replied miserably .  “ I’m sorry for falling apart on you.  I was thinking about the picnics our parents used to take us on.  Daddy used to try to show us the proper way to build a sandcastle while Mom just stood there shaking her head.  Victoriana was deadly serious about following his instructions and always wound up getting mad and stomping off because Kelsey inevitably destroyed her masterpieces by trying to help.  I don’t know why it hit me so hard when they were such good memories. ”
    “It’s understandable,” Travis consoled her.  “ Remembering the times you were together as a family and knowing it can never be that way again is bound to make you sad.”
    “I carry the sadness with me no matter where I’m at or what I’m doing.  I’ve learned to deal with that.  It’s the unexpected f lood of grief and devastation for what I’ve lost that tears me up inside.  Sometimes it hurts so bad, I wish I could rip my own heart out so the pain will go away.   Other times, it feels as if my heart has been ripped out, and there’s nothing but this…God awful emptiness.”
    “It will get easier with time, I promise.  I think that’s part of the reason your