Free Beside Still Waters by Debbie Viguié

Jeremiah couldn’t tell.  Finally he turned and looked him in the eyes.  Otto’s eyes were clear, thought quickening in them, not the eyes of someone who wasn’t clear what was going on.
                  “I will trust you and I will do as you say, but Wednesday when we are scheduled to meet.  I will bring something then to show you.  Something very important and when you see it, you will understand everything.”
                  Jeremiah realized that he was now completely intrigued and even though every cell of his being urged him to walk away he stood his ground.  “I’m free the rest of the day.  Is there somewhere you want to go to talk more now?”
                  “Nein.  It will take me a day to retrieve what it is I must show you.  Now, I have taken up too much of your day already.  Go, enjoy.  Have a thoughtful and peaceful Memorial Day tomorrow and I will see you on Wednesday.”
                  The old man turned and started walking away.  His back was straight, his head was up, and his steps were sure.  He walked without wavering, heading off to wherever it was he was going.  Jeremiah stood and watched him out of sight.  Otto was a man with a purpose. 
                  And I guess on Wednesday I’ll find out what it is.
     
    ~
     
                  Cindy gingerly smeared aloe onto the red skin of her arms and winced.  It was her own fault for not reapplying sunscreen halfway through the day.  Finished with that she grabbed the little black dress that Geanie had insisted she bring with her “just in case”. 
                  The dress was, in fact, Geanie’s.  Fortunately it wasn’t too outlandish given her roommate’s penchant for crazy clothes.  It had a halter top and came down to her knees.  She slipped on her sandals because the only other shoes she had brought with her were tennis shoes.  After applying light makeup she examined herself in the mirror.  Except for her red arms she looked pretty good.
                  She picked up her purse and felt her nerves begin to spiral out of control.  She grabbed the deck of cards she’d bought the day before off of the dresser and shoved them in her purse.  In case she needed to, she could always fidget with them under the table and hopefully he wouldn’t notice.

              She left her room and walked to the elevator, feeling even more nervous.  She wasn’t good at dating and lately it seemed like most of the men who asked her out were either completely wrong for her or murderers. 
                  I guess I have every right to be nervous , she told herself.
                  In the lobby Kapono was already waiting for her dressed in slacks and a Hawaiian shirt.  She had learned that this constituted formal wear for the islands.  He flashed her an appreciative smile and she dipped her head in acknowledgement.
                  “I thought you’d be on island time,” she admitted.  “I was sure I’d have at least another ten minutes.”
                  “We move slow most of the time because we don’t feel like rushing,” he admitted.  “But we can still move quickly if we see something we want.”
                  She didn’t know what to say to that and wished she’d never made the joke in the first place.
                  As if sensing her discomfort he gave a slow, easy laugh.  “You need to loosen up.  Good food can help with that; let’s go.”
                  He took her to a seafood restaurant that was little more than a shack on a stretch of beach she hadn’t seen yet.  As they were being seated the sun was already beginning to set and Cindy couldn’t help but marvel at the colors that blazed across the sky.
                  “Is beautiful, no?”
                  “Yes,” she told him.