Free Pink Flamingoed by Steve Demaree Page B

feet and a light unto my
path,” Brad read. “One of my favorite Bible verses. The lamp unto our feet
shows us where we are now in relation to where God wants us to be and the light
unto our path shows us where He wants us to go. Thanks, so much. I’ll hang it
in a prominent place. And now, I have something for you, so that you will not
forget me while you’re gone. I was going to bring it over later, but I’ll give
it to you now.”
    Brad laid down the framed photograph. He walked over
and picked up a wrapped present from under the tree.
    “I hope you like it,” he said, as he handed it to her.
    “I’m sure I will,” Amy said, as she carefully
unwrapped the gift to find one of Brad’s books. “Oh, I love it. I forgot to
tell you, but   I  went  to  the  local  bookstore  to  see  if they carried
any of your books, and they had sold out the day before. Plus, the lady said
that I was the third person that day who had come in looking for your books.
She wants you to come in. She’d love for you to do a book signing sometime.”
    “Boy, some publicist you are,” Brad teased Amy. “Open
the book.”
    Amy opened the book and read what Brad had written
inside the cover.
    “To Amy, the most wonderful, beautiful, and incredible
woman I have ever met. Brad Forrester, Matthew 22:39.”
    Without thinking, Amy threw her arms around Brad’s
neck and gave him a big hug. Even though they were infatuated with one another,
this was the first time they had done any more than hold hands.
    As Amy stepped back, Brad took her hands in his and
asked, “Amy, would you mind if I gave you a goodbye kiss for good luck?”
    “You mean like a peck on the cheek, or maybe a couple
of those come-close kisses the way the Hollywood set does?” Amy asked
teasingly.
    “No, that’s not what I mean,” Brad responded in
a mockingly gruff tone.
    “Well, then, sure . I thought you’d never ask.”
    The two embraced and gave each other a lingering kiss
and then stepped apart and looked into each other’s eyes.
    “I’m going to miss you so much,” Brad said.
    “And I’m going to miss you just as much,” Amy replied,
not bothering to hide her tears.
     
    +++
     
    The next morning, as Brad was enjoying his breakfast,
the doorbell rang. When Brad answered the door, he found Amy standing there.
    “I just wanted to say goodbye again, and to see if I
could have another kiss for good luck before I left.”
    Brad stepped out onto the porch, picked up Amy and
twirled her around, and then planted a kiss on her lips.
    “I didn’t mean here, on the porch,” Amy said, as soon
as she regained her composure. “What if someone saw us?”
    “Well, from the way this neighborhood has been trying
to get the two of us together, I’d say they’re rejoicing right now.”
    “You mean Cora.”
    “Primarily Cora, but I expect everyone but Melanie
wants us together.”
    “Cora already knows about yesterday. I stopped by and
told her last night.”
    “Did you give her a blow-by-blow description? By the
way, what did she say?”
    “She just reached out and hugged me and gave me a kiss
on the cheek and made me tell her all about it.”
    “Just what I said, a blow-by-blow description.”
    “Did anyone ever tell you that you have a knack for
making things sound so romantic?”
    “What can I say? Some of us are gifted in certain
areas.”
    Amy laughed, and then reluctantly said, “Well, I’d
better be going.”
    “Goodbye, you most wonderful and beautiful woman.”
    “You forgot incredible.”
    “And incredible. Be careful, and call me when you get
there. Okay?”
    “Yeah, and let me give you my parents’ phone number in
case you need it. And can I have your parents’ number?”
    “Have you told your mom about us, yet?”
    “I’m still trying to decide whether or not to tell Mom
I have a new neighbor, let alone that my neighbor is a handsome man.”
    Brad laughed. Amy had told him about the subtle hints
her mother   kept