It was August 12, his birthday. She had been thinking of this day though she refused to admit it was special. But to herself, she cannot deny the fact that she wanted to greet him, that her finger was aching to dial his number, that a strong urge was shouting inside “Come on Jann, switch on your pc and send him an email or e-card!”

She stopped pacing her room, sat down on her bed and silently scolded herself. “He hurt you!”, her thoughts screamed. “He gave you empty promises!”, she continued to rub in. And she glared at the folded paper on her hand – one of his short stories written exclusively for her. It was his idea of how he’ll celebrate that very day … with her. And that was two months ago. Should she crumple it? Should she just put it in the trashbox? And with her mind floating, she found herself opening such paper again instead. And she started reading it for the nth time …

“C O Z Y

The early morning drive was captivating. Sun shining, radio blasting, both of us looked hot wearing sunglasses. We had been anticipating this drive for days. Stopping along the way to explore, our journey prolonged more by our restless kisses and romantic teasing than by our curiosity. The day was turning to late afternoon.

As we pulled onto the highway, we could see the panorama coming into view. The glistening ocean sparkled in the late afternoon light. The rest of the trip would hug the shoreline until we arrived at our destination.

We checked in at the registration office. Considering it was our first attempt at camping together, we assembled the tent in no time at all. Roomy for its small size, we positioned it facing the beautiful harbor. The Maine coast was mesmerizing. Our spot was perfect. A small stone hearth adorned our site and we set up our folding table and chairs. Our nightly ritual of backgammon beckoned. I was still hoping for a pardon regarding your policy of not kissing me during a game due to my luck of rolled doubles.

The sun was setting behind us, a magnificent sunset it was. The air held a slight chill. We began a small fire upon the hearth. Together we cooked a simple meal of soup, french bread, and hot tea. It tasted delicious in the salty evening air. We snuggled close basting every few mouthfuls with a kiss. Other campers were near us and we could hear their distant conversations. You laughed when I said, “Sinta, we forgot to bring our pet rooster to wake us.” You winked and answered, “Irog, don’t worry, since it is your birthday tomorrow, I’ll awaken you with 41 kisses.”