Reunion (standard:romance, 1570 words)
Author: Rich Eubanks	Added: Apr 16 2009	Views/Reads: 3321/2282	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Two old admirers find the themselves together again, after so many years, and also find their situation now allows them their needs.

Passion 

The colors of the sky reflected off of the blue water of the lake making
it impossible to tell where one began and the other left off.  It was 
as though there were two skies, one in the heavens and one here, close 
to the two friends walking along the shoreline. 

It was getting late, and along with the passing of time, the darkness
was approaching much more rapidly than had been expected. 

“We really should be getting back,” Mark looked at his friend, from so
many times in his life, and took her hand as he finished his sentence, 
“it's going to be dark before we get there.” 

“I'm sure you'll protect me.”  Lauren squeezed her favorite man's hand
and leaned her head over and onto his broad shoulder, showing her 
confidence in his ability to protect her. 

They'd liked each other from the moment they met so many years ago in
the military.  Mark had been in an elite unit at the same base where 
Lauren had been working in finance. 

At first Lauren had thought Mark a bit too macho for her liking but she
soon realized that all the stories he'd relate when he filed his, many, 
travel vouchers were true, if not even somewhat mitigated. 

It was a friendship that developed even more over the two years they
were stationed together.  It became even closer when Mark had 
introduced Lauren to his younger teammate, Ted. 

Ted was a good soldier.  Ted was dependable for such a young age and
Mark knew he was going to be one of the best when he got the 
experiences that Mark had obtained over the 10 years he'd been in.  Ted 
was also good looking and seemed to always make the ladies enjoy his 
company.  That's why Mark decided to introduce his teammate, to his 
young friend at finance, Lauren. 

When Ted and Lauren became a couple it allowed Mark to get to know
Lauren even better.  Now, not only at the finance office, Mark had the 
opportunity to be with her in social settings.  Mark often thought that 
if she'd just been older, or he younger, that he might have even asked 
her out himself. 

That had been fifteen years ago.  Mark hadn't seen Lauren since Ted's
funeral over five years ago, just after Mark retired and moved to 
Arizona to a new career. 

Mark had thought that the funeral service for his friend and teammate
would be that last time he'd have the pleasure of seeing his friend, 
Lauren, as well. 

“I was really glad to see you here.”  Mark let go of Lauren's hand and
placed his arm around her shoulder to help keep her warm as the evening 
air seemed to come up out of the cool water of the lake. 

“I only came because I was hoping you'd be here.”  Lauren spoke
nervously, almost as thought it was something she'd rehearsed so many 
times that she feared it wouldn't seem natural. 

“Well,” Mark smiled at Lauren, hugged her closer, then leaned over and
kissed her forehead before finishing his sentence, “if I'd known you 
were going to be here I wouldn't have had to think about coming 
myself.”  Before Lauren could reply, Mark added, “I've never been into 
reunions that much but my reunion with you is something I wouldn't have 
traded for all the adventures I've had.” 

“Why didn't you ask me out yourself, back then?”  Lauren threw it out
and knew that she'd never be able to retrieve it. 

“You were my friend,” Mark almost stuttered, “you were so young,” he
stopped, turned towards Lauren and, with his arm, turned her toward 
him.  The light was ebbing but it was still enough to see into her 
pretty green eyes.  “I wanted you to be happy and I didn't think that 
could happen, for you, with me.” 



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