Have you ever stood on a seashore or on a mountain top at sunrise? It is the most majestic spectacular in God's whole creation. To see that first glimmer of the sun at the birth of a new day is awesome. And to view it with someone special in your life makes it even more awesome.
When Elaine awakened, it was a slow realization of where she was and who she was with. Lance's arms were still around her and he had nuzzled in closer to keep her warm or himself, for that matter. The blanket he had brought out last night was over them and almost covered their head.
She looked at his face and saw peace and contentment. No worry lines, no concerns frowning his face, just peace. She carefully pulled her hand up to his face and traced his lips as she thought, "I could wake up like this every day of my life."
Lance moaned and stirred a bit to stretch out and discovered he couldn't. He barely opened his eyes and when he saw Elaine looking at him, he smiled. "Well, good morning Sugar, how was your night?"
"Just wonderful. I think we are going to get to see something spectacular here in a minute." Elaine sat up and pulled the blanket up around them.
"What would that be?" Lance asked.
"A special sunrise. Our first one together," Elaine ventured timidly, "The first one we have watched together."
Lance sensed her uncertainty and immediately put her at ease. "Our first one, but, hopefully, not our last?" He leaned in for a kiss on her forehead and gave her a squeeze. She was so sweet, just like sugar.
They sat and watched as the first speckle of sunlight hit the horizon and the rays burst forth through the clouds. The lights that flashed across the sky were like a kaleidoscope of color. It was absolutely breath taking. Lance and Elaine were in complete awe of the beauty before them. "Thank you, Father, for your wondrous beauty," exclaimed Elaine.
"Amen," finished Lance.
The clouds were moving in at the end of the valley and looked threatening. "It might be a lucky thing we got our horseback riding in yesterday, looks like we might get some rain today," Elaine commented as she turned to Lance.
He was sitting there staring at her with a look of complete contentment on his face. "I don't want to move from this spot. I want to stay right here with you all day long. Think we would be missed by the rest of the group?"
Elaine looked at him as though she could not believe what he had just said to her. "I wouldn't care, but yeah, they would definitely miss us. And then give us a hard time about it."
Lance looked at his watch and it said 6:13am. "No one will be up this early, why don't we take an extra snooze?"
"Sounds like a plan," she said lazily as she slipped back down on the chair and laid her head on his chest with her arm over his waist. The last thing she remembered hearing was the music still playing in the background and Lance's heartbeat.
(9am - Dining Room)
Four sleepy figures sat at the table eating their various breakfast items. Justin would grunt every once in a while and JC just hummed his way through his food. Lynne and Rickii just sat in silence.
After breakfast was finished and they were all more awake, Justin leaned over and gave Lynne a hug and kissed her cheek. "Good morning."
"Good morning to you, too," greeted Lynne. "Wonder where the lovebirds are?"
"Lovebirds! What lovebirds?" asked JC perking up to Lynne's comments.
"Yeah, what he said," Rickii slurred as she was coming out of her fog.
"Lance and Elaine, they were out on the balcony last night...dancing...and...kissing," whispered Lynne.
"Bet someone had an eventful night," commented Justin, "Wonder whose room they ended up in?"
Lynne and Rickii bristled at that and were very much awake. "She slept in hers and Lance in his, I'm sure," Lynne spoke to the point.
"Come on, the way those two were going at it?" Justin looked at them questioningly.
Rickii and Lynne looked at one another and then at JC and Justin. "We know Elaine and we know how she feels about sex outside of marriage. We are members of "True Love Waits" and we have made a vow to each other, but mainly to God, to wait to have sex after marriage. We KNOW nothing happened," Rickii offered, "And besides, she's only 17, I don't think Lance is into statutory rape, do you?"
"That is a definite consideration and I am sorry if I offended you ladies," Justin apologized. "I think it is great, the stand you have taken. More young people should take that stand. There is more to a relationship than sex. Sex is not a proof of love, as we all know, right JC?" Justin looked at his friend and they remembered, painfully, what had happened to Lance.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Elaine and Lance had awakened and had their own time with God before they went to their own rooms to shower and dress for the day.
They came running down the stairs picking at one another, and, when they reached the bottom of the stairs, Lance started tickling Elaine unmercifully.
She begged him to stop and he wouldn't. "Pwease, Wancey, stop, pwease," she cried. With that, Lance lost it, again, thinking about her standing at his balcony door asking if he could come out and 'pway'.
"Ya'll better quit horsing around and get in here for breakfast before it's lunchtime," yelled Justin out into the hallway.
They pulled themselves together and skipped into the dining room together and broke out into laughter. "Good morning everyone! Isn't it a beautiful day?" asked Elaine.
"The jury is still out on that one," JC scowled. "What has you two all bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning? Whatever it is, I want some."
Elaine went around the table and gave everyone there a hug from behind. "Life and wonderful people like you has me all excited. I'm going to the kitchen to get some waffles, what do you want, Wancey?" she grinned as she called him her pet name.
He cut his eyes at her and replied, "I think I'll try some, too, Sugar Bear. Let's see what is so special about waffles."
"They're GOOD," said Elaine, "I'll be right back."
"We'll come with you," said Lynne, and she and Rickii grabbed their plates and followed her into the kitchen. Lance sat down at the table and looked at the looks on his friends faces. "What?"
After breakfast was over, they went out to look around more. The clouds that had been at the end of the valley were working their way in their direction. They decided to stay close to the house in case it started raining. Out by the barn was a place to play horseshoes and they had a ball picking on one another.
As expected, the rains came. They ran back to the house and sat on the porch and talked. It was a really great time of laughing and sharing thoughts with one another. The rain showed no signs of letting up, so they decided to go in and watch some movies. They laughed and cried, they screamed and yelled, they even made out on the couches.
They made it a movie marathon and had dinner in the little theater. This lasted until almost midnight and they finally decided to go up to bed. Tomorrow would be their last full day at the retreat and they wanted to get an early start, if the weather allowed it. The couples went up the stairs together and broke off to their respective rooms.
Lance walked Elaine to her door. "I had an incredible time today. But so far, I would have to say last night out did tonight, hands down. And, did I tell you that you were incredibly beautiful last night?"
Elaine looked into his beautiful gold-specked green eyes and quietly told him to hush and kiss her goodnight, already. She knew they had an audience down the hallway, so she turned where his back was to the other doors. He leaned in and gave her the gentlest of kisses.
"I'm going to miss you tonight," he ventured. "It felt good to wake up with you in my arms this morning. I can't...I can't explain it. It felt...so...right somehow."
"It was very nice to wake up and look at your face this morning. The beauty around us was incredible as well," she whispered. "Good night, Wancey," she grinned.
"Good night Sugar Bear," whispered Lance. He leaned in and kissed her deeper than before and her hands rubbed up and down his back until he ended the kiss and went to his room.
"Good night everybody!" she called down the hall and she laughed as she heard quiet clicks of doors being closed.
