Eleanor
Wiggins and Sam Fowler sat there admiring the glorious harbor vista
in front of them, just like they had done every Tuesday afternoon
between the hours of three and four for the last nine years. That
was, you need to understand, the only time they got to spend with
each other, and they preferred to share it right there at the very
spot upon which they fatefully met all those years previously.
It
had been an innocent encounter; neither of them was looking for a
romantic encounter, some might call it serendipity, others merely a
fluke, and others still might dismiss it as foolishness. Sam had been
sitting on the bench engaged completely in Edgar Allen Poe’s
Telltale Heart, and as Poe was Eleanor’s favorite author, she
felt compelled to talk to him. As soon as they had gazed into each
other’s eyes, they both realized what happened – that it
was love at first sight.
“I
wish we could board one of those boats and sail off together to live
happily ever after – just the two of us.” Sam whispered
into Eleanor’s eager ear.
Eleanor
sighed, a deep longing heavy sigh.
“We
have gone over this a hundred times, darling,” she replied. “We
can never be together all the time. You could never possibly leave
your wife, Margaret, and I have not the strength to leave my husband
Desmond. The resulting scandal and financial hardship would be more
than we could ever cope with. This is an old fashioned town, and with
even more old fashioned values. It would simply destroy your career.”
It
was then it happened: a sudden gust of wind. They both saw it at
once, a black witch’s hat floating in the air.
“What
a peculiar thing, Sam,” Eleanor said, almost mesmerized by the
peculiar object as it landed directly at their feet.
Almost
without thinking, Sam reached over and picked it up.
“We
could use a bit of old fashioned magic, Elly,” Sam whispered as
he winked flirtatiously at the woman he so passionately loved.
“Perhaps this is some sort of a sign, maybe even divine
intervention. Let us face it, we are after all both complete cowards,
afraid to follow our hearts for the sake of hurting others and the
silly financial risk involved, afraid to do what we both so urgently
yearn for. Damn it Elly! We love each other, yet the only happiness
we have in our dull, miserable, pointless lives is this one –
all too fleeting – time together each week.”
Sam
smirked and then placed the peculiar black hat upon his head, and
instantly felt empowered. Eleanor couldn’t help but giggle at
how foolish it made him appear.
“Kiss
me, my darling Elly,” Sam ordered “and allow that magical
kiss to cement our love, and let us be together for always, damn the
consequences.”
With
that, they cocked their heads in an accustomed, well rehearsed manner
that only lovers who know each other with such familiarity do, and
their lips met…
Over
the following days none of the amazed townsfolk could explain where
the remarkable, lifelike statue of the two people embraced in a kiss
came from, yet all that saw it could not deny how happy and evidently
in love the two figures seemed and how strangely wonderful seeing the
remarkable statue made them feel.
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