Adam drove his car with Reese sitting beside him. They told jokes, chat about their happy future and laugh together. They never stopped talking while they were with each other. Reese thought it could never be boring with Adam beside.
Adam parked the car and rushed to the other side to help Reese out the car, he was a thoughtful guy, every girl would dream to be with him.
Laying down on the grasses and looked up at the sky, she felt so comfortable and free to be surrounded by the nature. Adam laid beside her and turned his head to looked at his wife. Her glamorous eyes were flashing with a warm sight, she looked so beautiful and fresh without make-up, he liked thing natural and crude.
‘Hey. Reese.’ Someone shouted her name, it was a familiar voice, deep and heavy. She immediately sat up straight to discover.
‘Oh my God! Hey, Max.’ Max was one of the band mates of Life. She was surprised to see them, and were carrying their guitars. ‘Oh, you guys are all here….. and your guitar?’ Eyes widened. The rest of the band mates appeared in front of her. She looked over to Adam, she knew this was certainly Adam’s idea. She leaned over and kissed on his lips.
‘Yeah, Adam called. He said you guys are coming here……and probably kissing’ Raul said, feeling tired of their kisses, but happy and glad of their marriage. He stood there and looked so cool, so brilliant with his sunglasses and hands in his pockets.
‘How are you? Mrs. Lycos.’ Ryan, funniest guy in the team asked. He make a silly wry face to make Reese laugh. He loved playing with the titles of the marrieds; he thought Mrs. Lycos was a better name to call Reese.
‘I’m good, and it’s perfect to see you guys.’ She smiled so happily, she had never expected to see them here; they always made Reese so high and laugh so hard. Their music, their voices, their humor were the source of her happiness.
Karle offered his hand to Reese, and helped her to stand. Adam supported his wife with his hand on her waist. They hugged friendly and gave her comfort. Karle was the greatest friend of Adam in the team. They met since high school, and afterwards formed this band together. He was a very thoughtful guy, and amazingly friendly. These couples had surprisingly discovered that Karle’s wife, Luna was the high school best friend of Reese. There was definitely something miracle that brought the two pairs together. Reese then, met Luna frequently after work or on weekends. Sometimes they enjoyed their alone time, and some on parties and with the husbands.
‘Where is Luna?’ Reese missed her friend. The last time they met was already two weeks ago.
She smiled at the conversation that popped out on Reese’s mind which she had it with Luna at their first date after the reunion.
‘God, you know, I could hardly believe that you got married when I saw you on the party last week.’ Luna confessed. She probably thought that she’s not going to married due to her sicknesses. She was also glad and happy for her that someone was willing to take a lifetime risk on her, she could likely died the next day.
‘Me too. He is such a perfect man.’ Reese replied with a sweet smile. She had never thought of marriage or even guys before the emergence of Adam.
‘Yeah, I could clearly see that on your face.’ They laughed.
Reese missed talking with her, they would talk everything from their childhood, health and beauty to their husbands and current situation, and she enjoyed her company so much. She felt the moment was almost there, she wished to see her best friend’s face one last time, and seemed this wish could hardly be achieved.
‘Probably heading back to Maryland. She’s visiting her parents there.’ He answered. It looked like that they just had a fight or something and he didn’t care a bit about his wife. Luna and Karle had been fighting almost everyday, but this was normal for the couple, it was one of the tools and ways they maintain their relationship. Despite their fights and agreements, they were literally an amazing and cute couple.
‘Be patience on her. Karle.’ Reese knew them totally well, and Karle must understand her words.
‘We are fine.’ He said quickly, not hoping Reese to put much attention on them.
‘Hey, men.’ Adam gave each of his teammates a high five while Reese was still talking with Karle.
‘You fine? You looked so tired.’ Raul asked with concern, they were having a concert over the coast tomorrow, he was supposed to be vigorous and well- prepared for it.
‘Yeah. Good.’ He looked into Ryan’s eyes, slightly shaking his head and secretly glanced on Reese. Giving signals to Ryan not to ask, he didn’t want to bother Reese. Ryan nodded to show his understanding.
‘Hey.’ Karle greeted his man after ending the conversation with Reese and walked over to pat his hand on Adam’s back.
They sat on the grass and chat happily for almost an hour. Max suddenly sat up straight. ‘Oh, the surprise!’ He nervously touched on his guitar sheath, to give his mates the hint.
‘Oh God. I have totally forgotten.’ Adam gazed at Karle, who still didn’t seem to get them.
‘Haaha. It’s fine. We could probably do it now.’ Ryan said.
‘Wait, what?’ Reese asked curiously, not know a clue of what the ‘surprise’ was.
‘Just stay here, babe.’ Adam placed a kiss on her cheek and placed his hand on the floor for support to stand.
All of them got up from the ground, and Reese stayed still on where she was. She looked up on them, feeling strange of their action and smiled. They spoke quietly with each other and giggled.
‘Oh, Reese. You couldn’t just sit still there and watched us. Close your eyes first.’ Karle ordered. He always had good and interesting ideas to make others happy. Reese followed the instructions and lifted her hands to covered her eyes.
She heard zipping sound, some hitting on woods, and their whispers. She could now almost guess what was ‘surprise’ meant. ‘Can I see now?’ she asked, wanted to ensure her assumption.
‘No. just a second, babe.’ she heard Adam spoke in a rush breathing.
Reese sat there quietly and waited patiently for fifteen seconds more. Finally they said, ‘Alright now. You could lift your eyes.’
‘Oh, wow.’ She said surprisingly and pleased. The men stood in front of Reese with their guitar on hands. ‘’This is really a ‘surprise’.’’ She said.
‘What song do you love most from us? Mrs. Lycos?’ Ryan asked and smiled on her.
He was the only one without instruments on hands, because he was supposed to be a drummer, but it was inconvenient to bring drums.
‘Umm. Fore & Back. Maybe.’ It was a hard choice for her, she loved every song from them. The songs were based on the relationship of her and her husband,, they were all meaningful to her. The band nodded their head up and down.
‘One, two and three.’ Max whispered for the band to start the rhythms together as a front man.
Karle flipped his base guitar with Max’s guitar. There Adam sang the first line of the lyrics.
‘When I saw you from the first sight,
There was some way I knew you’re meant for me.
You caught my eyes, and gave out a smile.
The smile that made my fly………..’
Their public performance in the park had attracted the passerby to stop for a look on the band.
Some of them said amazedly, ‘Aren’t they Life?’. Some said, ‘Wow, they are Life.’. Most of them could recognize the band and were amazed by their performance.
There was a big smile on Reese’s face, she was so pleased with the ‘Surprise’ from them. It was a rare gift that was worthy than any diamonds and jewelries on earth.
When they finished the performance for Reese, there was a huge applause from the crowd. They were as happy as Reese did. Some of them, asked Adam and the band for a signature.
But Adam refused and said, ‘Today’s my day off, that was a song for my wife only. Thanks.’ He wanted personal time from the public with his wife. He didn’t care if those actions could make them famous; all he cared was the safety and feeling of Reese. They were the most
important to him.
The band and Reese had gathered back together on the grasslands, for jokes and conversations. Reese kept the smiles and laughers over the entire conversation. She had the most precious thing in the world, which was not everyone could have on earth their whole life.
After several hours of laughs and pleasantness, Adam said, ‘We should be probably going home.’ He placed a hand on Reese’s shoulder and stoked his hand on her back.
‘Yeah, of course.’ Karle said. Reese should surely get some rest. She looked pale on her face, and tiredness had overcome her body. He stood up from the floor and was followed by Ryan, Max and Raul.
Reese hugged Karle, Ryan, Max and Raul separately, and they longest and hardest hugs they had before. Reese knew so well this could really be the last things she had with them.
‘’Thank you for the ‘Surprise’.’’ She said with a smile that showed her whitish teeth, and was pleased by the amazing performance of them.
‘I appreciate you like it. Take care. See you.’ Raul placed a last face-on-face kiss on Reese’s cheeks.
‘Alright. See you guys.’ Reese and Adam turned to the direction of the parking place, prepared to leave. Reese ridicule on herself. ‘See you.’ ? She thought. Such a ridiculous sentence to say goodbyes. She was not going to see them again, but God had treated her so well, to have the last exclusive performance from them. Just regretfully of the absence of Luna. She missed the blonde girl so much. What a shame to pass away without her best friend beside.
The sun started to set behind the hills and mountains then hide under the water. The purple and red sky was very fascinatingly charming. It seemed that Reese hadn’t been seeing the sky in this color for a while. She was often staying at home or indoors before the sun dismissed San Diego.
‘I want to go home. I don’t want hospital. Adam.’ She asked for permission to head home on the car. She wanted to see her home which she shared with her beloved Adam. It was warm with various colors and clean, fresh furniture. With the most important thing in the house was the members --- Adam and herself.
‘Yeah. Good.’ He kissed on Reese’s forehead, and stretched his hand on Reese to give her comfort, before she fell asleep with her head rested on Adam’s arms.
Adam looked down on the sleepy cat, he forced a smile. He was wondering there seemed something wrong and weird on Reese’s actions and words today. He held harder on her hand, he was afraid that God was taking her away from him. She was the woman of his life, who he failed his family to be with.
CHAPTER THREE