“Duncan,” she whispered.
Not so much as a twitch.
She got nearer and said his name again.
Nothing.
Time was of the essence; the sun waited for nobody.
Retta pressed her hand on his shoulder and gently jostled him, and before she could register what was happening, Duncan grabbed her wrist.
She croaked. “Yeah, okay, that’s a bit tight,” she said, patting his shoulder to get him to release her.
“What are you doing here?” he whispered as he loosened his grip but didn’t let go.
“I-I’m driving out to one of the mountains to watch the sunrise, and I was wondering if you wanted to join me? You don’t have to.”
“Right now?” he asked, his voice rough with sleep.
Retta looked down at her phone, the light breaking the darkness. Sunrise would begin at 5:25, and it took about thirty minutes to get to their destination.
“Yeah.”
He swung his feet over onto the floor, but he sat there for a while making circles on the palm of her hand with his thumb. How could a simple caress make it hard to draw a breath?
“Duncan?”
“Sorry, I’m trying to wake up,” he said as he brought her wrist to his lips and kissed it. “Please, make yourself comfortable.” He gestured toward his makeshift bed once he got up and collected his duffle bag.
She was left standing in the dark, listening to the drone of the bathroom fan and running water. During those minutes she decided to use the soft light of the disappearing moon to retrieve a few blankets and make tea to take along on their trip.
By the time Duncan emerged from the washroom, she had everything prepared.
“Let’s get a look at this sunrise then,” he said.
Duncan was glad Retta had suggested they take his large pick-up truck because he didn’t think her small car would’ve made it through the bumpy road during the last fifteen minutes of the journey. It was the type of rough terrain where he was sure they’d arrive with their teeth in their laps. Mercifully, they got to the top of the mountain with no dental emergencies.
They parked in a clearing the size of a basketball court, bracketed off by small trees and shrubs. It provided them with the perfect view of the still-sleeping town below.
“That’s Cedar Lake,” Retta said, pointing to the body of water far in the distance to their left.
As the gray sky lightened, they created a comfortable cocoon outside in the back of the pick-up with blankets Retta had had the foresight to bring.
Climbing up the tailgate, he settled on the rear panel of the truck, and when Retta joined him with a thermos and cups, he hauled her against him.
“I can’t believe you have me out here in the dark waiting for the sun,” he said.
She handed him his mug filled with tea. “I promise it’s worth it. Especially since we’re indoors all day tomorrow at the wedding.”
They’d been working toward this event, and as they sat there in the dusk, he wondered how she was handling her ex’s impending marriage. He shouldn’t care, but he did.
“How are you feeling about tomorrow, anyway?”
She looked at him. “Good. Why? Are you having second thoughts?”
“No,” he said, quickly. “Nothing like that. I’m… I was wondering if you’re accomplishing what you set out with this whole plan.”
“I think so,” she said, laughing. “It’s kinda funny how this is all a self-made problem I could get rid of by not caring.”
