15:30

Thirty Eight

The  town car dropped  them near the pier and Tara was confused. They  began to walk towards the  water.

"What next? You've already surprised me enough Jay-"

"What? You're pleased already? And i thought you would be very hard to impress," Jay teased. Then after a moment, he looked her  in the  eye and said  , "come on , lets go."

"Why are we here?" Tara inquired, scrutinizing  her surroundings. She was expecting Jay to make reservations at some restaurant but instead they were at the  harbour. It was a nice and breezy night,  but very chilling.

"To dine under the stars."

"Overlooking the  Hudson?"

"In the middle of Hudson."

"We're going  sailing!"

"That's right my love." He felt  nice , finally addressing her as my love.

"I can't believe this! This is one of my favorite birthdays. This beautiful dress and now  sailing. It's  lovely," she paused and kissed him and threw her arms around him.

"I know," he winked, his hands on her waist.

He held her hand and led her to a majestic sail boat.

"Its not fiercly windy tonight. Perfect  weather for sailing. However, I've brought plenty to keep  us warm," Jay said, ensuring that she got onto the boat  safely. There  was enough light to see the  luxurious  sailboat, with picnic  mats and and a basket near  the deck. There  were also coats kept on one side. Fortunately,  the  sky  was clear.  Tara was thrilled at the idea of sitting with Jay and talking and drinking and making out with  him. It was a grand  gesture.

"This brings back so many memories from when I was younger. My dad owned two sail boats  in San Fran and every fourth of July we would go see the fireworks. It was spectacular," Tara said to Jay, as he approached the motor and entered the  route  into it.

"My grandfather  taught me sailing when I was eleven. This  was a gift  from him for my twenty seventh birthday. I like  to come here sometimes  when I want to think about work. I call it The Braxton after my grandfather's last name. For once I had the option  of not using my Scott ancestry," Jay said, while  pressing some buttons  on the motor to prep them for the evening and also turning  towards Tara time and again while talking.

"Well I think The Braxton is just perfect. And you're the  sweetest guy I have ever met in my entire life. I swear,  no one has ever taken this much effort and I've been with lots of guys in my life."

"You need to stop. I love you, okay? I"ll do all the  stuff you like. Surprises, for example," he said, pressing the start button. The sail opened up and the  motor started. They were moving.

He motioned towards Tara.

"Its not  as much fun to go sailing now, because  of the  new and advanced sailboats. They practically work on their own , on the routes you enter. On the  flipside, I get to spend  time with you," he said, kissing the back of her hand.

He poured her some champagne and they danced a little. Jay admitted that he was terrible at ballroom dancing but Tara thought he was just fine. Besides, it was more fun. Then they  feasted on some delicious Italian food and for dessert he gave  her some sweet lovin'. It was the  best time Tara had had on a boat. It was almost  midnight and they sat, cuddled, him spooning her, looking at the stars. Her clothes were scattered around the boat.

"What a pity I didn't get to wear that dress more. Its gorgeous."

"I knew from the  moment I saw it that it was made for you. It accentuates your features so well, it makes me want to rip it off you."

"Oh the irony," she said rolling  her eyes.

They  were warm and secure , wrapped  up in the  same blanket, bodies giving off heat and slithered  together.

"I wish this night  never ends," Jay said, breathing  heavily. He was getting better at the  eye contact game.

"Me either."

"In this moment its just us . I like us Tara. I feel safe with you. I feel like I finally have someone who gets me. Just you and me. No one else. I like this solace. Tell me, don't you?"

Tara glanced at him. There  was a distant light that shone upon him. His cheeks were red because  of the cold and the love making. But his eyes had the utmost sincerity in them. Tara felt something pinch her inside. She felt a twinge of guilt. Jay felt so comfortable with the  idea of just them. He looked determined to never let anyone come between them.

She just nodded. Her stomach crumbled. She hadn't so much as mentioned Chris in the duration of their relationship. Jay opened his mouth just a little bit and the air around his mouth turned  white. Instead of saying anything else, she just kissed him again. That was the only way to distract her from the guilt. Their breaths  mixed. The connection that he felt was surreal.
Just one night ago he said that he loved her over the phone,  and now he knew for sure. He had never been so sure about anything else. The way she looked at him, reminded him of a time, fifteen years ago, at a concert. The  girl  he had been in love at the time, with was too drunk but they had a moment. She looked into his eyes and the whole world stopped. That look was so genuine, that Jay remembered it exactly. Alcohol has been bringing out people's real emotions since the  beginning of time, and it was then that  Jay knew that the girl loved him.

This was the exact same moment, with  the  exact same girl. Some twist of fate had brought Verita back into his life.  After fifteen long years and a name change, Verita was back.

                 ***************

The car halted parallel to the kerb outside  Tara's apartment  building.

"This is my cue to leave I guess."

"Don't go."

"Heather is going  to be so mad. She just wanted to spend  time with me but I had to tell  her not to stay awake to late. I didn't  realize how late it got with you."

"But you had a good time."

"Almost too good to be true."

"Must you go?"

"I must."

"Atleast  let me drop you till your doorstep."

They got into the  lift and with every passing second  it was getting harder for Jay to leave. She held his hand tight as she stood outside her door. She brought him closer to her, and whispered , "today was a fairytale, Jay."

That struck another  chord in Jay's memory as he remembered his junior prom and how Verita was ghosted by her prom  date and how  Jay took her instead and how the night ended with  her saying the exact words to him. He tightened his grip onto her and began to kiss her again, rigourously. She was aroused and while breathing  heavily she looked for her house keys in her purse. He was sucking her neck with much zeal and she felt jolts in her body as she turned the key and entered the apartment and began to step in as he followed her, not letting go of her body.

Suddenly, the  lights turned on and a little girl, almost four years of age ran towards Tara.

"Mommy, you're home!"