A Kiss Under The Kismet Tree

Chapter Eighteen - Lake Winni-something On A Tuesday

Cary inhales softly. "Well, I've got a new construction job starting in mid-January. For once, it's pretty near to home, which mom and dad are real pleased about." He too, seems pretty pleased about it as well.

Ever more curious, I indeed, need to know more. "Where and what are you building?"

Sideways, his glance at me is warm yet brief. "It's in Nashua. A new hotel build."

Impressed, I compliment him. "You're so clever."

He's grinning. "So are you. I mean, you stick pins in people and manage to get those people to pay you for doing that to them...I think that's real clever." Laughing now, his laughter soon fills the car.

"Yes, it is, isn't it?" I know he's only teasing me, so my reaction is nothing but lighthearted and fun.

"What made you want to go into acupuncture?" He's still smiling broadly, not quite done with his laughter just yet.

Beginning to feel a little too warm, I remove my hat from my head and start smoothing down my dark and static hair. "My dad's girlfriend is an Acupuncturist. I remember finding some of her books on it, and began reading them. The more I read, the more fascinated I became. When Alyson realised I was genuinely interested, she helped me to learn everything I could about it. When I left school, I did a two year degree in Chinese Acupuncture, then I went on and did a Master's, and finally, a Doctoral Degree."

Cary now has to look at me. "Wow! You really do know your stuff." As impressed with me as I just was with him, he focuses back on the road but his voice is no longer coated in humour or teasing of any kind. "You seem so grounded with all of your intelligence, Rosa. You're so sweetly humble with it. I like that."

Glad of his compliment, I have to smile. "Thank you. For me, I know it's important to have the accreditation, but it's more important that people know that I care so much more about helping them."

Not looking my way, simply staring straight at the road ahead of him, Cary eventually and quietly says. "That's why you're so amazing."

There's that swoooooooosh of romanticism again.

There's that flippety-flip thing.

I can't, I won't, react to it.

Instead, I continue to adore more of the passing scenery.

**

"Wow!" Lake Winni-something is stunning.

Breathtaking. Mind-boggling beautiful. "You're so lucky to pretty much have this right on your doorstep, aren't you?" Dreamily, my eyes scan the vastness of the view in front of me.

"Welcome to 'Smile of the Great Spirit' or 'Beautiful Water in a High Place'...no one is really sure." Cary tells me with a small smile.

"Lake Winni-sappy-acky...Native American, right?"

Laughing, Cary shakes his head whilst looking down at the frosted ground. "It's definitely Native American, but that's not how you pronounce it." He's unable to stop laughing. "Jeez, you kill me, you really do!"

Now chuckling myself, I watch him still laughing at me. "Okay, how do I say it right, then?"

Making himself stand straight, he suppresses his laughter. "Right, I'll break it down for you, okay?"

Still smiling, I nod. "Okay." Now, I listen hard.

"Win-ne-pe-sau-kee." Cary repeats it again, more slowly this time. "Win.....ne.....pe.....sau....kee."