Lifeguard from Maracas Bay

Chapter 06 - A Gentleman's Agreement

Willie stepped in front of Maria, looked her straight in the eye and said, "Let's do something truly radical!"

“Like what?” she asked.
“Like get married on the beach.”
“I could live with that!” declared Maria.
“Let's do it next Wednesday.”
“Now that's radical and impossible too! Where are we going to get a marriage license, a priest, a cake, a ...”

“Wait! Wait! Wait! Hold that thought! We only need you and me, our parents, a few friends, a license and the priest.”
“You sound as if you are really serious about this!”
“You bet I am!”

“Why don't we wait a few weeks until school close for the holidays? Then I'll have more time to devote to getting married.”

Extending his right hand he said, “It's a deal! A gentleman's agreement.”
Maria responded by extending her hand then she pulled him forward and said, “Let's seal it with a kiss.”

On the way home Maria thought about how her parents would respond to this arrangement. After all it was rushed and radical. Yes radical. Dad will probably start with, “Bloody hell! What would your Uncle Ralphie say? And what about Auntie G, she is always talking about a grand wedding for you with all the neighborhood girls turning green with envy. What am I going to tell them?”

Mom will probably say, “Please Alfie, who cares about your brother and his interfering wife Auntie G?” Turning to me she would come close to me say, “Maria darling, why are you doing this to us? We gave up everything for you and your brother Peter and this is what we get in return? Why Maria, why? Think about what the neighbors will say my child.”

After a brief moment of deafening silence she would demand accusingly, “Are you pregnant Maria? Is this all because of a moment of lust? Who is the dirty bastard? Who got you pregnant?”

Then dad will interject with, “Bloody hell! My daughter pregnant! Who did it! Tell me and I'll kill the bloody bastard! Uncle Ralphie and I will search for him and we'll ...”

That night, when Maria finally got to bed she closed her eyes and imagined being married on the beach. She could see her white veil blowing in the wind, the sun shining brightly and the waves rolling towards them on a perfect afternoon. Then she heard the priest say, “You may kiss the bride” and Maria felt Willie's moist and tender kiss. Looking around she did not recognize any of the faces in the crowd and then realized that it was only in her imagination.

That would not be new, she mused. He did that the very first time we met. He kissed me in the presence of many strangers. She thought again about how her parents would respond to this rushed decision. What about my aunts and uncles and all my other relatives? Would they come to the wedding? She visualized her poor father gasping for breath at the shock of this radical proposal.

Later that night, Maria found herself at the kitchen table at about 3:00 AM. She made a cup of tea and sat there staring out the window at the flowers in the backyard. Startled by a squeak on the floor she turned around and saw her mother approaching stealthily. “I thought I heard the kettle whistling. What are you doing up at this time?” she whispered.

“You know. I could not sleep,” she offered quietly. Her mother made herself a cup of tea and joined Maria. “Would you like to talk about it?” she asked knowingly. “Well. Yeah. I mean it's like this. Willie asked me to marry him and I really do love him.” With eyes the size of a saucer her mom asked, “And who is this Willie? Do I know him?”

“Yes, you do.”
“I do?” she declared incredulously as she pulled her head backwards.
“Yes, you met him a few weeks ago.”
“Where?” she demanded hastily.
“At Maracas beach - the day I was rescued.”

“There were lots of good looking young men on the beach and some of them were looking at you but I don't remember meeting any of them.” Flicking her hair over her shoulder she asked Maria with a playful smile, “Did you see any of them looking at me?”