116: A
I sat on the cloth covered bench, in the semi-light of an unlit chapel and kept my eyes on the speaker who I could barely understand, his Spanish dialect was so difficult for me. Rafe was beside me, nodding now and then, and Ben beside him, just looked lost.
My mind wandered back over the wonderful day we'd spent yesterday, not one thing to mar its perfection. The weather was pristine, warm but with a nice steady breeze off the ocean almost all day. We'd taken plenty of water and some fruit, and bought some kind of churros from a vendor as we tootled along on the mosaic pedestrian pathways that lined the entire shore. Rafe and I had split from the rest of them, and gone up to the lighthouse, there to observe the lovely view of the city, spend fifteen minutes making out, and finally talking to another American couple who had driven up the steep grade to the top.
The concert was incredible. I sat with several local celebrities in the same balcony box reserved for us. Rafe had not wanted me to come, but I insisted I was not afraid, and wanted to see all I could. He was flattered, I think, and performed excellently because of it. And last night we had gone night surfing, just the two of us, and then relaxed in the bungalow, playing music with the guys.
Rafe had not said a word about not going to church, and attended good-naturedly, along with Ben who was interested, but couldn't understand even as much as I could. However, you could sing the songs, they were all the same songs... didn't matter what language you sang them in, if you knew them, and I did.
And we stayed for all three meetings, and Rafe and I went to Primary, and I volunteered to substitute teach when they were short a teacher. Hearing the familiar lessons in broken Spanish, and then the very familiar songs in perfect flawless Spanish was the height of my day today. I even taught some sign language to my five year olds. All in all, a lovely experience. As if it happened every Sunday.
We walked to the mermaid statue after church, took some pictures, read the history and all in all, simply enjoyed each other's company.
Rafe took a nap, and I read that afternoon, and that evening we had dinner at the hotel restaurant, a very exclusive and expensive place, and then went back to our bungalow--- packed, and got on the bus.
I had done our laundry and bedding, but Mack had changed all the sheets anyway. Everything was spotless. I told him so, and thanked him profusely. He was pleased with the praise, and the little snacks I'd brought him for the short four hour drive to Durango.
I went back to the rear lounge where the guys were hanging out, and found a clear space on the floor between Rafe's legs. He was playing his acoustic guitar, flat across his chest with one leg up on the recliner arm, and the other bent. Ben had his guitar out as well, and they were accompanying each other silently. Dylan eyed me furtively, and then looked back at his phone. Apparently there had been talk before my arrival, as I sensed the tension in the air.
We rode quietly for a couple of hours then, Rafe announced he had a headache, and we two exited the group. He stripped down to his shorts and lay on the bunk, and I prepared my essential oils to massage him, and get rid of the headache. He laid there with his feet in my lap, and his head on his pillows watching me, and finally removed the pillow, and lay flat. His eyes closed and we said nothing.
I ventured far up his calves. Rafe had fairly heavy legs for such a slim guy. He worked out quite heavily, and it showed. His upper thighs were hard. I started gently working my way up, feeling the stiffness, and the hard knots he carried. He eventually rolled onto his stomach and I was able to massage his lower back, surprised to find exactly how much tension he carried there. I checked his spine, and couldn't find anything out of place, but his neck was really tortured by knots, and thick ligaments deeply tightened.
He'd gotten quite a bit of sun on the two day layover, and his back was nicely tanned. I admired the tattoos once again, plying his skin and muscles with some deep tissue massage. He had once done this for me, I thought, vaguely. We really were a pretty good team.
My thoughts wandered to Kell and Tecca. It had been nice to spend some time alone with them on Friday, after we'd gotten the initial reasons for the visit out of the way. I was glad they hadn't tried to force me--- and realized that had never been their intention. They knew I couldn't be forced back to the states, but they had checked on my well being anyway. They were family. And Kell demonstrated that family always came first. Always.
He taught by example. I admired that about him, knowing what it must have been like for him to embrace the Mormon way of life. He had to change ideologies.
Rafe snorted, snuffed and came up on one elbow.
"How's your headache?"
"I need some throat tea."
"I'll get it." He went back down on his arms and I slipped out to get his throat tea. Only Dylan was sitting out there with his headphones on watching TV.
I nodded to him, and wished I had put on sweats, instead of the girls boxers I often wore to sleep in. I'd been hot--- and pretty sure Rafe was out for the night, so I felt safe on that account.
Dylan looked up, his eyes close on me. I started the electric tea pot we used, and then turned around. He took one ear phone off.
"What's up?"
"Making Rafe some throat tea. I don't think he's feeling so good."
"Sucks." He said good naturedly. "So, Aubrey. Why'd you make a big deal out of everything?"
I knew his everything meant the kissing, the grabbing, the slapping, and all the other lame stuff he'd done the first few days of the tour. And I knew the big deal he referred to was me telling Rafe and Aiden.
I shrugged. "You did it in front of Aiden. He saw you for himself."
Dylan nodded. "I'm quitting this band when we get done. You guys have become too domestic for me. I need more innovation, more cutting edge. This stuff is getting old. Rafe's becoming a crooner, like a wanna be Frank Sinatra, and he's not half as good as he thinks he is."
"Rafe is going into producing." I said easily. "I think he knows cutting edge better than anyone here."
Dylan nodded and put his ear plug back in. I was actually glad he planned to leave the group. He didn't add much to their art anyway.
I made the tea and left him there. Rafe was awake, and sitting up when I got back. I handed him his mug and he extended a hand for me to get up. I was crawling over to my side when he stopped me.
"Hey." His hand was on my backside. "You look extremely hot in these black tighties."
He ran his hand down my lower back, along my side and outer thigh and across the side of my hip, over the briefs. I knew I colored up. I tried to continue, but he stopped me again, running that hand along my whole flank.
"Rafe."
"Damn, girl, you're sleek, you know that? Not one rumple."
He stretched my leg out and ran his hand over the little lump at the base of leg and butt. I was embarrassed. "Rafe."
"Have you felt that line?"
"Not recently."
"State of the art. Cutting edge. Very--- innovative---- very domestic as well."
I sat down, grinning. He'd overheard Dylan's taunting.
He was teasing me. I pulled my legs up as he sipped his hot tea. His eyes were soft.
"So, Dylan is planning to leave the group?" Rafe asked.
I nodded, pulling a bottled water from our stash on the headboard. I twisted it open. "That's what he said."
"Good, saves me the effort of letting him go. I'm glad the feeling is mutual. It wasn't a good fit. I was actually thinking of asking Jeremy and Levi, what do you think of that idea?"
I pictured them up there. I'd seen them in concert. Jeremy was a lead singer on his own, and Levi was a good drummer. "I'm honestly not sure Jeremy would want to be part of your back up band."
"Yeah. I thought about that. But I am not going to be this forever. Especially after you and I--- speaking of that. What do you think of what Kell said?"
"Which? About not being able to wait?"
"But he said he wished he'd had the fortitude to wait. Pretty important. What do you think of that?"
"I think the foundation of a strong temple marriage is paramount."
"So, you're in my bed, and I'm taking pretty strong liberties with you, and you yourself have admitted to being weak in some areas when it comes to me. What if we screw up? Wouldn't it have been better to have the protection of a civil wedding and go in a year to the temple?"
"Rafe. Shouldn't we just make it a commitment to each other not to screw up?"
"I wasn't completely awake this morning when my hand wandered."
"Then I shouldn't be in your bed."
"And you have no other option except going home, and you promised me you wouldn't leave me, so...."
"There's another option right across the hall. I could sleep on that bunk."
He finished his tea and eyed me carefully. "Okay, I'm going to speak as frankly as I can. I am very concerned about us. But I also know that I don't want to be without you. I feel like I can't. I am holding on pretty tightly."
"Maybe that's not altogether healthy for you. Too attached, you know?"
"No. I've never felt this way about anyone else. I think I'm going to call the Bishop." He pulled out his phone, and I stared at it in the dim light. Really? Right now?
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