Thirty-Five Years Brings Déjà vu to Reality

By H.G. Hunt

Chapter 20

Three bodies lay motionless on the sand. Heart rates fell back into the normal zone. Breathing lost its heavy rhythm. Muscles relaxed. Slowly the gravity of their exhaustion hit them; especially Jean and Lisa. Neither had ever expended so much energy in a like amount of time. It had happened only with adrenaline and enmity, lust and hatred, hormones and sparks of pride, humiliating despair and pinnacles of reward. Now they recovered.

Clothes actually found their way back on. Blankets were folded and put away. Containers were recovered and stashed.

A few hushed words were spoken as the clan packed up and began filtering away towards their cars. A few phone numbers had been exchanged, emails shared, cameras stowed, and not surprisingly a few lusty caresses were shared among the nine.

Brent kissed Jean a small peck, “Congratulations my queen.”

“Thanks. You never doubted me did you?”

“No. Not really.”

Lisa sat up and grabbed a bottle of water, swallowing half in a gulp.

Jean slowly sat up and reached for the bottle with a questioning gesture. Lisa shared. Brent rolled over on his stomach and propped up on his elbows to see the last of the witnesses strolling south along the shore. Only the three of them remained once again.

“Well, this has been quite a reunion, hasn’t it?” Lisa asked Jean.

“Yes it has,” Jean responded in soft understatement. “You remember the rest of the bargain right?”

“Oh yes. I remember. I am a woman of my word.” She paused a moment. “You’re the champion I guess, but only for a while.”

The clock ticked by another ten minutes as the women recovered and munched the few remaining snacks. They felt their skin begin to burn, having all neglected any sort of sun protection. The visible remnants were likely to be some sunburn, but the real remnants would be in their memories and the pictures stored in Brent’s Nikon.

“Did you like the beach?” Jean asked Lisa as they began their own stroll back.

“Perfectly.”

TO BE CONTINUED