A Dozen Dates (13 page)

Gemma was gobsmacked and strange noises gurgled out of her throat as she tried to invent a reason not to go, “I have college on Mondays...”

“Well, we can go on Tuesday!” Sam vivaciously announced.

“Well...” said Gemma.

“She’ll go,” Michael interjected, and Gemma glared curiously at him. “Won’t you Gem?”

“I...” Gemma began to try and answer.

“Excellent! Oh Gem, we will have so much fun...” Sam’s excitement was hard to resist.

“Yeah...” Wow! City people are strange... Gemma had no idea why Sam would want to hang around her of all people - her rival... Not that she was much of one. And what on Earth was Michael thinking – wanting both of his... options... to hang out together? These people were strange...

The waitress brought out the plates and placed them on the table, revealing the fine quality meals that the quaint cafe quite rightfully boasts about. “Oysters, Gem?” Sam questioned and Gemma just smiled, eager to devour the delicious looking morsels in front of her.

“Gemma likes oysters, don’t you Beautiful?” Michael said, winking and lifting a marinated oyster shell to her mouth so she could suck out the flesh.

“Mmm hmm!” Gemma expressed after she swallowed her first one.

“Ah... Well; you know what they say about oysters...” Sam voiced, and Gemma scrutinised her. She had heard those words before. Michael, as if hearing the switch flick on in Gemma’s mind, turned to look at Sam and to stop from smirking, bit his own bottom lip, holding it captive between his teeth.

“No...” Gemma said, her innocence still her virtue. Sam’s eyes darted to Michael, looking for answers, but Michael’s laughing eyes were all the answer she needed.

“Well...” Sam began, and then looked back at Michael to save her, but of course, he did nothing. “They give you energy!” She could see Gemma doubted her conviction and in her panic started to prattle, “With all their Vitamins B & C and their minerals... like calcium and Kelp.”

“Kelp isn’t a mineral...” Gemma said, dissecting Sam’s statement.

“Yeah Sammy, Kelp is seaweed...” Michael gladly informed her and she backhanded him in the shoulder.

“Shut up, Michael!” she ordered then she paused and looked to Gemma, “Well, you see, I don’t really know exactly what vitamins are in them, I just remember hearing that they are good for... you.” Michael, placed her fork through a piece of salad and raised it to her mouth, smiling, and she glared at him, ropable about the hole he dropped her in, but glad she had an excuse now not to have to talk. “Thanks..!” Then Michael turned to Gemma and winked, before digging into his own meal.

Gemma enjoyed lunch – Sam was very likable and Michael... Well..? Just a bit...

Just a bit, she winced... Like, totally... But if anything positive came from lunch it was that Gemma felt that she was almost in with a chance... Michael showed her every bit as much attention as he showed Sam, although, he was probably only being polite.

As each day and each encounter passed, Gemma was becoming more and more disturbed by the invading thoughts and images of Michael. Now, she could hardly stand the thought of not having him around. Sleeping and waking up in his arms was heavenly. She had thought about it every night since – sometimes even laying there with her own arm flopped on top of herself, imagining it was Michael’s arm and stoking it tenderly...

Gemma began to contemplate actually competing for his affection. Up until now, she had all but given up on him seriously wanting to be with her, simply resigning herself to the notion that he wasn’t interested - but now she sensed that she stood a chance. With a little effort, she could quite possibly gain his preference... Emerge the better option... Well, it was certainly worth a try – Michael was worth putting in an effort for; that was for sure.

The next Tuesday when Gemma went to the house she was dressed to kill... She was bursting out of a scarlet red mini-dress, which clung to her and spectacularly showcased her every womanly curve - the sweetheart shaped, and reinforced bodice elevating her breasts to stardom – her matching red stilettos with daring five inch heels carrying her proudly if not tenuously. She had re-bleached her hair platinum and wore it swept over her head and pinned up on one side, framing her model face. Her mascara was thick and obvious, dramatically emphasising her lashes which were only rivalled for attention by the patent red lipstick accentuating her already seductively proportioned lips.

Michael was working with Nathan on the new patio roof when he saw her... His eyes popped and he swallowed hard before slapping his brother to get his attention. Nathan turned around to see what he wanted and saw Gemma for himself, “Good Lord...” he expressed.

Michael chuckled, “He certainly is...” His heart was pounding.

“Who is she today?” Nathan asked affectionately, aware of and compassionate about Gemma’s inner struggle to find herself in the awe-inspiring world about her.

“Jessica Rabbit, I think!” Michael commented, and then added, “Only her dress is
way
shorter... and possibly tighter!” Michael smiled and sighed.

“Hello!” she called up to them.

“Hi!” they called down.

“This looks great!” she commented, referring to the roof frame they had nearly finished building.

Michael gazed straight down her cleavage and agreed, “Yeah, it does, doesn’t it?” Gemma was oblivious to the hidden connotation in his comment, but Nathan wasn’t and he sniggered almost inaudibly causing Michael to smile...

“It will be lovely to sit under once the roof goes on...” she added, walking underneath the suspended structure.

Michael swallowed again, pleasantly surprised by his own less than unruffled response, “Well hopefully we can get it finished this afternoon.”

“Wow!” she exclaimed excitedly, “That’s impressive.”

Again Nathan sniggered, knowing his brother well enough to know his train of thought and Michael smiled and said, “Thank you.”

“Well, I’m going to get to the gardens now...” she informed them.

“Okay,” said Michael, and then he found himself having to clear the frog from his throat. Michael’s caterpillars wiggled in distress as he breathed out a lung full of air and wondered what he was going to do about that! “Oh God...” he whispered.

He ogled at her form as she walked to the tap and turned on the hose and then stood watering the establishing plants. He watched as she continually lifted her ridiculous heels as they sunk into the grass. “Nathan,” he whispered to his brother, “Watch this...” They chuckled quietly as Gemma sunk and then moved her feet only to sink again, over and over again.

“That’s ridiculous...” Nathan commented affectionately, sympathy abound for his brother’s new girl... friend.

“I know... I am so in love.” Michael stated, and Nathan looked at him.

“Yeah, I do believe you are...” Nathan conceded and smiled at his brother.

“Although right at this moment, lust is probably playing a huge...
huge
part...” Michael couldn’t concentrate on the task, and kept losing his footing on the rafters. “I’m gonna fall off the bloody roof in a minute!” Nathan laughed at him.

“Why don’t you do something with her..?” Nathan inquired.

“I don’t think I could trust myself with her at the moment...” Michael confessed before swallowing again.

“I didn’t mean right at this moment... Why don’t you take her out again?”

“I try. She has this aversion to dating...”

“Hymph! She clearly likes you... Making them goo-goo doll eyes at you all the time...”

“Are you sure..?” Michael asked his brother, smiling.

“What, are you kidding? Hell, look at the way she is dressed – I do believe that is for your benefit.”

“Yeah... We’ll get there... I just have to take it slowly - she spooks easily. Although having Sam around tends to pluck her up...”

“Michael,” Nathan scolded.

“Lunch was fun on Saturday...” Michael said with a snicker.

“Brother... That’s dire...” Nathan said, shaking his head but chuckling at the same time.

“Yes, but it works...” Michael looked in Gemma’s direction and grinned... “See...”

“What did Sammy say?”

“Well, I think she is going to kill me any day now...” Michael claimed with a grin and Nathan laughed. Michael looked at him, his face serious, “Whatever it takes, Nathan. Whatever it takes to make her my girl...”

“She’s already your girl...”

The boys resumed work, Michael trying to avoid looking in her direction, “I might invite her to go the rainforest this Sunday... We could do some of the trails and have a picnic maybe... She is a lot more at ease amongst nature...And it would be during the day...” Michael shared and then he chuckled, “I might leave Sammy behind this time...”

Nathan smiled and shook his head, “Ya think?”

That afternoon, Michael, through his new-found boyish nerves, managed to invite Gemma to accompany him to the rainforest, and although aware the forest trails may lead her headfirst into the most debilitating heartache of her life, Gemma agreed to go. She had come this far... She should take a chance!

Michael picked her up early on Sunday and they travelled up into the mountains to a forestry reserve. They spent the entire morning walking the three, the five and the six kilometre trails through the semi-tropical forest. Though the sun was blazing, they were cool and shaded beneath the canopies of the giant figs and hoop pines, which diminished them to little people within their majestic world of grandeur. “Smell that?” Gemma asked as she breathed in the moist, earthy green fragrances around her.

“Smells like more of your dirt!” Michael teased her.

“Actually, it’s very similar to my dirt,” Gemma informed him.

They stopped and read the various information plaques, but Michael quickly learned that Gemma could explain how a Giant Fig composts in a far more riveting way than any sign ever could. Michael took her hand, overwhelmed with emotion and pride, and Gemma, although a little anxious, allowed him.

They happened across a tree wallaby who upon noticing their presence, swiftly bounded off into the undergrowth, and they heard and saw a few species of birds as they called to each other from the trees. Then Gemma cleverly spotted a frogmouth owl sleeping, and they ogled at how much it resembled the branch it was perched upon. The whole forest floor was alive with lizards and beetles and butterflies and any number of other seemingly insignificant critters, and Gemma spotted them all.

They swam, carefree under the waterfall in the exhilarating, almost icy water, deep diving to inspect the terrain on the bottom... Michael even found a one dollar coin, and Gemma’s heart was warmed by how simply chuffed with himself he was. He really was an idiot...

Then they headed back up to the car where Michael collected the blanket and the water bottle and Gemma picked up her knapsack with the ham and salad rolls which she had prepared, bananas and the surprise block of chocolate. 

Michael selected a place under a tree, away from the other day-trippers. He threw up the blanket and it landed in a relative square, then he knelt down on it and reached a hand up to Gemma. “Come, sit down?” he softly invited and she knelt and then sat down on the blanket, taking pleasure in the controlled warmth of the filtered sunlight as it trickled in between the foliage. Michael lay down on his side and propped himself up on one elbow and watched as Gemma unpacked their lunch.

They ate mostly in silence and just enjoyed the magnificent outdoor ambience and the presence of each other. Gemma even kindly shared the chocolate. “It must be my birthday,” Michael commented to which Gemma agreed.

“Have you had a nice day?” he said, taking her hand again.

Gemma’s heart began to palpitate with his tender contact, making finding the words to answer his question, quite difficult. “This is really beautiful... so green!” she managed as she looked around and absorbed the semi-tropical majesty all about her, and then she looked at Michael and smiled shyly, “Thank you for bringing me.” Michael stroked her hand with his finger. She was highly attuned to his every touch and she was aching for it.

Michael lay back with his head on the blanket and he gently coaxed, “Lay down with me.” Gemma obliged him, her stomach fluttering, and for a while they laid together side by side just holding hands and talking about their childhood memories of trees, tree swings and tree houses... Content and dozing intermittently, subdued by the combination of having full bellies and the experience of being absorbed into the environment around them...

Gemma’s eyes opened and for a moment she was disorientated, then she felt the warm hand encompassing hers and turned to see Michael, his head tilted towards her and staring. Now she remembered where she was... How close she was... and those butterflies once again began to flutter their angelic wings.

Michael let go of her hand and bent his arm under his head as he rolled over onto his side and faced her. He placed his other hand on her tummy, petting it gently with his large, strong fingers and Gemma’s butterflies soared like bats - her breathing steadied only by conscious control.

Michael could see the concentration in her face and watched as she momentarily sucked in her bottom lip, wetting it. She was so incredible, and he began to experience a few butterflies of his own. “I’m going to kiss you now...” he told her, and Gemma started to breathe heavier.