Chapter 22

Elizabeth spent the night thinking about what to do with Lucky. It had to be something meaningful, like the recaps of their past relationship, and a view into their future together. Not able to find anything satisfying, she went to bed, thinking that the night would make some light for her.

Not able to sleep anymore Elizabeth got up and went for a walk. The sun was slowly coming up, and Elizabeth smiled. It was the first day of her new life. Her new life with Lucky. That gave her an idea for her romantic date. She continued her walk, when she stumbled upon something weird. It was an abandoned boxcar that the railroad company must have dumped there. She got in and looked around. Her idea was slowly becoming clear in her head. It would be perfect. It would mean a lot of hard work, but still, it was the best thing she ever thought of.

It took a week for Elizabeth to get ready. She called Lucky and asked him out the next Saturday, and he was happy to say yes. When he asked where they were going, she answered a new little restaurant that had just opened.

"-What's the name of that new little restaurant?

-The Boxcar. Heard of it?

-Nope, can't say I have. Is it good?

-Do you trust me?

-Of course I do

-Then stop asking questions! I'll pick you up at 8 OK?

-Sure, see you there. And Elizabeth?

-Yes?

-I love you

-I love you too"

Elizabeth took two hours to get ready. Everything had to be perfect. Tonight would be THE night. She went to the boxcar, taking their diner and making them warm up on the little camping oven she put there. The table, in the middle, was ready, only needed to light the candles. Her radio was in the corner, hidden under a blanket. Now that everything was perfect, she was ready to pick Lucky up.

Lucky was waiting for her in the kitchen. She had told him to dress up. He was wearing his best shirt, a pair of black pants and a tie. Nikolas offered to lend him his jag, but Lucky refused. This was Liz's night, she was in commend. He lost his breath when he saw her at the door. She was simply beautiful. She gave him her arm and he took it, laughing. They went out the door laughing, hearing Nikolas;

"-Don't stay out to late kids, have him back here at 11!"

With an old man's voice. They walked to the boxcar, and Lucky was more and more intrigued by this restaurant. It was in the middle of the woods, with no route to go to it. They finally stopped at an abandoned boxcar, and he finally understood. She did all of this. He smiled at her when she told him to stay put until she said he could come in.

Elizabeth lighted the candles, started the music, and told him to come in. He slowly got in, and looked around, in awe. Elizabeth put her arm around his waist, while he put his around her shoulders.

"-You like it? She asked

-Like it? Elizabeth this is magnificent. Did you do this?

-Yeah, I worked like crazy this week for it to be finished. You really like it?

-I didn't know you could paint, I still can believe this."

Elizabeth took a candle from the table and showed him her masterpiece. On the first wall she painted an Ice-skating rink, with people on it, like on their first date. The second wall represented Luke's cabin, with the fire place, music, diner on the table and snow falling out the window. The third one was the horse back riding and the seadoo race and the forth one was the pool fight and the baseball game.

Lucky was amazed that she did all this for him. She gently kissed him and told him to sit down, diner was ready. He looked at his plate and saw the exact same menu they had at his father's cabin. Music was playing in the background, and he was dying to ask her to dance. It was her date, her call. She talked about her brother Vladimir, her life as a princess, and ho much she missed simply being a normal girl. He talked about Jackie, how it was living with Nikolas, and how much he missed her while she was in Russia. He was seeing her always looking at her radio, like she was waiting for a special song. He knew he was right when she got up even before the new song started. Elizabeth put herself in front of him and asked him to dance. He put his fork down, wiped his mouth, and stood up in front of her. They went in the back of the boxcar and he took her in his arms, smelling her hair.

Elizabeth kissed him gently, and, hand in hand, they went back to the table. Lucky still couldn't believe his luck. Not only Elizabeth was back in town, but she was back in his life, and in his arms. They finished eating, danced some more, then Elizabeth said she had something else planned. Lucky looked at his watched and realized it was already passed midnight, what else could she have up her sleeve at this hour?

Elizabeth took him to the beach where they spent the last day of the summer. She took a blanket out of the trunk of her car, put it on the sand and sat on it. Lucky sat beside her, and put his arm around her waist, getting her closer. She put her head on his chest, and her hand on his thigh. The stayed like that for a while, not saying anything, when Lucky broke the silence.

"-Elizabeth, not that I don't love this, but what are we doing here?

-Enjoying each other's company

-On a beach at night? Any particular reason?

-Yes there is one, but I can't tell you yet. All I ask is for you to stay awake ok?

-Ok, but we might need to talk, cause, at nearly 2 in the morning, my eyes kinda have a mind of their own.

-No Problem, I know just what they need to stay alert"

She put her lips on his and kissed him passionately. He answered to her embrace with the need she never felt in him before. His kisses were not sexually needing, but filled with love. He was telling her how much he missed her with his kisses and caresses. She leaned down, laying down on the blanket, and Lucky followed her. They didn't want to make love, they just felt the need to be close to each other.

Elizabeth broke the kiss when she saw the dark of the sky becoming lighter. Lucky understood what she was waiting for was coming, and he sat down next to her. One look at his watch and he realized they had been kissing for more than two hours, without even make a move for the embrace the become more personal, and he loved that.

"-I hope you don't mind spending the night on the beach with me like that

-I don't mind doing anything with you Elizabeth, I love you. We would be sleeping in garbage bags and I'd still love it.

-Ready to know what I had planned?

-Of course, I've been ready all night!"

Elizabeth put her head on his shoulder, wanting to wait a little more, the sky was still too dark. Lucky put his head on hers, knowing now what she had in mind, and he was just loving more for it. It was so romantic, and he never thought it was a woman's place to do that kind of thing, but then again, his Elizabeth was no ordinary woman. Everything about her was the best, the best there is.

"-I thought we could watch the sunrise together, she said, after the sky became light enough.

-I love it!

-You know, my father once told me that the sunrise symbolizes the beginning of the rest of your life. Whatever you did when the sun came down, it washes away when the sun comes up again. New day, new life. I thought maybe, if we watched it rise together, it could really mean a new beginning for us. A clean slate. A clean start. "

The sun was half-way through the sky, and Lucky gently washed a tear from his own cheek. This was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard. And it all made sense. On the wall in the boxcar laid their past and here, now, was their future. A new beginning for the both of them.

"-To the beginning of the rest of our lives, said Lucky

-To our clean start"

As the sun claimed his place upon all humans, it watched two people on a nameless beach, gently kissing each other good morning.

THE END