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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 3963177" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Two-hundred-forty-eight, “Seabreeze Park” , Monday, June 19th, 3:00 P.M. Ruby told George, "Now I'll need you to distract me…” He replies, "I think I know of a distraction." He heads outside and chats briefly with William. He then returns and the carriage departs. They ride for around a half hour, heading north back towards Lake Ontario. They soon arrive at a place where a small steam train is arriving with several dozen passengers. Ruby sees a beach with dozens of people in bathing suits. A large house is nearby. There are also three mechanical rides with lines of people waiting to go on them, each with passenger cars that move in various directions. One has the title "Tilt-a-whirl", another "Swing-Saw" and the other "Ferris Wheel". George says, "Welcome to Seabreeze Park, it opened up three years ago." Ruby’s mouth drops open as she climbs out of the carriage. She takes in the scene, giggling little children running while their parents chase them, couples lazily strolling hand in hand. But her gaze stops upon the rides, a sight she has never seen. She immediately starts hounding George with pleas to experience them. He laughs and goes off to buy tickets while Ruby gets in line at the Tilt-a-Whirl. George returns with a smile on his face and waits next to Ruby, who like a child can barely contain herself, straining to watch the ride as it spins in its orbit. Finally it’s their turn on the ride. They climb up the metal steps and step into the rounded car. Ruby and George move towards the center of the seat so their legs are touching and the attendant closes the bar across their laps. “Enjoy the ride,” he says to them while strapping them in and touches his hand to his hat before departing. Ruby giggles and she squeezes George’s thigh with her hand in anticipation. The ride starts slowly before picking up speed, throwing them back against the wall of the car as it spins in one direction then quickly switches to the other. Ruby squeals with delight as the car is stuck in a spin so fast that she can’t lift her head off the headrest, even her hair is sprawled out on the car, framing her head. With much effort she tilts her head towards George and watches him laugh and enjoy the ride too. This goes on for a whole minute, spinning back and forth, until the ride finally slows down, even though the laughing doesn’t. Once the ride stops they climb out and Ruby is so dizzy she almost loses her footing. From behind George grabs her tiny waist with two hands, and Ruby isn’t sure if it is to help her or keep himself standing up. They exit the ride and Ruby wraps her arms around George in a warm embrace, still a bit wobbly. Her eyes are twinkling and she is smiling ear to ear as her heart still pounds in her chest from the excitement and exhilaration. Leaning on him, tightening her grip as she looks into his eyes she says, “That was SO much fun. Thank you so much, for all of it.” She gives him a small kiss on the lips before pulling her head back slightly. “Wouldn’t it be great if it could be like this all the time?” He laughs and says, "We can come here as often as you like, this park isn't going anywhere! And there's talk of adding more mechanical rides. I wouldn't mind trying out that Ferris Wheel, I'm told that on a clear day you can see Canada from the top, on the opposite side of the Lake." "I just meant, this feeling... you know, being together and having fun and it being so exciting..." She stops suddenly. "Wait, more rides? I wonder what they'll think of!" Ruby grabs his hand and pulls him insistently to the Ferris Wheel. George says, "Okay, let's go. As for what ride will come next, I've heard that there is discussion with an inventor named Marcus Adna Thompson who just got a patent for a sloped train ride based upon the design of Russian ice slides. He calls it the Switchback Railway, and the first working prototype is being constructed right now down in Brooklyn at Coney Island. If it successful there I would imagine they will build one here as well." "Hmmm... sloped you say? I would say a train ride is only good for getting somewhere or maybe..." she leans in close and whispers in his ear, "Making out." She giggles. "But I am intrigued by the sloping part. Brooklyn isn't that far, maybe we'll have to go on a vacation to the shores or to the City and check it out when it's done." He states, "Yes, we could do that. My business requires me to go into the city every few months." Ruby just smiles and takes his hand, waiting for their turn on the ride. They soon reach the front and are escorted into a car painted red and turquoise with a metal umbrella top. It starts out slow, rising slightly until the next car reaches the bottom, with passengers exiting and entering. This happens for four cars, the wheel picks up speed and for the next two minutes they move in the circular motion at a reasonably fast speed. George notices Ruby is a bit nervous every time they near the top of the ride. After a couple of times around she puts her head on his shoulder and closes her eyes. "This is nice and relaxing. Can you see Canada like you hoped?" He says, "No, it is too overcast, but I can see you which is far nicer to look at." She says, "You know, you keep being charming and I'm going to want to spend more time kissing you than I already do. You'd never get anything done if I had my way." He smiles and says, "I'll let you know when it gets to be too much." The circular motion ends as the start to unload and reload the cars. They begin this two cars behind where Ruby and George are, meaning they will be the next to last unloaded as the car slowly goes one higher. Ruby gently touches his face and tilts his head towards hers, giving him his wish and kissing him. Suddenly the car lurches forward as it goes higher. Ruby stops kissing him and grabs on to George, obviously jittery. He says, "Relax dear, it's perfectly safe." "Uh... sure." She puts her head back on George, snuggles close and closes her eyes again before sitting as still as she can so not to rock the car. "It's not the ride... it's the height I guess. I've never been scared before..." He says, "Oh, okay, well we will be down soon. We don't have to go on this one again. What about the Swing-Saw ride?" He points to a boat-shaped contraption with people seated on both ends that is swinging like a pendulum. She says, "Yes, that's okay. I don't even mind this if we didn't have to sit at the top! Maybe next time will be better. Let's go on that other one next." It isn't long until they are back down and in line for the other ride. Ruby calms down and starts getting excited as they get closer to the ride. "That was sort of silly of me, I'm not usually scared of stuff like that. I guess you learn something new everyday, huh?" she laughs. "After this we should get a snack, I'm a little hungry. How about you?" He says, "Yes, we have time. I told William not to come back to get us until around 5:00 PM" As they climb into the ride Ruby laughs, "You'll be sick of me by then!" He answers, "I think not." They go on the ride, which has an almost sickening swinging motion to it. Once the ride ends they head over to the food stands to get something to eat. There are a number of different choices, including chicken and steak on sticks, fried dough, fried potato bits and cotton candy. Ruby gets chicken on a stick and some cotton candy for afterwards. As she enjoys her cotton candy they walk near the water. "This water is nice but I think I prefer us getting to swim and be alone like yesterday. This... park... though is wonderful. A great way to relax." They spend some time quietly walking and cotton candy eating before Ruby breaks the silence with the comment, "Did I tell you that Aphrodite talks to me?" He says, "You mean that you feel her through providing you with beauty and the desire to love, right?" "Want some?" Ruby offers George some cotton candy. "There is that. And dreams too, sometimes she speaks to me in dreams. She wants me to be happy, she's shown me visions of things she knew I wanted." He asks, "And what is it that you want?" Ruby replies, "More than anything? For my love to be true. I mean, that the person on the other side loves me for who I am. And when I have that, I will never ever have to worry about being alone and unloved again. She... she told me you prayed to her, paid her tribute. Is that true?" He looks over "Yes....I would....I wanted....I...honestly Ruby, I'm confused myself. I knew what I wanted then, but I also heard what you said to me in Promise City. That I didn't really know you, well, so I've been trying to get to know you. You told me then to get to know your friends, and so I did, Dorita and Pedro told me of a girl very different than the one I remembered, but everything they said was enough to entice me, to make me want to learn more. I didn't think it would happen after I left, but then I got your note and realized there was still hope. Your being here now with me is more than I could ever hope for.... Oh, Ruby, listen to me ramble on. I guess what I'm saying is I loved the person you were before and I love the person you are now and I recognize that they are not the same person but have many of the same qualities. So yes, a goddess would know that because until you arrived here in Rochester the deities were the only ones I could talk to about this." Ruby stops walking and looks off into the distance, out over the sparkling water. She says softly, "I know what you mean, about not having someone to talk to. Even my best friend back in Promise City, she... she can sometimes be naive. Or maybe I'm the naive one, I don't know." She turns to face George. "I listened to what you said too, to try to figure out what I want. And as I try to figure it out, well, I'm confused too." She takes George's hands in her. "I certainly don't regret coming here, it's been really wonderful and exciting and... and... surprising. I never thought you could do that to me." He wraps his arms around her waist and says, "Well then, why don't we continue to stay together and maybe some of our shared confusion will resolve itself." Ruby pauses and George starts to get nervous when she doesn't answer right away. Finally her arms find their way around his neck and he pulls her close to him, their bodies pressed together. With her trademark smile she whispers, "Yes, yes I think I would really like that... George Eastman. Let's find out what Aphrodite has in store of us, shall we?" She presses her lips to his and kisses him again. She tries to keep the emotions welling up inside her in check; they were in public after all. But the truth was, she didn't care. She wanted to kiss him, feel him against her, feel his strong arms around her, find if if the night before was a fluke or if it was real. If now that he had her, he still wanted her. Her kisses become more passionate, she can't help it. Her heart starts to pound again, her breathing quickens, just as it had while she was on the Tilt-a-Whirl. George was her own personal ride and she definitely wasn't ready to get off just yet. George becomes more conscious of their public surroundings and breaks the embrace they have found themselves in. He checks his watch and says, "Almost 5:00, time sure flies when you are having fun. Let's go find William." She says, "This was a wonderful idea. We'll have to come back again soon to enjoy this place. And you're right, time did certainly fly!" She takes his hand and lets him lead her towards where they said they would meet William. Ruby is happy and relaxed and lets George pull her along to their destination. William holds the door open and Ruby steps inside. George stays outside a moment longer and has a short conversation with William that Ruby does not hear. George then climbs into the carriage. "Everything okay?" Ruby asks once he's comfortably next to her. He replies, "Your parents turned down the dinner invitation for tonight. They indicated that they are too tired after holding their garden party. They are willing to come tomorrow evening if we are agreeable." Ruby clears her throat a couple of times. "Okay." She nervously twists her ring around her finger. "Think that is a good idea?" He replies, "I think that today has been a wonderful day and I have no regrets to going back to the house for a quiet evening with you rather than a potentially stressful time with your parents. Let's head back and we can look at those photographs that we took yesterday." Ruby smiles softly. "Sounds like a much better way to spend our time." She sits quietly for their trip home. They arrive home and George dismisses William for the evening. He leads Ruby back into the parlor where they had begun the previous night together, shutting the door behind them. He then takes from the leather satchel the prints of the five pictures they had taken the day before, spreading them out on the desk. The four of Ruby are of museum quality. The one that she took of George is slightly off-center but is in focus and a good representation of him. She says, "I didn't do too badly for my first time! I'd like to keep this one," she points to the one she took of George. "If that's okay. Which is your favorite?" He points to the one of Ruby attired only in her undergarments, not the silhouette version but the one of the sun shining on her and says "I am partial to this one, although it is not for public consumption. And yes, I agree, for a first effort you did quite well. I'll have you turned into a master photographer before you know it." She says, Of course not, we took that picture just for you. And I imagine with you as my teacher I could learn a lot. But I think there are things you can learn from me too." "Such as?" he asks. She says, "Well, there is singing, I could teach you about that, although you seem to know something about that already. And dancing, except you were pretty good at that too..." Ruby takes a few steps closer to George, so she is standing right next to him. "I could teach you how to play cards and gamble, drink to excess among other things." She takes one more small step until she is standing in his space. "Of course there is," she lowers her voice, "Magic. And the best of all, all about..." and then she whispers into his ear, "Making love." She steps away from him but just a small amount, "Maybe that one we can practice together." He wraps his arms around her and says, "Yes, let's do that." "Right now darling?" she laughs lightly as she throws her arms around his neck. "Let's have a dance first, practice second. What do you think?" He wraps his arms around her tighter and says, "Ah, but we have no music to dance to." She looks into his eyes and says seriously, “Who needs music?” before she laughs and pulls him into a semi-dancing position. Ruby starts them off but it isn’t long before George is leading them in a twirling, swirling dance around the parlor. Attempting to avoid the furniture while laughing and kissing is not as easy as they thought and they keep bumping into tables and the couch but it just elicits more laughter. George keeps Ruby pulled tight to him and attempts a few times to kiss her neck. She playfully pushes him away and insists on finishing their dance. He spins them quickly then dips Ruby low, so low her hair hangs freely and hits the floor. He keeps them in that position with Ruby laughing and smiling up at him. Suddenly his face turns serious. “You are so beautiful,” he says, sounding completely genuine, almost as if seeing her for the first time. After staring at him for a long moment Ruby pulls George to her for a kiss. He can’t hold the awkward pose and they both topple onto the floor where they start laughing again. Laughs turn into kisses, which turns into a more urgent passion and before they know it hours go by before they exhaustedly use their last bit of energy and climb onto the couch.</blockquote>

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