Whispers in the Water

My story begins about four years ago…. 1

During that year, a lot happened to me. My life changed for the better and for the worse, but mostly for the better. It was the year of 2004 and that summer I will never forget for the rest of my life. It was the year that I met Mark, the love of my life.2

My name is Cassandra, or Cass as my friends call me. I had just gotten out of college and I was ready to pave my way into the business world. Having gotten my bachelor in business and wanting to get some experience under my belt, I got a job working as a manager for a photography studio. My first few weeks working was a trying experience because there were things that I was way over my head in, but I find that’s the best way to learn is to get your feet wet, so to speak.3

After I had worked there for a month, I met Mark, a photographer that had made quite an impression on the owner of the business. While he praised him for his unique shots and stunning detail, I was the one that saw that he really didn’t arrive promptly to his own shoots and he was very lax about his future. He and I sparked from the start and we disagreed about a lot of things.4

But eventually, he and I reached a mutual agree to disagree since neither of us could convince each other of the superior way of doing things. As the months went on, I began to see his way of doing things. He believed that everything was in the moment and sometimes it’s best to not worry about what the future would bring and enjoy what you had. Granted, his photography surely showed that. They depicted times where you could watch a sunset and never go weary of it or watching a child play hopscotch. These pictures were the first things that attracted me to him.5

Yet I resisted, as I always did with temptation. One night when I had a girls’ night with my friends, each of us was talking about our current guys (or guys that we would want to be with) and I got asked if anyone was new in my life. I told them about Mark and how his carefree lifestyle was something that really endeared me to him, however I told them that it wasn’t going to happen.6

“Cass…” Angela scolded me “You never know when temptation will come around.” She shrugged. “Maybe it’s time that you took a chance.” Her eyes glinted with amusement. “Besides, him being your opposite might be the best thing for you. You know what they say about opposites attract…” She smiled.7

I couldn’t disagree with her line of thought and yet I didn’t know that he was attracted to me as well. Well, I didn’t have to ask, because he asked me out that Friday to the Congo restaurant in town. Even though I thought that I really shouldn’t, I guess that Angela’s words must have resounded in me and I said yes.8

I didn’t know what to expect from that night, but Mark really surprised me. Without the professional barrier between us, I was able to understand his desire to live in the moment and his joy to capture it in his photography. He was a true and creative romantic that encompassed tenderness and passion in a form that made me just a little envious. But one thing about him truly stood out in my mind that night.9

As he was walking me back to my car, it started to rain and I hastily unlocked my car and tried to get inside before it rained. He stopped me with a hand on my arm and I looked up into his eyes. He took my hand and had me look up to the sky. As the first raindrops fell on the ground and my body, he whispered in my ear “The most romantic time for me is in the rain” and he kissed me. 10

That kiss, along with the raindrops falling on me, was the most stimulating time I can ever remember and I couldn’t stop kissing him. I never wanted the time to end, and in that moment, I knew exactly why he lived in the moment.11

A few months later, Mark invited me for a weekend camping trip up on Gilad’s peak. He said that it would be good for the both of us, him to get new nature shots and for me to get away from everything. Work could be disastrous if done for too long. I tended to get obsessed and lost in it and he wanted to see me again outside of my environment. I couldn’t help but be a little nervous at the thought of spending a entire trip with him away from everything that I knew.12

After camping on the base of the peak, we hiked for most of the day until he took my hand and told me to close my eyes. I asked why and he said that I had to trust him. With any other person, I would have resisted, but I closed my eyes as he guided me down the path. 13

He had me open my eyes and I stood struck by the beauty of this magnificent waterfall in front of me. We were far enough away that I hadn’t heard it. He gently closed my mouth that I didn’t know I had opened and drew me into a kiss. “I want to show you something” he said and he took my hand. As we got closer to the waterfall, he took me to a cave that was partially hidden by brush.14

The cave entrance took us directly behind the waterfall and the sight was entrancing. There was a pool directly behind the waterfall and the shimmering water beckoned He took off my pack and had me sit down on the rock ledge, taking off my sandals. The rock that I was sitting down on was close enough to the waterfall that droplets were falling on me, but it was far enough away that I wasn’t engulfed by the waterfall. 15

He looked up into my eyes and his look reflected the shining water and he looked almost predatory. He told me to relax and he drew a foot out of the water and slowly kissed the ridge of my right foot and then took my toes one by one and sucked them. The feeling was so erotic that I was growing warm inside and I looked deep into his eyes and I knew in that moment, he had planned this time for us since we had that night at the Congo Restaurant. The water was a special time for us.16

As he worked his way up to my inner thighs and then bit softly on it. I was so entranced by his touch that I had my eyes closed when he nibbled on my thigh and I opened my eyes and gasped. I reached for him and the clothes stripped from us like the water sluicing down our bodies. 17

As we joined together, it was such an intimate moment that it felt like the world stopped. But time resumed and we rocked back and forth. The water surrounding us felt like little tongues across my body and the water seemed to heat up with our lovemaking and sizzle between us. 18

We rocked back and forth faster and faster, each of us wanting to complete the other’s pleasure until we crested and jumped off the cliff of orgasm. Tied to each other, we held each other for hours it seemed. I’ve never met a man before that gave me such mind-blowing passion. We gathered our things and headed down the cliffs to our camp.19

That time was something that I would never forget for the rest of my life. However, it was the one time that will always strike close to my heart in tragedy as well. As we were traveling down the cliff, the ground trembled and Mark, being the expert hiker, looked up and pushed me out of the rock slide that was right on top of us. I rolled and got to safety, however, Mark got crushed by the rocks that were meant for me.20

Shock hit me first and I couldn’t believe that he was crushed. I removed a few rocks and I was able to find him. He tried to comfort me as best as he could and he whispered to me the last thing he ever said “Find me in the rain” and the light faded from his eyes. 21

I screamed my anguish and walked away half-mad with grief. I got down to my camp and the ranger showed up trying to find the cause of my distress. I told him that my love, Mark, was crushed by a rock slide. He was able to get help and removed Mark’s body and returned him to his family for burial.22

I didn’t do anything for an entire week and then I tried returning to work. It helped for awhile and then I kept getting sick in the morning. I went to the doctor and she informed me that I was about a month pregnant. I walked out of that office feeling mixed emotions. Wonder at this small being living inside of me and grief at the man that helped me create it and him not being around to share in the joy of its creation.23

As if the weather sensed my turmoil, the clouds darkened and rain began to pour down on me. I stood still and remembered our time in the rain and as if my thoughts summoned him, I heard him whispering in the rain. “Be happy, Cass. Our child couldn’t have a better mother. Remember me whenever it rains and I will come to you. You will never lose me in spirit.” He said and then the skies lightened and the storm passed.24

So every time it rains, I wait to hear him whispering in the rain.