Outside their cabin was a large tree that overlooked the lake. A wooden swing hung from one of the high branches and Wil found Lily swinging the next morning instead of lying in bed next to him. He threw on some clothes and headed out the door when a patch of orange tiger lilies caught his eye 20 yards away. He knew it would be tacky to pick them, but he did it anyway arriving at the wooden swing with a handful of blooms for his new bride.
“Good morning, beautiful!” he said offering the flowers. Good morning, indeed.
“You’re rotten, you know that.” She said as Wil’s smile stretched from ear to ear.
“Renting a pontoon sounds like a fun way to get out on the lake and still be lazy too,” Wil told Lily. “Are you up for it?”
“Sure! I’ve actually never been out on a boat, so I’m up for it!” Lily said.
“Really?” Wil wondered if this was a good idea since his new wife was pretty daggone pregnant.
“You sure? You don’t think you’ll get seasick?”
“Well, it’s a lake and not the sea,” Lily laughed, “And pontoons don’t go too fast, do they?”
“Nah, not too fast,” Wil said, “We’ll take it easy.”
“Great, then I’ll pack up the cooler and we can head over to pick up a rental!”
“I’ll grab some sunscreen and towels, then put on my trunks!” Wil said as he and his bride headed back inside the cabin.
In the kitchen, Lily filled the cooler with bottles of water and soda. She hadn’t mentioned to Wil how much she appreciated the groceries he picked up just for her. Earlier, Lily had brewed some green tea and put it in the fridge to pour over ice later in the day. He was such a thoughtful man, one she didn’t feel she deserved, but was certainly grateful for.
They took the pickup truck around the lake to the boat rental. A portly gentleman in a dirty white tank top and cargo shorts, came out of the dock store and greeted them. He told Wil his name was Teddy and that they had some pontoons left to rent for the day, Wil just had to choose which one he wanted.
“There are three available, Sir. Would you rather take out The Play Buoy, The Filthy Oar or A Piece of Ship?”
“Well aren’t those clever boat names, Teddy,” he said looking back at Lily who was trying not to laugh.
“Named ‘em myself!” Teddy scratched his head and the newlyweds weren’t sure if he was proud of his punny boat names or if he was just enjoying the joke alongside of them.
Lily pointed at The Play Buoy primarily because it was black and pink. Wil just laughed and went with her decision. They were all the same kind of boats, just different colors.
After a few minutes of direction from the manager, Wil was set to take her out on the water. He got Lily comfortable and went back to the truck to bring down the cooler and other items they had packed for the day.
“I wish you’d let me help you, you know I can carry things that are light and it doesn’t hurt me one bit to walk,” she said to him as he exited the ramp toward their truck.
“No ma’am, don’t you remember the part about obeying from the other day?” she shooed him away as he told her to “sit and stay” as if she were a puppy dog.
They got out on the lake and the sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky. Lily laid back in the front of the boat with her feet propped up, flip-flops kicked to the side, a white floppy hat keeping the sun off her face, and a teal sundress covering her bathing suit. She pulled the canvas tote closer to her so she could reach the bottle of sunscreen. She lathered up covering every inch of her body, waiting until they were farther out on the lake to completely remove the sundress.
Prior to the pregnancy, Lily wasn’t a bit shy in a swimsuit. She had always been skinny and never self-conscious. Wil could tell as her stomach grew that she became more and more aware, even trying to hide herself from him. What could he say though? They were still teenagers and she had a right to be shy about her body. Wil assumed that even couples who had been married for years and years, like his parents, were still not completely comfortable around one another all of the time. Or at least it made him feel better to think so.
Lily took off her hat and her hair got caught in the breeze covering her face with the chestnut strands. She slid her Jackie O’ sunglasses back on her face and pulled her hair out of her eyes.
“I have married myself a movie star,” Wil said soft enough that his bride could barely hear. “She’s a freaking goddess and she has me completely and utterly bewitched.”
He continued to steer the boat into the open water away from any others out on the lake that day. The sun peeked out right behind Lily and when he looked up her silhouette appeared so clear. The outline of her perfect body showed her perky breasts practically spilling out of the black bikini top which probably fit better a few months prior to today and her slender body protruded a small pooch at her midsection making it obvious she was pregnant. The pink bikini bottoms still tied at her waist and fit her perfectly.
It just occurred to him that she matched the boat. Wil let out a chuckle that got Lily’s attention.
“What are you giggling at back there?” she said raising the brim of her hat so she could see him.
“I see why you picked this boat now,” he said pointing at her swimsuit.
“What?” she looked down at herself, “Pink is my favorite color! And this boat has the stupidest name!”
The both laughed again and Wil anchored the boat so they could float for a little while out in the open and then went over to sit by Lily. He slipped his tank top over his head and Lily grabbed the bottle of sunscreen.
“I know you hate it, but you have to have some too,” she told him getting ready to slather him from head to toe.
“Yes I do hate it and I won’t burn, but I’m not in the mood to argue with a beautiful woman,” he said raising his arms so she could cover him in lotion.
“Some of us aren’t lucky enough to tan as easily as you do,” she said running her hands up and down his arms and then around to his back. His shoulder muscles flexed as he leaned toward her so she could reach all of him. “But we gotta protect this skin of yours, cause I really like looking at it.”
Working at the station certainly kept Wil in good shape. He’d help every time heavy parts needed to be moved or unloaded and even helped heave an engine out of a car a time or two. Not to mention the work out he’d get just servicing cars in the fueling line: bending and shifting, airing up tires and checking and refilling oil and other fluids. Lily circled around him to his front.
“I need a kiss before you slather that goo all over my face,” he said reaching down for her mouth. Biting her blushing pink lips, she reached up to meet his and sweetly kissed her husband.
“I love you darling,” he told her, “So please don’t get that sunscreen in my eyes.”
She swatted him and gently rubbed the SPF 30 on his face, being careful not to get it in his eyes or on his lips.
“I have ChapStick for those,” she said rubbing his bottom lip with her thumb. Working her way south, she made sure to get the lotion rubbed in everywhere. It was a nice excuse to explore the toned abs and ‘V’ muscles that traced into his swim trunks.
“As much as I’m enjoying this, I think you’ve got me covered,” he said sitting down on the seat and propping his own feet up.
She tossed his pair of black Ray Bans toward him and he put them on leaning his head back to continue soaking in the rays.
“We need to talk about what we want to do when we go back to reality,” he said to Lily. She got them both drinks and snacks out of the cooler and put them on the small table before sitting down.
It was clear that bringing up this conversation had struck a chord. She started avoiding eye contact with Wil and instead staying seated on the bench beside him to eat their snacks, she immediately got up and stood at the edge of the boat looking out onto the water.
“What do you mean exactly? What we want to do?” she asked taking a bite of a carrot stick and deflected the conversation she had tried to initiate with him before.
“Well as much as I’m enjoying this, we have to start being adults when we get home,” he said letting out a little chuckle.
“We can’t even talk about it without laughing, Wil, come on,” she knew what he meant, but they both were young and reality was not something either of them wanted to face.
“You know the original station is in Spring City,” he said reaching over and taking her feet in his hands. “Mom graciously offered the apartment over the garage for us to use for as long as we need to.”
“I will live anywhere, I just want to be with you,” she said, knowing full well that the apartment above the station was far better than any home she’s ever known.
“My parents have also agreed that I’d stay on payroll and move up to a manager of that location, provided I start college on time in August, now come back over here so I can rub your swollen feet” he said. Lily sighed and went back to sit by her husband. Wil massaged the bottom of her feet, squeezing and squishing each of her toes with his fingers. “I know that this all seems quick, and I’ll be in school during the day and working at night, while you’ll be at home with the baby, but I know they want what is best for us. They want to make sure I have a future, despite the non-traditional road we have chosen.”
“I want that too,” Lily said really enjoying the foot rub Wil was providing, “It just sounds like a whole lot of not seeing you.”
“If it’s what you want us to do, I will only take the minimum number of hours to be a full-time student the first semester, and I promise to devote as much time as I can for both you and the baby,” he said the words as if she needed convincing. Lily didn’t have a dog in this fight. Wil’s family was taking care of this situation much better than anyone could. If he’d have left her, she’d be a single mother and still living with her parents and their own mess. She needed a fresh start and though it wasn’t ideal, this was it.
“Mom also wants to throw us some sort of housewarming, baby shower thingy when we get back since that didn’t happen before the wedding,” Wil said, trying to prepare Lily for what was to come.
“I feel like your mom is supportive and I’ll do whatever she wants,” Lily told him. “This is her grandchild too, I want him to have his grandparents in his life.”
“Him?” Wil said ignoring the rest of what Lily had just said.
“It’s just a guess, I took a quiz online and it said boy, so I’m referring to the baby as a him for now. And if it’s a she, I’ll apologize to her later,” she said rubbing the sides of her stomach. “I’ve also read about the stretch marks that are about to happen — and already happening — and how much bigger I’m going to get…”
Lily laid flat on her back against the warm seat on the boat, but continued to let Wil rub her feet. He had moved up to her calves now and squishing those leg muscles felt fabulous. It was nice to have a lazy day together. Wil often let Lily take it easy: pretty much every day since the day they found out she was pregnant, she had been taking it easy. His papa bear instincts had kicked in immediately and he was the protector of his wife and unborn child.
“So I guess I’ll call Ma this evening and tell her to go ahead with her plans for redoing the apartment and planning her party,” Wil said, secretly thankful that Lily was fine to go along with what his mother suggested.
“What does your dad say about all this?” Lily asked.
“Oh you know Pop, he doesn’t say much of anything until he absolutely has to…”
“But he’s okay with us moving in there? He’s okay with you managing that location? He’s okay with,” Wil sat up and cut her off.
“Honey, calm down,” Wil said, “Where is all of this coming from?”
“I know he hates me, I just know it,” Lily was obviously getting frustrated, “And he has good reason to, trailer trash coming in and messing up the plans for his first-born son, if he knew everything he’d have kicked me to the curb a long time ago, despite your wishes…”
Lily put her head in her hands and tears ran down her cheeks.
“Wait, what do you mean if he knew everything?” Wil scooted to the side of the seat so he could look her in the face. He reached down and pulled her chin up. “Talk to me, where is all this coming from?”
“After I found out I was pregnant, it was just a whirlwind, so much was happening so fast with school and the wedding and now we’re here, and I just, I should have told you before now.”