The next few days were spent in any number of spontaneous activities. While the rain poured down outside, Everett and Una did an impromptu dance party in their hotel room, and they sang their favourite songs and invented crazy moves and Everett picked up Una and spun her around as their grand finale.
They frequented the buffet. It turned out the hotel had an all-day buffet, and very few people were using it when it wasn't officially mealtime. They enjoyed sampling all the snacks and Una discovered a new favourite key lime tart. One time at the buffet, Una and Everett even struck up a conversation with another young couple who were there on a business trip, and had planned to make a vacation out of it too before the rain came down. The other young couple loved movies too, and Everett and Una said later to each other that they might never have met if it hadn't been raining and they hadn't been the only people in the buffet room.
They spent a lot of time in the swimming pool - "I got to spend my vacation swimming after all!" Una said happily. She and Everett tossed a ball around in the water, splashed each other, and tried to see who could hold their breath for the longest underwater.
On one of the days, Una and Everett braved the rain just long enough to get a taxi to a shopping centre. They spent the whole day there, eating a delicious lunch of chicken salad in a small cafe lined with indoor palm trees. Una bought a lot of new dresses and jewelery, and Everett found a video camera and a some new board and card games.
"Do you want a game day tomorrow?" he asked her, holding up the games with a grin.
Una gave him her best you're-on smile. "Let's do it!"
So the next day was spent doing just that.
Una and Everett had the most fun week they had had in a long time, and almost none of it was spent doing what they had intended when they'd booked a weeklong honeymoon in Florida. On the second-to-last night, as Everett tuned into the weather forecast for the next morning before he and Una turned in for the night, he found himself thinking it really didn't matter what the weather did tomorrow.
"The rain isn't going to be as heavy tomorrow," he told Una, who was stretched out on the hotel bed reading a magazine. "But it's still going to last all day."
"Oh, good," Una replied with a smile. "Because there's one thing we haven't done on this trip yet - splash in puddles!"
They frequented the buffet. It turned out the hotel had an all-day buffet, and very few people were using it when it wasn't officially mealtime. They enjoyed sampling all the snacks and Una discovered a new favourite key lime tart. One time at the buffet, Una and Everett even struck up a conversation with another young couple who were there on a business trip, and had planned to make a vacation out of it too before the rain came down. The other young couple loved movies too, and Everett and Una said later to each other that they might never have met if it hadn't been raining and they hadn't been the only people in the buffet room.
They spent a lot of time in the swimming pool - "I got to spend my vacation swimming after all!" Una said happily. She and Everett tossed a ball around in the water, splashed each other, and tried to see who could hold their breath for the longest underwater.
On one of the days, Una and Everett braved the rain just long enough to get a taxi to a shopping centre. They spent the whole day there, eating a delicious lunch of chicken salad in a small cafe lined with indoor palm trees. Una bought a lot of new dresses and jewelery, and Everett found a video camera and a some new board and card games.
"Do you want a game day tomorrow?" he asked her, holding up the games with a grin.
Una gave him her best you're-on smile. "Let's do it!"
So the next day was spent doing just that.
Una and Everett had the most fun week they had had in a long time, and almost none of it was spent doing what they had intended when they'd booked a weeklong honeymoon in Florida. On the second-to-last night, as Everett tuned into the weather forecast for the next morning before he and Una turned in for the night, he found himself thinking it really didn't matter what the weather did tomorrow.
"The rain isn't going to be as heavy tomorrow," he told Una, who was stretched out on the hotel bed reading a magazine. "But it's still going to last all day."
"Oh, good," Una replied with a smile. "Because there's one thing we haven't done on this trip yet - splash in puddles!"
Una, Everett, and Kaitlyn had dinner at a nice restaurant. As they ate, Una asked, "So, Kaitlyn, what are you majoring in?" Kaitlyn replied, "Well, I'm a biology major. I'm hoping to be a veterinarian." Una said, "You're an animal lover. That's great!" Kaitlyn said, "Yes, I've always been an animal lover. How about you?" Una replied, "Well, I always wanted a dog, but my mother is highly allergic. With that being said, I'm so busy with acting, I'm not sure I'd have time for one now." Kaitlyn said, "That's true. Dogs do require a lot of attention. I'm hoping to get one after I finish with veterinary school and get more settled." Everett smiled as he listened to Una and Kaitlyn's conversation. He was happy to see that they were getting along so well. He thought, This is wonderful. I think it'll work if Una and I decide to get married.
THE END
THE END
"What do you mean?" Una once again prepared to listen. Everett replied, "While my immediate family was supportive of my dream to go into film editing, not everyone was kind. Lots of people told me that I couldn't do it: most of my schoolmates, some teachers, even my extended family." She said, "How awful!" He said, "I know, but I didn't let that keep me down. My father even told me that I should go for it, no matter what anyone says. I looked at different film schools, and I got accepted into one that is fairly close to where I grew up. Upon graduating, I started preparing to go to film school. I started that fall, and I got a job at the local diner to help my parents cover the apartment rent." Una added, "And that's where we met." Everett smiled. "Yes, Una. My life only got brighter from there." She said, "Aw! I say the same to you, Everett." With that, they kissed.
Some time later, Una and Everett were settled in a cozy small cafe eating sandwiches and sipping pumpkin spice lattes while foil cutouts of cute ghosts and pumpkins hung from the walls around them.
"Thanks again, Una," Everett said after a time. "I just... I don't like small spaces very much."
Una smiled at him and reached across the table to touch his hand. "Hey, you saved my life once. It's time I saved yours."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a bit, enjoying this much calmer stage of their Halloween celebrations. Una was first to break it.
"I can't believe we solved a real mystery! I can't wait to go home and tell Mother what the secret of the haunted house is."
"Yes," Everett smiled at her. "The secret is my talented actress and her ghost impression."
Una beamed.
"Thanks again, Una," Everett said after a time. "I just... I don't like small spaces very much."
Una smiled at him and reached across the table to touch his hand. "Hey, you saved my life once. It's time I saved yours."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a bit, enjoying this much calmer stage of their Halloween celebrations. Una was first to break it.
"I can't believe we solved a real mystery! I can't wait to go home and tell Mother what the secret of the haunted house is."
"Yes," Everett smiled at her. "The secret is my talented actress and her ghost impression."
Una beamed.
