Sealed with a Kiss

Denver stepped from the tub in a state of undress, barring the white towel around his waist, he picked up his boots and laid back on the bed and examined them quite thoroughly, giving them the odd puff and buff with the edge of the bedcover.

"Nicely done Kid, you've earned your turn in the tub and there's plenty of hot water left in the barrel."

The kid stepped into the freshly warmed tub still wearing his tatty excuse for underpants, they looked more like a baby's nappy, Denver couldn't help but laugh. Still cautious of strangers bearing gifts, he slipped deep as he could into the tub, he'd only ever had experience with men who took advantage.

Denver understood his fear and gave him a comforting smile before closing his eyes and it wasn't long before he'd fallen asleep. He slipped into a dream and found himself sat below the bows of a Black Cherry Tree, with his back resting against the gnarly bark of its trunk, the perfume from its brilliant white blossom, told him that it was springtime and that he was back home in the south.

He heard the voice of an angel calling out his name.

"Denver, Barton Denver, are you awake?"

His heart began to race, and his mind exploded with youthful delight, for it was his childhood sweetheart, she'd finally found her way to him across the endless miles.

She danced across the meadow and leaped into his arms, once safely in his powerful, but gentle grip, they shared a lingering kiss, then slowly sank into the grassy glade, where they lay down together, staring passionately into each other's eyes. Without losing eye contact he gently undid her buttons and slipped her blouse around her shoulders to rest on her narrow waist. His body tingled from head to toe as his eyes transferred their gaze to view natures true heaven, then bowing low he caressed her neck with the tip of his tongue, kissing her softly all the way to her breast, where his lips came to rest and his burning passion left an impression of his lips upon her chest. Their eternal love was now sealed forever, in the shape of a kiss, an emblem she was destined to bear until death.

The half-hour he'd slept felt like a lifetime in her company, his heartfelt joy began to plummet as her beautiful effigy drifted away with the snow like cherry blossom, now falling from the tree, for in this reality their lovemaking had lasted a full season. He awoke to feel re-energized and full of an unbounded love of life and was surprised to see Jhonny smiling into space, with jaw dropped and head nodding in agreement, with an invisible friend.

Denver never said a word, just continued to watch with interest until his malaise had passed, which came, when in shock the kid blurted out.

"My God, did you see that?"

"See what?"

"You'll never believe me."

"When you've seen what I have Kid, there are few surprises."

"Well, this beautiful woman was floating in the air above your bed.

She looked like one of Tallula's Black Diamonds, but she was different."

"How?"

"Well for one, she was really classy and full of confidence, completely at ease, not all twitchy and suspicious.

And when she was leaving, she came over to me and whispered in my ear, I want you to give this message to Denver.

She bent down and kissed me leaving this mark on my chest."

"What was it?"

"The impression of her rosy red lips.

"And?"

"And, then without another word she disappeared."

Denver wanted more, but thinking it through, he came to terms with how she did it.

He also understood that there was more to this kid than meets the eye, it was becoming obvious that picking him from the crowd was no accident.

But there was no time to dwell as he heard a respectful knock on the door, which reminded him, that the kids clothing was here.

"Right Kid, it's time to get dressed for dinner, let's see what we can do with you."