Two swallows were chirping, playing, and washing themselves in a puddle of water left over from the brief rainstorm that morning. Spencer looked down at his watch and saw the big hand tick on twelve while the smaller hand was already on there. He answered June’s question and told her the time. She thanked him while he poured the coals into a grill owned by the park, better known as Griggs Reservoir or as Esmeralda called it The River.
Griggs Reservoir was a dam for the Scioto River, which had a park to run along the side of it. Amongst two defined parking lots for cars were shelters for picnics, benches for people, and a path for runners or dog walkers. Ducks and Canadian Geese crowded the entranceway quacking for bread, popcorn, or an assortment of other foods provided by the human visitors. Many people fed the fowls in spite of the multiple signs stating not too.
Oak trees dotted the grass providing shade from the sun during the summer. Although most people stayed in the south side of the park, some ventured under a bridge to the quiet north side. There were fewer benches and places to eat but most went because of nature and the time with family and friends.
Settled on top of a sloping hill a couple, although labeled as friends, placed the items for their picnic excursion planned only the night before. Spencer poured the lighter fluid in a grill while June prepared the table with a blue and white pastel dinner cloth. He knew the car was safe, parked about a quarter mile down the street in an unused parking lot. A giant oak tree provided shade, while he sniffed in the air and let out a refreshing sigh.
“I love the rain,” Spencer said.
“Why?”
“Because when it leaves the air always smells fresh and clean. Like its nature’s way of purifying our polluted air.”
“Whatever you say,” June said and begun to hum a pop song. Spencer didn’t know the words, but enjoyed hearing the melodies stream from her mouth. He felt as if it were a dream and dared no one to wake him. A few more songbirds joined in the small puddle and the chirping increased with intensity. Spencer tossed a lit match onto the coals and watched the fire spring up like an overheated geyser.
“That’s one prodigious flame you got there.”
“Yeah,” Spencer responded. He could never figure out why she had to use big words, but it didn’t bother him much.
“What’cha do, empty the entire bottle,” June snickered. They laughed and continued preparing for the picnic.
The medicine and soup Spencer received earlier that morning must have worked a miracle since he felt great when he woke up. He was tired, but decided to use the time wisely and prepare for the picnic. He wanted to surprise June in a special way. Spencer wrote in his laptop and went to a flower shop. The careful writer returned without anyone noticing his departure and hid the items he had obtained. Spencer returned to his bed as if he had never left and fell asleep.
June woke him up a few hours later with a loud “Buenos días, senor” in her silky blue and silver pajamas. He helped June prepare the picnic basket and bought the small bag that he had prepared earlier. Spencer placed two steaks on the grill while holding in his excitement for the surprise he was going to give her later that day.
“Hmm, smells tov,” June said while placing her head on his left arm.
“Tov?”
“Yeah tov. Tov is good in Hebrew.”
“Okay, than these steaks smell tov.”
June smiled. “What are they?”
“It’s Porterhouse,” he responded.
“Porterhouse, that’s expensive, isn’t it?”
“Nothing’s too expensive for you.” June let out the cutest giggle Spencer had ever heard and kissed him on the cheek.
“We got coleslaw, potato salad, sweet beans, and warm macaroni,” June said while pulling the food out of the tan and brown wicker basket. “Anything we left in the car?”
Spencer stopped applying the season salt to the steaks and looked over on the table. “Yeah, the drinks.”
“I’ll get it…”
“No, no let me,” Spencer said. He walked around to the opposite side of the table June was standing and pulled out the second small bag. “You finish placing these items, and I’ll go get the juice.” June agreed and walked around to the bag while Spencer made his way to the car. He made sure to walk as fast as possible so he could not receive her reaction until he returned with the juice. In his mind, it made it looks like the gesture was no big deal, when in reality it was everything.
Spencer hummed the same tune that June had planted in his mind from earlier while he opened the trunk to acquire the cooler containing two 2-liter sodas. He placed the cooler on the ground, closed the trunk, and turned around to stare down the barrel of a handgun. Sweat formed on his brow as his heart continued to race faster and faster with each passing second.
“So you’re the one.” Spencer heard a voice but only paid attention to the gun.
