One Shot -- Part 13: Moonlight Serenade -screen_writer-

Along with this being my first time seeing the ocean, this was also the first time I had stayed in a hotel. There was a few times when Lacy Merchant let me stay at the Inn she ran in back in Windmill Glen. I got to stay there for free; those were the times that my mother was really bad. Lacy was one of the people who were on my side. Anyhow, the hotel wasn’t a five star hotel or anything like that, but it was a dream for me. Most of the time it’s the little things that matter. The hotel was located on the boardwalk, and our room had a balcony, which overlooked the ocean. I was living a fantasy. Ace must have thought me strange, because I was in awe of everything. It was just that I couldn’t believe I was actually here.

Ace treated Allie, and I to a wonderful dinner. After that we played mini golf (there must have been a mini golf park on every corner in Ocean City), and then drove up Coastal Highway into Delaware. It was a wonderful late night drive; no other cars were on the road, just the asphalt shimmering in the cars headlights. Allie was wide-awake; I guess it was that we were somewhere different. Thank goodness too; because once we crossed back into Maryland, I wanted to take a late night saunter on the boardwalk.

It was about midnight when we started our stroll. There were a few stragglers walking around us, but for the most part the night was ours. Few words were spoken as we walked. I was enjoying my surroundings, Allie was enjoying her soda, and Ace I’m guessing was enjoying watching me. We past by a restaurant, which was named Ricardo’s; inside there was an all night dance a-thon going on. From what I could see in the windows, there were mainly older couples slow dancing. It looked so wonderful though. “Summer Wind” by Frank Sinatra, flowed gently from the restaurant. I stood watching the happy couple’s slow dance for a few moments, dreaming that one-day I hoped that would be me. Then Ace came up behind me, and put his arm around me. I took his hand, and pressed it lightly against my cheek. I was in love… that’s all there was to it.

We walked down an ally way that ran in between Ricardo’s restaurant, and a hotdog stand. The ally led to a pier, which jetted out about thirty yards into the ocean. The three of us walked out to the end. Allie stayed back from the edge, and held her arms out acting like she was trying to keep her balance. I knew she was just being a ham; she was giggling the whole time.

Ace and I sat on the edge. I daggled my legs over the side; my toes were only inches from the sweet smelling salt water. The moonlight made our surrounding look surreal. The sand on the beach looked like golden silk in the blue shadows of the moon, the ocean looked like blue diamonds shimmering, and the stars were magnificent. “Chances Are” by Johnny Mathis echoed from Ricardo’s dance marathon. Far out in the ocean, green and red lights flashed from the tops of the water markers. It’s funny how looking at these red and green lights can bring peace and calm to your soul.

Another thing about Ace that I came to love, was that he knew when to talk, and he knew when to be quiet. He sat there in silence, letting me enjoy, what to me, was obviously Heaven. At least… I couldn’t imagine Heaven being any different. We sat in silence for a few minutes. And when I finally spoke, “Moonlight Bay” by Doris Day played from Ricardo’s.

“Thank you Ace.” I said. He just smiled. He looked remarkable in the moonlight. “I’m never going to forget this Ace. Once this is over, and we’re back in Windmill Glen, I know this is going to be a memory that’s always going to put a smile on my face.”

“I’m glad you like it.” He said.

“Like it… I LOVE it. I’ve never felt like this before. My childhood is filled… FILLED with terrible memories. And it hurts. I think about my childhood a lot… Especially at night when I’m lying in bed; that’s my time to think, and for the most part, that’s what I think about. My childhood. I try hard to use my imagination to make the past better, but… not even the best mind could do that.” I looked up at the stars, which filled the sky, and continued, “Oh how I want a better past.” Then I looked back at Ace, and said, This… this…” I looked down at the water, and chuckled, and then tried to continue, “This… I can’t even tell you what I’m feeling. I can’t put it into words.”

I looked back up at Ace. He was staring at me intently, and said, “My God… I just fell in love with you.”

We shared another kiss.

“Hey”, I said, “When you first came into Tess’s Candy Shop you asked for an application to work there.” Ace smiled a sly smile. I continued, “Why did you want to work at the Candy Shop if you already had a good job working for your father?” I think I knew what his answer would be.

Ace said, “Well… to tell you the truth, I just came in to get a pack of gum, but then I saw you, and… well… I just had to start a conversation with you somehow.”

And with that came another kiss.

The rest of the night – or should I say morning – we spent in Ricardo’s restaurant on the beach, watching the older couples dance. Allie fell asleep at the table, in front of her bowl of ice cream. Ace and I sat, hand in hand, watching couples dance. I’m sure he was thinking the same thing I was…

And as the couples danced to Glen Miller’s, “Moonlight Serenade” Ace and I sat at our table and dreamed.

To Be Continued…

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