No Words Were Necessary

No words were necessary (1202).

As John drove the car, with green fields either side of them, it buffeted in the wind, like a silver ball in a pin-ball machine.

‘Nearly there’ he said to Ami.

He had picked her up from her house in Newport, near the ornate bridge by the river, where there was a black cat on the mural, which they always touched whenever they passed, on their way to the many bustling, busy bars there.

John had not told her where he was whisking her off to. It frilled her not to know. All he had said to her, as though he was talking to a child, was, ‘It’s not too far’.

When they had got to Cardiff, she asked, in a little girl’s voice, ‘Daddy, are we there yet?’ whilst smirking a smile, which was as wicked as anything he had ever seen.

‘Oh, no, not yet’ he said, daring not to look into her beautiful brown eyes which had been continuing to mesmerise him now for two years.

She recalled the magical night they had met in the pub. As they had stood, poles apart, one end of the long bar to the other, their eyes meeting magnetically, merging into one, to the sound of Erasure’s ‘Blue Savanah’ in the background.

John drove up a slight rise and there it was in front of them – the sea.  It was alive.

It akin to a vast white and grey, frothy blank canvas, which was moving of its own accord. Crashing onto the flat rocks and cliff which jutted spectacularly out either side of the road.

‘Oh, my goodness’ Ami gasped, at the breath-taking scene.

John parked-up. There was only one other car there.

‘Fancy a walk?’ he said, smiling, happy that he could see the joy in her eyes.

He got the Aldi mutton like bag from the boot and presently walked down to the large boulder, sandy beach, via a few steps and went onto the path, to the right.

To their left, they could see surfers, riding the crest of the crashing waves, as though on top of the world before they dipped down into the natural trough to emerge again, incredibly still standing.

‘Wow, it must be exhilarating!’ Ami gasped in awed admiration, smiling, as a long strand of her dark hair fluttered over the side of her lips to find a resting place at the corner of her mouth. The same mouth which John had dared to kiss on that first night. The thrill of which had never left him.

His left arm dropped down and then, just like the first time they had been alone, her delicate hand naturally, gently, softly, fitted into his. It had been like a bolt of electricity for him, making him feel all mushy inside – for the very first time.

Carefully they tread along the path. Ensuring that they were not blown off. To their right was the granite like Limestone cliff face. All craggy and imposing.

They went on, where to the left of them fossilised round Ammonites could be found and also bones of dinosaurs had been discovered. It was like they were in their own land that time had forgot.

There was a handrail either side now as they climbed up, almost being able to touch the jutting out sharp looking finger of rock on their right. It felt like they were climbing their own Mount Everest.

The path wound around, like a cork-screw. Higher and higher they went – akin to their love for one another, as he tightened his gentle grip on Ami.

They instinctively stopped at one point. Looking out to their left. Towards the still crashing sea below where the surfers appeared as small as ants. In the distance they could see England’s coast. The outline traced in and out as the sun briefly burnt away the cloud.

‘That must be Weston’, John said, pointing, ‘I think I can just make out the pier’.

He daren’t kiss her. Just daren’t as they would never have moved from that spot. Somehow, he resisted the temptation and basked in the natural beauty of Mary and their surroundings.

‘Are we there yet?’ she playfully asked again, smirking.

He grinned and tutted – marvelling at her youthful, playfulness, marvelling at the fact she had not changed a bit.

They continued, with each step, nearing the top.

Finally, as he looked down at her, with his hand held out, almost helping her up, they had both reached their destination.

The rock.

‘Here we are babe’ he said as they stood there, like the Statue of Liberty jutting out in the water.

‘Oh my God Johnny’, she cried, lost for words.

It was a spectacular sight, as the sun had his hat on and the clouds had finally dispersed. To Their left, in the distance they could see both Severn bridges which spanned England and Wales. To their right, was the coastline which went all the way towards the famed Mumbles of lava bread and cockles. The greying white Bristol Channel moved apace, lapping, crashing down below onto the beach. Far out there were a few ships carrying containers and other materials, going at a snail’s pace. The sea and sky merged into one white blur and they could almost have touched the sun.

 They felt as though they were on top of the world.

‘It’s breath-taking’ Ami could hardly say, bowled over, by the stunning scenery.

Then a flock of dark birds whizzed by, and in an instant, they were gone.

Presently they sat down on the wooden bench there. John produced sandwiches and of course, poured hot tea from a flask.

As Ami cupped her hands around the plastic cup she said, ‘Oh, that’s better’, taking in the sip of the medicinal brown liquid, as though it was a magic potion.

John had his one arm around her, cwtching her into him. Her smaller body fitted snugly into his tall frame, as her long dark hair easily fell down from his left shoulder.

‘Cheers’, he said, their cups touching, as the wind died down.

 She just got Johnny. He just wanted the simple but most precious of things; to be loved.

After a while, Johnny put his cup to one side, bent down to face Ami’s beautiful, still young face and mesmerising smile, which would melt any man.

With passionate fire raging inside of him, he managed to utter, ‘Ami, I love you with all my heart…Will you do me the great honour of marrying me?’.

His heart raced, faster than any wave which crashed onto the rocks below, louder than any drum which beat in an orchestra, as time stood still.

Ami was totally taken by surprise! Her face flushed with happiness and absolute delight, lighting-up the whole sky.

It seemed like an age – tick, tick, tick.

Five minutes, five hours but it was only five seconds before Ami eagerly responded.

‘Of course, I will, my love’, she replied, kneeling down to cup Johnny’s face in her hands, before bending down to gently kiss his lips.

They stayed there for an age. On the rock. Drinking Tea. With their fire burning. No words were necessary…

26/04/20.