Touch Me Once by Anne Kyle

all their oysters, so I was hoping that you might have a table for one.”
    “There’s no fool like an old fool. You play your cards right, and I’ll make it a table for two,” she said and gave Charlie a wink. “You go on inside and get yourself a table, I’ll join you in a minute. Alex, I know it’s been a long time but I’m sure you remember the way to your table out back. You two go on, and I’ll put your order in. I assume you’ll be having the usual.”
    “Yep, oysters, and keep ‘ em coming. I’ll have a Bud in the can, and the lady will have…” Alex left me an opening to order.
    “I’ll have a Bud in the can , too, and keep ‘em coming.”
    Alex led me out of the back door , where we almost ran into a man holding a big shovel full of steaming oysters. The view from the back of the restaurant was magnificent. We were surrounded by marsh, and a tidal creek flowed with a small amount of water as it waited for the incoming tide. Alex led me to a table like the ones inside, with a hole in the middle and a trash can under the hole to catch oyster shells.
    “What you did for Charlie was very nice,” I said to Alex as we sat down next to each other and looked out over the marsh.
    “It’s no big deal. I couldn’t just let him sit out there in the car. Him being able to smell all of this good food and not able to eat would’ve just been cruel. I do hope you don’t mind that I didn’t ask him to join us.”
    “Not at all,” I told him. “Being nice is one thing, but I don’t think we need a chaperone.”
    Miss Margaret brought us a bucket with six cans of beer nestled in ice. She pulled two of them out, popped the tops, and set them down in front of us. “If y’all need anything, just shout. The oysters will be out in a minute. Now, if the bugs get too bad for you, just move the party inside. Charlie is all set up, so just enjoy.”
    “Thank you , ma’am,” Alex said. “Please make sure you put Charlie on our bill. And for God’s sake, don’t let him drink any alcohol. I don’t want to have to drive him home.”
    “Don’t you worry none I already tried to give him a beer, and he turned me flat down,” she as she walked away.
    We tipped our cans together and each took a big swallow. The natural beauty that surrounded us was breathtaking, and we tried to take it all in. Herons slowly walked through the shallow water spearing fish with their bills. Pelicans sat on top of some abandoned dock piling and kept a watch out for their dinner.
    “So, do you always get a private table out here?” I asked.
    “Not always,” Alex replied. “Most of the time, when I get the time to come here, that is I usually sit with Miss Margaret and whoever else is hanging around. I called earlier to see if this was available, and fortunately for us, it was.”
    We held hands while we drank our beer and silently enjoyed each other’s company. Every few minutes, our eyes would meet and we’d smile. We leaned close together and pointed out different things we saw in the marsh. This feeling we shared was wonderful, but the shadow of what I had to tell Alex loomed over me.
    As if he knew what I was thinking, he leaned over and kissed my shoulder, “We’ve got time, let’s just enjoy this moment. I hope it’s one of many that we get to share.”
    I looked at the sun as it began its slow dance over the horizon, “I’m just happy that we finally get to see the sunset. We got a bit distracted yesterday.”
    He gave a small chuckle, “a nd it was one of the best distractions I think I’ve ever had.”
    “Speak ing of distractions,” I said, “is everything okay at the restaurant?”
    “I’ve got the phone on, but I told Jerry not to call unless the place was under attack or there was a natural disaster. I think he got the message. Besides, I made some calls and got the dishwashing taken care of.”
    Just as we popped the tops on two more beers , a large man in a dirty white T-shirt set down a huge metal