.......................The Stone Family Legacy......................: Gen 4

No? It couldn't be! Could it? Was it her? The Golden Haired Goddess from my youth?

She seemed to cause that same magnetic pull I felt all those years before, and had the same flash of liquid gold when her hair sparkled in the sunlight, that was shining through the store's window. I had to speak to her!

“Err... H-Hi.” I smiled, trying to look less nervous than I felt.

“Oh excusez-moi Monsieur, je cherchais ma Grand-mère. Vous l'avez vue?”

I paused for a moment, trying to decipher what she had just said. My French was still a little rusty.

“Your Grandma? Sorry, my French is still a little, uh, rouillée?”

She looked slightly puzzled before replying, in English; “Sorry, I sometimes forget not everyone is a local, and fluent in the language. Yes, my Grandma, she owns the store. She's a small friendly looking woman, with black hair, have you seen her?”

“Oh yes, I spoke to her a few minutes ago when I came into the store. I think she headed through that door over there” I said, while pointing over to the door behind the till.

“Merci Mr..?”

“Stone. But you can call me Jasper.”

“Well, merci Jasper.”

I watched as she slowly made her way over to the till, and just as her hand hit the knob on the door she turned round and flashed me a small smile. I wonder if she would have coffee with me?

“Wait.. Miss.?”

“Adrienne. Was there something you needed? Help finding a book?”

“No, thank you. Adrienne,” Such a beautiful name, I thought. “I'm going to be in town a while, and was wondering, if you would like to grab a coffee one afternoon?”

“Oh, yes. I would like that. I have Friday's off, how about then?”

“Friday sounds great! How about I meet you here at One?”

“One is perfect. I really should go find Grandma, sorry, she's not as nimble as she once was. I'll see you Friday.”

“Of course. See you then. Goodbye for now, Adrienne.”

I made my way back to the rehab centre with the biggest smile on my face. Friday couldn't come quick enough.

I woke up early on Friday, nervous and excited for the afternoon ahead. I went about my normal morning routine; working out for an hour, showering, pancakes or French toast for breakfast, and my drugs therapy session before changing my outfit, ready for coffee.

I took a slow stroll to the book store and found Adrienne waiting outside on the bench where I usually sat.

“Hey.”

“Oh, hi Jasper. How are you?

“ Much better now, are you ready to go grab that coffee?”

****************************************

6 months later

We had met at that same bench twice a week for coffee for the past six months, enjoying each other's company. I looked forward to spending those precious few hours with her, and could think of little else in the times we weren't together.

Conversation always flowed between us easily, like we had known each other our whole lives. She loved to read, cook, spend time in the garden; she even had her own patch at the local nectary where she grew grapes to make her very own nectar. We had spent one or two afternoons with her teaching me how to make some myself, I always ended up falling on my butt, mostly just to hear the wonderful laugh that escaped her lips every time. I'd made bottles up for the whole family, Mum and Dad were going to love theirs.

What Adrienne didn't realise, was that she was playing a huge part in my rehabilitation, I no longer felt any draw to drugs, and because of that, I would be able to fly back home at the end of next month. I had no idea how I was going to be able to pull myself away and leave her here, because even though neither one of us had said anything, I could tell that the initial spark between us had developed into something more than friendship. I just had to figure out the perfect way to show her how I felt.

One afternoon, instead of our usual coffee date, I had planned a picnic and took her on a de-tour to a small lake I had found on one of my morning strolls. It was a peaceful little spot and was perfect. I set the blanket and picnic basket down at the lake's edge just under a nice, shady tree. The sky was full of, fluffy, white clouds, I thought we could just relax and gaze at the sky for a while. We settled down next to each other, Adrienne closed the gap between us and rested her head on my shoulder.

We stayed like that for a while, and after eating lunch I asked her, using some French I had learnt during my year here, if she would like to dance with me.

“Voulez-vous danser avec moi?”

“Oui, Jasper”

I slowly twirled her around in my arms, revelling at the way she felt pulled close to my chest, such a perfect fit. I leaned down and whispered in her ear.