Heather Buyce-Vasquez
Lyllian, March 2017, Seattle
“After all these years, I see that I was mistaken about Eve in the beginning; it is better to live outside the Garden with her than inside it without her. “ ~ Mark Twain
It is cold outside the car as it speeds towards downtown. Dinner, a movie, and some much longed for kisses. Book after book and article after article praise the ‘date night’ as a must for any marriage to grow. Lyllian would agree. She had been looking forward all week to this evening. Sure the work-days passed and she and Michael always went to sleep each night close to each other the still warm press of a kiss on their lips, a comforting bond. More often than not the glowing finish of tenderness and simplicity sent them off to oblivion still despite almost six years of marriage. But tonight there was no moon and no stars and it could last forever if they chose. The girls were having a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.
“I’ll drive so you can navigate with your phone, you are better at it than I am.” Michael immediately sets about hooking his phone to the car so his soft slow drawl of alternative meets emo rock takes them into Seattle. Her eclectic tastes will send them home later no doubt.
They are good at sharing this little treat that came with the onslaught of technology. They are both a little late to the game on the 21st century; him because nothing in this life is free and her because it simply held very little interest. She preferred her point and shoot camera to video and a good old fashioned scratchy smelly paper book to the harsh screen reading. Though admittedly the first time she downloaded a book onto their kindle (a family Christmas gift a couple years ago) it was a little cool. And she has thoroughly enjoyed her music collection spinning through the speakers 400+ strong, new and old, familiar and underground. There is something to be said for progress she thinks as strums of Muddy Waters-esque chords burst onto the speakers a la Gary Clark Jr. Followed by the unmistakable voice of Soundgarden’s front man.
The movie theatre downtown is packed. A huge buttered popcorn between them they sit companionably through almost twenty-five minutes of coming attractions. Lyllian loves previews. They are exciting and diverting. The movie is well done, the latest Bond movie. Thrilling and nonstop. Predictable. But what she enjoys is feeling unrestrained and vital. Any parent will tell you the moment you allow yourself to let go, even for a few hours, of the loving hurt so good tether of being a mom or a dad is a release. Marriage needs celebration of self apart from the youngsters. And our next celebration brought us to a much talked about fondue restaurant on Mercer.