(My holiday drabble.....)The Fourth of July
(July 4, 2007)
Ennis took a sip of wine. He looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful, clear night, the sky was sparkling with the light of the stars. “Hey, the fireworks will start soon.”
“Yeah” Ennis answered, and drank some more wine.
“You know, it’s hard to be patriotic with all that’s going on right now, with that… guy in charge” the Artist said.
“Yeah” Ennis replied, “but that dosn’t matter now, not tonight, I’m here with you.”
The Artist leaned over and kissed Ennis right on the lips, Ennis didn’t back away.
Ennis and the Artist were sitting on a blanket, in the park, waiting for the fireworks to begin.
“Can you believe, only a week left till we go, can’t wait, just imagine, me and you on the boat, no one around, except us and all the fish” the Artist said.
Ennis looked at the Artist’s pale face, his luminous eyes glowing bright in the darkness. Ennis gently touched his pale cheek, and placed his hand on his arm.
Suddenly the fireworks started, the sky was lit up, with bright sparks of red and white, bursting all over and then falling from the heavens. A cheer went up from the crowd in the park. The Artist took Ennis’s hand in his and squeezed it tight.
The fireworks went on for a long time, each flash of light brighter than the one before. The night sky was aglow. Then it was all done, the sky was dark again, with the smoke drifting over the stars.
But then the smoke cleared and one more rocket went up to the sky. It erupted into a huge ball of brilliant blue embers. Ennis stared at the bright blue lights dancing among the stars. He watched them as they drifted down towards them. Then he looked up again at the sparkling stars. Ennis squeezed the Artist’s hand and smiled, a real smile this time. Everything was all right.