Beach Weddings

Ken leaned in closer to Laura. He breathed in the scent, a combination of the ocean air and her hair. He had always loved the smell of her hair.

She leaned back into him, still watching the ocean churn. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder. It had been a while since they had enjoyed a quiet moment together like this.

The swoosh of the ocean was the only sound they could hear. The stars shone overhead. The moon glistened on the waves.

“Why don’t we get married on the beach?” Ken finally broke the silence.

Did she just laugh? He had always loved to hear her laugh. But why wasn’t she responding?

“It’s so romantic. There is something special about the beach that buildings just can’t capture. It’s so… free… and wild.”

Ken paused for a few moments. Was she thinking about it? Was she ignoring him?

“I mean, I’m sure beach weddings can be a bit of a hassle,” Ken continued in an attempt to drown out the silence. “You never know about the weather. There’s the sand to deal with. And the wind can be a challenge.”

Ken stopped talking again to hear only the swoosh of the waves. If he listened carefully he could hear her breathe beneath the sound of the ocean. He loved to hear that sound, especially when she slept. Even with these sounds, though, her silence perplexed him.

“And then there is the heat,” he continued, “unless you have it in the winter. And I guess there would be strangers there unless you found a private beach.”

“And there’s the fact that we’re already married,” Laura finally interjected into the conversation.

Ken smiled at the sound. She had finally responded. He had always loved the sound of her voice.

“Yeah, there’s that. But I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”