A Time To Love
by Freewind
Ravdale was such a tiny community but it had a reputation for being a great place to escape the rigors of city life and get away to the 'great outdoors'. It seemed to be the perfect place for Carla and Stan to go to try and piece back the remnants of their failing marriage.
It was Carla's idea when she saw the brochure in the beauty shop that another patron had forgotten. The scenery looked stunning and tranquil with a small but unbelievably clear lake, fed by the melting water of the nearby mountains. Acres and acres of tall pine and evergreen lined the shores of the lake with widely spaced quaint cabins nestled in a clearing here and there. It was perfect!
When she first suggested it to Stan, he did not seem receptive to the idea at all. First objection: it was too far. Second objection: it was too expensive for their strained budget. The third objection was silent but they both knew it was there. Why should they go there and spend three days either fighting or in total cold silence?
However, Carla kept working on him and he finally agreed just to shut her up about it. She called and made the reservations for the cabin, the rental car and organized everything before they left. All Stan had to do was get himself ready and then drive.
The drive across two states was done mostly in their habitual silence but Carla kept herself from showing any anxiety by either reading or sleeping when she was not driving. She knew that the hours of silence away from his refuge of work and television gave Stan time to think that she knew was very necessary. After several hours, he tired of the fading in and out of the radio, the same CD's over and over again and so he began to talk.
The conversation stayed light and proceeded to continue into their meals as they drew closer to Ravdale. Carla was growing more hopeful by the mile and by the minute. By the time they reached the cabin late that night, she was very encouraged. She said nothing when Stan mumbled a weary good night and promptly went to sleep. She took hope in the knowledge that they still had two whole days of togetherness ahead of them.
