PADI Cake, PADI Cake

"You should be nicer to me," he said politely.

"Or what?" she said pretending to be upset with him.

"Or what? Or...I may not kiss you again. That's what!" he told her authoritatively.

"So if I'm nicer to you then you'll..."

"Then I'll do this," he said as he leaned down and kissed her again.

Grayson let go of her wrist and when he did Spencer pulled it back around to her front then up and around his neck as she kissed him back. His strong, powerful arms held her close as they kissed for several seconds.

When it ended Spencer said, "I've never been teacher's pet before," her heart still hammering like never before.

"There's a first time for everything, right?" he said.

"Your...other female student is going to be very unhappy," Spencer teased sweetly.

"I'll risk it," Grayson told her.

"So...now what?" she asked her arms around his neck.

"I think you really mean where do we go from here, but...right now...I just want to kiss you again," he told her before doing so.

"I can live with that answer," she said just as their lips met again.

After this kiss, though, her brain re-engaged.

"Grayson? I...I really should probably be going," she said unable to look at him.

"I may not be the world's best kisser, but was I that bad?" he asked.

"No. In fact, you were well, to use your word...amazing."

"Then what's going on, Spencer?"

"You see. That's the problem. I don't know what's going on, and that scares me," she told him finally looking into his eyes again. "I just need to some time to think things through. Is that okay?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course it's okay," he told her. "If you need another day or even two..."

"Jerk!" she said unable to keep from smiling. "Just give me some time, okay? Please?"

"Take as much as you need, Spencer. I won't be going anywhere."

"But you should. That's the thing, Grayson. You're so young and so handsome. I know you really do have an endless line of girls to choose from. Why would you throw that all away on...on me?"

Her voice was imploring; her eyes were probing.

"If you've ever been out to sea you can't help but notice how you're surrounded by water."

"Um...o-kaaay," Spencer said not getting the point.

"But you soon realize you could die of thirst for want of water even though there's water all around you."

Spencer now understood but let him explain.

"All of those girls you're talking about. They're like the ocean. It's beautiful and alluring but it can't slake your thirst. It can never satisfy you. You drink it at your own peril. But when you go below and see a bottle of cold, fresh, drinkable water, it's more valuable than anything else on earth."

"Are you saying I'm...a bottle of water?" she asked sweetly knowing the answer.

"Sometimes two people are brought together for a purpose," he said quietly.

"But doesn't that imply a kind of cosmic 'Matchmaker'?" she asked.

"Call it whatever you like, Spencer. All I know is I've never met anyone like you before. I've never felt like this about anyone before. And before you go telling me that's because I haven't had enough time to feel like that, please know that I've had a lifetime of living in just these 19 years. And please don't dismiss me or...us...because of my age."

Spencer was now so thoroughly confused she not only couldn't speak, she couldn't think.

"I...I need to go now," she said her stomach churning and her head spinning. "Thank you for...everything, Grayson."

"Will you be in class tomorrow?" he asked how feeling panicked himself.

"Yes. Definitely. But only as your student, okay?" she said trying to sound strong and firm.

"Okay. Sure. But will you let me know if you change your mind?" Grayson asked needing to know at least that much.

"Yes. I will," she told him.

"I...I can see myself out, okay?" she said hurriedly before she lost her will.

She found Elizabeth and thanked her sincerely for dinner and her hospitality before leaving.

"I do hope you'll be back, Spencer," the older woman told her. "I enjoyed your company very much and well, I've never seen my son so..."

She didn't finish her sentence, she just walked her guest to the door.

"Thank you again, Elizabeth," Spencer said.

"My pleasure, dear. And Spencer? I'm not sure I should say this but...well, sometimes two people are brought together for a reason even if they don't see it right away."

Spencer understood that must be something this family believed, and although she wasn't sure if she believed it, she knew she couldn't disprove it. Instead she thanked her hostess one more time then headed home.

The following week was as difficult as she could ever remember, barring the loss of her husband, of course. Things were very strained at the pool as they worked on each new phase of the certification process. She was pleasant and cordial but kept her distance even though she could tell Grayson was dying to talk to her.

The tension was palpable when she said goodbye on Friday without talking to him, but she just wasn't ready yet. That night, she sat at home mulling things over for the thousandth time before picking up her phone and calling the only person she knew she could trust completely hoping he might have some advice or insight for her.

"Dad?" she said when he answered.

"Spencer! Hi, honey. What a pleasant surprise! Is everything okay?"

She sighed then said, "The fact that you have to ask me that reminds I don't call often enough. I'm sorry, Dad. I'm...I'm just not good at that, you know?"

"I do and it's okay, Spence. Is there anything in particular you wanted to talk about?" her father asked.

"Actually, there is," she said before launching into a lengthy explanation about her current situation and going all the way back to Jeff. The only thing she didn't mention was Grayson's age.

"I don't understand the problem, honey. You've been alone all these years. You spend all your time running, shooting, bicycling, climbing mountains, and God only knows what and now you find a man who loves those same things and you tell me you don't know what to do. Oh, and you said he's as attractive as anyone you've ever met and he owns his own business. What am I missing, Spence?" he said almost exasperated.

"Please don't laugh at me, okay, Dad?" she said her voice sounding very tentative.

"Why would I laugh, honey? Unless the guy is married or...is he...married?" her father asked the concern in his voice nearly palpable.

"Dad! No! How could you even think that?" his daughter said on the verge of crying.

"Then what is it, sweetheart? What's keeping you from spending time with someone you share pretty much everything in common?"

"Oh, my God," Spencer said her voice trembling with emotion.

"I'm listening, honey. No judgment. Just talk to me, okay?" he said as supportively as he could.

There was a very long pause before Spencer finally got up the nerve to speak.

"He's...19."

There was another long pause before she could tell her father was smiling. Moments later he was laughing.

"Daddy! This is not funny!" she said, hurt that he was laughing.

"Spencer, I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing with relief. That's all. I promise."

"Relief?" she said now completely confused.

"Yes. I was convinced it had to be something as bad as him being married. You know, a convicted felon or...a child molester or..."

"Dad! You're making this worse!" she said feeling ten years old again.

There was silence before her father said, "Do you like this guy?"

"Yes," she said quietly. "A lot."

"Does he act 19? Does he have a wandering eye? Is he a liar or..."

"No. No. And...no," she said cutting him off. "He's...he seems more focused and mature than me, Dad, and he's the most honest person I've ever known. Well, you and Jeff aside," she said now feeling better. She told him what Grayson said about sea water vs fresh water then waited.

"I can't make your decisions for you, honey. But I would strongly recommend you give this guy a chance. Age isn't the big deal it was when I was his age. But if everything you told me is true, and if age is the only issue, only you can decide how important that is."

"Would you, you know, get involved with someone who was say...my age?" she asked still looking for help.

"I wouldn't rule it out, that's for sure," he told her. "Then again, you're a grown woman with a lot of life experience whereas he's only 19 and what? Still...wet behind the ears?"

Spencer laughed at the obvious reference to the water and diving then sat there thinking until her dad asked if she was okay.

"Um...I think so," she told him. "In fact, I'm sure I'm okay. You may have just helped me clear this all up, Dad."

"Well, glad to help," he said having no idea what he might have said that 'cleared everything up'. "Once your children are grown, one of a parent's greatest joys is knowing their child still values your opinion, so just knowing you cared enough to ask me is all the reward I need."

"I love you, Daddy," she told him on the verge of crying.

"I love you too, Spender," he said using her childhood name that came from her first attempts to pronounce it.

"And Dad? Thank you for...everything."

"Anytime, honey," he assured her.

And with that she hung up.

Spencer barely slept that night as she found herself unable to stop thinking about him or wondering whether some 'seawater-nymph' might have caught his eye during the 'whole week' she was paralyzed with fear. That thought only made her ask how much she really trusted him if she could even imagine such a thing. Or maybe it was even worse. Was she actually becoming the jealous type? One thought viciously led to another which reminded her of another, all of which was driving her insane.

The last time she looked at her digital alarm clock, the red numbers said it was 3:45am.

It was a little after 8 o'clock when she awoke with a start having no idea how long she'd been asleep. By the time she got a pot of coffee going, the cascade of conflicting thoughts was back running through her mind.

It was 10am before she checked her phone and when she did, she was surprised to see one from a number she didn't recognize. She opened it and realized it was from Elizabeth.

"Hi, Spencer. I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed meeting you last weekend. Okay, there's one other thing. I'm about to do something I swore I'd never do, because I hate when mothers do this, but...I'm sticking my nose in where it doesn't belong. Grayson may hate me for it, and you may, too, but... The hardest thing I've had to endure was watching my son suffer through the death of his father who was also his best friend. It hurt me greatly, too, but it devastated Grayson. He does a very good job of hiding it, but mothers just know these kinds of things. I also know that my son has never been happier than since he met you. He not only talked about you constantly, I could tell how he felt about you. This week, he's been sullen and removed again and while he'd never tell me the reason why, again, mothers just know. Spencer, brace yourself, but I am quite certain my son is in love with you. No, he hasn't said those words out loud, and he would likely kill me for telling you this, but I'm certain that he does, and I couldn't go another day without telling you. Perhaps you've already made it clear you don't feel that way about him and if so, I will gladly beg for your forgiveness after the fact. In spite of this text, I am not a meddling mother. So if you hate me for this, I will have to live with that. If I've destroyed any chance Grayson may have had with you, I will hate myself for the rest of my life. But he loves you, my dear, and although I barely know you, I feel that way, too. I should also say I've addressed the age difference with Grayson after you left, and I can assure you he not only doesn't care, he thinks you are the most perfect, most amazing woman he's ever met. Anyway, if you would like to be there, Grayson is testing for his 2nd-degree blackbelt in TaeKwonDo this morning at 11:00 o'clock. I don't normally attend such things, but since Ernest no longer can, I plan to be there. If you care to join me, I would be so very grateful and I can't help but believe Grayson would, too. Thank you and take care whatever you decide. Elizabeth. Oh, this is the address..."

Spencer re-read the text two more times and each time her heart beat faster and harder than before. Yes, Elizabeth was meddling and normally it would have angered her, but this time, it not only didn't upset her, it put everything into a sharp, clear focus. She knew she was in love with this...amazing and unique young man, too. It was just too hard to admit it to herself until she read those words.

She looked at the time stamp of the text and saw that it said 7:26am.

"Oh, my gosh! What time is it?" she said, suddenly feeling panicked.

It was 10:35.

Her mind was spinning.

"I can't possibly get ready that fast! What should I wear? Does he really want me to be there or is this just the wishful thinking of a meddling mother?" were just a few of the new rush of thoughts sweeping through her brain as she headed for the shower.

She was in and out ten minutes later blow drying her hair and frantically willing the hair dryer to work faster. She knew exactly what she wanted to wear on this beautiful summer morning; something she thought she'd probably never actually wear when she bought it.

It had just looked so cute at the time, but now it seemed almost...risqué. The white sundress had a very low-cut neckline with a crocheted bodice which made wearing a bra unnecessary which would save a few more seconds. It was also very short, and although Spencer knew she had the legs to wear it, she couldn't help but wonder if it was too much.

The good news was it slipped on in two seconds and all she needed was to step into a pair of white sandals and she'd be ready to go. Then again, it was sleeveless with spaghetti straps so she grabbed a white cardigan and threw it on knowing Elizabeth was there as she stepped into the sandals. She could put on some mascara during the drive which she knew was dangerous, but she had to get on the road.

She was in the car by 10:52 and knew it took about 10 minutes to get across town. She was going to be late, but she wanted to look her best in spite of having run around like a wild woman getting ready. She pulled in at 11:04, took a quick look in the mirror and thought she looked dead. She had a tube of very dark red, very wet lipstick she carried for emergencies, and this seemed like an emergency, so she pulled it out, removed the wand, and painted her lips before heading inside.

It was eerily quiet as she stepped through the glass front door. The silence only lasted a few seconds before she heard what sounding like clothes drying outside snapping in the wind on a breezy day followed by some kind of loud, guttural noises. More snapping. More silence. More noises.

She walked around the large room to an area that was closed off with partitions, and the first thing she saw was Elizabeth sitting near the wall. The older woman smiled the happiest of smiles when they made eye contact and with the slightest movement of her hand motioned for her to come join her. A second folding chair was sitting next to her and Spencer knew the reason why.

As she slowly and silently made her way toward Elizabeth, a guttural noise startled her as Grayson performed some kind of very complicated, very graceful, and very violent movement. She knew he saw her but she could tell he was focused like the proverbial laser beam on what he was doing.

The moment she sat down, Elizabeth reached over for her hand and oh-so quietly said, "Thank you, Spencer. Thank you so much."

For the next 20 minutes she stood there watching what could only be described as choreographed fury as Grayson repeatedly kicked, spun, punched, and moved around the hardwood floor with the most...amazing gray...grace.

He stopped periodically and bowed to someone with a dark beard in a white uniform with a black belt like Grayson's, but this man's had other things on it Grayson's did not. The other man would say something loudly, Grayson would repeat it, bow, and then go into his next movement.

When it was over, Grayson bowed to the man again, who smiled, reached out and shook his head.

There was a moment of silence before the bearded man said loudly, "Congratulations, Grayson. You have earned your ee dan," which Spencer later learned was Korean for 2nd-degree.

"It is my honor to present you with your new belt. Is there anyone you would like to ask to come and help you tie it on?"

"There is," he said. "The two women I care about the most are both here. I would like them to assist me."

Grayson turned around and said, "Would you mind?"

Spencer started to nearly run toward him when Grayson made a face and pointed to her shoes.

"Oh! Sorry!" she said as she stepped out of the sandals and set then back by her chair.

Elizabeth was out of hers and offered her a hand as they walked toward Grayson.

"Hi," Spencer said shyly as she looked down for a moment, unable to meet his stare.

She slowly looked up into his eyes and said apologetically, "I didn't know about this until less than an hour ago. I...I didn't even know you took karate."

TaeKwonDo wasn't technically karate, but it was a form of martial arts. Grayson didn't correct her. He just smiled as she talked.

"I invited her, Grayson," his mother interjected. "If you're going to be upset at anyone..."

He didn't even hear his mother talking.

"Hi," he said back to Spencer. "Wow. You look...amazing."

"Thank you," she said sweetly her heart once again pounding out of her chest. "You were incredible."

"I was really struggling at first," he told her quietly. "I've known about this for three months, but I was having a horrible time focusing."

"You were?" Spencer said quietly as he reached for her hands.

"I was. Until I saw you walk in. I knew I couldn't look at you because you have this way of distracting me completely."

"I do?" she said still barely able to talk.

"Yes, you do," he told her. "In fact, I can't think about anything but you, Spencer. I wake up thinking about you and I fall asleep thinking about you. I even dream about you."

She looked right at him when she said, "I needed time to think things through, Grayson. I know I've been awful this week, I just..."

"No. Don't apologize," he said kindly. "I know you needed time. I'm just so glad you're here, Spencer. Thank you for coming."

"Your mom invited me and, well, I...I wanted to be here...for you. I...I missed you so much this week, and if you're still interested, if you still want me around, I'd..."

Grayson smiled and leaned down and kissed her, cutting her off in mid-sentence.

"Oh, my!" Elizabeth said with a smile.

"I think ee dan can wait," the bearded man said smiling at Elizabeth.

"So you're not mad at me?" Spencer said as she wiped glossy lipstick from his mouth.

"Mad at you? How could I ever be mad at you when I'm mad about you?" he said with a smile.

"I'm kind of crazy about you, too," she said happily.

"Do I have my mom to thank for any of that?" Grayson asked looking over at his mother.

"Maybe," she said sweetly as she looked at Elizabeth. "My dad helped me put things in perspective, and your mom helped bring everything into focus."

He smiled at his mom and said, "Thank you, Mom. You know I love you, right?"

"It was my pleasure, dear, and I love you, too."

"I remember you telling me not to push it once," Grayson said to Spencer.

"Oh, right. When you asked me to spend some more time with you. I remember that. Why are you bringing that up?" she asked.

"Because while I'm not an impulsive person I'm about to really push it," he told her.