Lunch Together

It was the first weekend since they were together in one house, and Helena was contemplating whether she would ask for help from Arthur. She was sitting in the sand, bare feet, while watching the sunrise.

"Hey, good morning! You woke up early today," Arthur greeted Helena as he sat beside her.

Helena raised up her gaze, meeting Arthurs; they locked stares. She thought it was a good time for her to ask Arthur. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Good morning! I was wondering if you'd be free to come with me in the town to get some things for an outdoor shower," she said hesitantly.

Arthur looked confused as he was listening to Helena. "You want me to come with you?" He asked to confirm if he heard Helena right. It was out of her character to invite her, especially near where they first met, and it wasn't a good incident for her.

"Yeah, I thought having it would be a good idea since I only have one toilet and bath in the house. Accessing an outdoor shower when someone is from the beach would be easier. I've meant to build it myself and kept postponing it because of a lack of time and resources for the needed materials," Helena explained. "But anyway, I know you're going out the whole day. I can do it myself," she added as she stood to leave.

"No." Arthur held Helena's hand.

Helena was fast to pull her hand off.

"I'm sorry," Arthur apologized. "I can come with you. I can also build an outdoor shower if you want. Like I mentioned yesterday, I've been independent at an early age, so I know how to build and fix many things."

"No. It was ridiculous to ask you since I know you go out daily. I want to make sure I'm not stopping your adventures. It's okay. I can research how to create an outdoor shower.

"But it would be faster if someone does it who has experience building things," Arthur stood before Helena towering over her.

Helena was at a loss for words to refuse, so he nodded yes. Arthur was the happiest man at the moment.

They only spent a little time preparing and headed to the town, taking Helena's pick-up truck. The weather was fine; the sun showed as they crossed the road to San Antonio's town center. But the silence was deafening while Helena was driving.

"Do you have any outdoor shower designs you'd like to follow?" Arthur finally broke the silence. The town center was almost 2 hours from Helena's beach house, so Arthur got bored and needed help to talk.

"Yes." Helena glanced at Arthur's side. "I'd like to keep it classic like the beach house."

"That's cool. I think we wouldn't have a hard time creating it," Arthur complimented Helena's taste just like he did in the guest bedroom. He knew it would cheer her up a little bit.

"How much would it cost me to build an outdoor shower?"

"For the materials, I can't have an estimate by now; maybe when we see what designs and brands are available in store."

"No. I mean the cost of creating it. Your labor charge."

Arthur chuckled as he heard it. "No. You don't have to pay me."

"I'm not asking your permission. I always pay people for their labor."

"If you insist, you can pay me for lunch today. The last time I did you a favor, you paid me with tea and cookies. Now, lunch would be great."

"Fine. Lunch then."

Arthur thought he had won. The corners of his mouth turned up as he glanced outside the window, feeling victorious. He knew that he had found a way to get closer to Helena.

Helena tried to keep her focus on driving, but her mind wandered to the possibilities of what could happen during lunch. She shook off the thought and focused on the task at hand.

When they arrived in the town center, they went straight to the hardware store. Helena was browsing through the different types of wood and pipes while Arthur was busy checking out the prices.

"This one would be perfect for the flooring," Helena pointed at a wooden plank with a smile.

"Yeah, it's a good choice. And for the pipes, we can use this one," Arthur said as he handed her a piece of metal pipe.

Arthur was very knowledgeable about the different types of wood they needed and the best tools to use. Helena was impressed by his expertise and couldn't help but admire him.

They spent the next few hours gathering all the materials they needed. It was a tiring day for them; they even forgot to have lunch at the right time. However, they managed to get what they wanted to the town center. There was a shower pan, plumbing and waterproofing materials, drainage, flooring, enclosure, and all the tools needed to build an outdoor shower.

There were limited choices of cafes and restaurants in the town, so they chose the fast food restaurant as they were in a hurry to eat. It was almost 1 in the afternoon when they had their first meal since they both skipped breakfast.

Helena was uncomfortable having lunch with Arthur, especially since they were in a public place. Good thing she only has 1 friend who was in City. People in San Antonio don't know her personally, even if she's a best-selling novelist.

Every bite she took felt heavy while Arthur was watching him. Having a man with her in public was a new experience and something she vowed never to do again. But she had no choice, so she forced herself to eat.

"Helena, let me drive. I know you're tired, have a rest on our way home."

Helena didn't refuse Arthur's offer and gave him the car key.

As they drove back to the beach house, Helena was roaming her sight around. She appreciated San Antonio's massive area even more, left by people who chose to live in the City. Some areas are almost apocalyptic but a place of safety and calmness to her.

As they drove to the asphalt road, Helena spread her hand outside the window, not worrying about any vehicle that would hit her. No rival was on the road; she was free to do what she pleased. The scold wind touched her skin as she closed her eyes and felt the fresh breeze of it. Thanks to the massive forest and greenery that gives San Antonio fresh and healthy air.

"This time, I even more appreciate how beautiful this is. Every time I drove to the town center, wherever I went, I couldn't take a second look at the place I drove by." This time it was Helena who broke the silence.

Arthur smiled at her. "I'm glad you did. There is so much to look at and enjoy in this beautiful place."

The entire town was almost 70% land trees which were preserved by the people who lived there. As they drove deeper into the forest, they reached a clearing where they could see the sky above them. Arthur pulled the car over and turned off the engine.

"Let's take a break and enjoy the view," he said.

Helena nodded in agreement and got out of the car. She stands with her silhouette against the horizon, a small figure looking out at the vastness of the forest before her. Her hair blows in a gentle breeze as her eyes take in the beauty of the trees, the sky, and the moment's serenity.

A soft smile was on Arthur's face as he looked out, content to simply stand and enjoy the peace and stillness of the moment. The two of them stand together in silence, peacefully appreciating their surroundings.

Later, Arthur had the courage to ask Helena about an idea he had been thinking about for a few days. "Helena, before I forget. I was wondering if you would be interested in joining me in my little adventure. Let us tour San Antonio if you haven't."

"You're inviting me to tour around with you?"

"Yeah. If that's okay with you. I can show you the places I've been to. It is a good thing for you to incorporate it in your writing. What do you say?"

Helena was about to laugh hearing about the novel writing. If only Arthur knew he was her main character. "Alright, I'll think about it," she replied shortly.

"That is something I look forward to. Thanks for considering," Arthur was elated and punched the air as he got into the car.