I wake up, flinching from the sunshine that is hitting my eyes from the open shades, but enduring the pain long enough to enjoy just one more minute laying with the most amazing woman wrapped up in my arms. Getting out of bed in the morning is even less tempting when you know the one you love will be leaving you in less than 12 hours to embark on a solo journey. I feel her stir in her sleep and sigh as I read the clock and calculate in my mind exactly how much time we have left together. The number doesn't really matter though because the answer can be summed up much quicker using two simple words. Not enough.

Eventually, I can see her eyelids gently coaxing themselves open, her eyes locking with mine as soon as they are let free from their sleep shell. I am met with a smile, the familiar kind that I know will be stuck in my mind longer than it is welcome. Not because I will get sick of the image, but because there is always that chance that everything can change and it will no longer be an accurate display of Jude's feelings when we meet face-to-face.

Apparently I have not kept my thoughts hidden well though, because Jude's face has turned to concern when I snap back to the current moment.

“Tommy, we've wasted more than enough conversations in the past couple of weeks discussing your feelings about me leaving. I don't know what else I can say to convince you that I really am coming back and that there are no chances of me replacing you between now and then.”

My hand naturally reaches out to her face where my thumb begins rubbing her always-smooth left cheek.

“I know I promised to stop complicating this, but can you blame me for being worried that someone as beautiful as you is traveling alone without a ring on their finger?”

I withdraw my hand and watch her expression change.

“You know how I feel about jewelry...”

“But guys who are strangers don't.”

I begin to plead through the silence, but I receive no sympathy.

Suddenly, Jude lifts herself up and gets off of the bed.

“I am going to take a shower and then double check that everything I packed has made its way to the trunk. We can still go out to eat as planned, but please don't make my departure the focus of our meal.”

I roll onto my back after watching her walk to the bathroom. I listen to the water as it begins running and slowly drift back into sleep. When I open my eyes again Jude is at the edge of the bed looking down at me, now fully dressed in her day clothes with shiny shower hair.

“Do you want me to start a pot of coffee while you are getting ready?”

I can see the clock from the corner of my eye and I try not to make it obvious to Jude that I am checking the time again. We have already wasted an hour.

“No, we can order some when we go out. I'll be ready in ten. Feel free to triple check your stuff. I'll meet you downstairs.”

I roll out of bed and pause to give Jude a kiss on the cheek on my way to the bathroom. I let my lips linger an extra couple of seconds, knowing gestures like these will be put on hold in her absence. She gives a weak smile, but turns away before I can try to read her emotions. I speed up the rest of my actions, keeping my promise to be ready in under ten minutes.

When I get downstairs the front door is cracked open, a sign that Jude has already exited the house, and this is confirmed when I spot her leaning back in the passenger seat of my car. She makes no effort to look in my direction as I approach the vehicle, but I try to shrug it off by convincing myself she simply failed to notice me rather than accept that she could be avoiding cheerful acknowledgment.

The drive between our home and the restaurant is silent apart from the radio being turned on at a barely audible volume. I pull into the first empty parking space I see and let Jude lead us inside. Our table is in a secluded corner of the left-side dining area, surrounded by empty tables as we requested when calling ahead. The menus are already set out for us, giving us little reason to begin a conversation.

When the ordering is over with I am still lost on what to talk about. We have already had numerous conversations outlining where she is going and what kind of adventures she will be having. There aren't any questions left that I did not already ask during my attempts to stall her original decision whether or not to take the offer. Talking about her departure is the last thing she wants, but it is honestly the only thing on my mind because most of the time Jude consumes all of my thoughts.

I am startled by a break of silence coming from Jude beginning to speak.

“We've spent so much time focusing on me lately that I haven't had the chance to ask you what you plan on doing while I am away. Obviously, you've got a producing job to maintain, but Darius mentioned last week that both albums you have been working on are coming to a close. I didn't realize you would be getting time off this soon or I probably would have insisted they move this tour back for the sake of gaining some quality time.”

I let out a deep sigh. Darius was supposed to keep my time off a secret. As much as Jude's leaving bothered me, my plans for my time away from work being kept personal had been a relief until now.

“I'm sorry that I have not been open about this before, but I purchased a round trip ticket to France. I'll actually be in Paris a week before your tour reaches there. My parents moved back there after they finished raising my younger sister and with my mom recently being widowed I figured I would let her witness how I have turned out in case she doesn't make it to our wedding.”

The waiter arrives with our plates and we both thank him before Jude responds.

“I am definitely surprised, but I think it's a great way to be spending your vacation from work. From how little you have mentioned your family to me I understand how weak communication between you must be. Not that I've spoken to my mother at any time that could be considered recent, but I think visiting your mother in France should provide a necessary distraction for you while I am away.”

We take pauses in the conversation to enjoy the food in front of us. I am beyond relieved that Jude's reaction to finding out about my vacation plans is mellow and approving. I sneak a glance at my watch while Jude is distracted by a lose particle that has stuck itself between two teeth and caused the need for a toothpick. Barely nine hours are left. Our plates are basically empty and I feel the sudden urge to get out of here to do something, anything, that is exciting enough to briefly clear our minds from the months ahead.

Before I even know my own destination I feel myself practically dragging Jude out of the restaurant, almost forgetting to leave a tip or pay the bill. Jude gives me a crazy look as I signal for her to get back in my car. I smile as she clicks on her seatbelt and I turn the key that I not-so-gently shoved into the ignition.

I start driving in the direction of the airport, but where I plan on stopping is on the way. Jude notices where we are headed and looks at me, confused.

“Are you dropping me off early, Tommy? We still have a few hours. I know the security is tight, but I think eight hours is pushing it.”

I turn on the blinker as we approach the turn I want to take and I can tell I have confused her even more by getting off the main road. I stall my response a little longer, allowing Jude to process our surroundings. I know she has it figured out when a gasp escapes her lips.

“We are going to the pier? Tommy...I thought we agreed not to go back there after the media vultures decided it was an ideal place for romantic cliches.”

I take a deep breath as I bring the car to a stop and push in the parking break.

“I know I promised to avoid this place...but...there was something I suddenly had the urge to do and this is the perfect place.”

I exit the car and begin to stroll down the pier with Jude following close behind. I stop abruptly, giving her a chance to catch up, at which point I take her hand in mine. She looks skeptic at first but decides to go along with it. We keep going until we reach the edge, halting to avoid falling in the water.

“Well, you've already proposed, so I am out of ideas for what you could possibly have up your sleeve right now Quincy.”

I get an idea and a smirk appears on my face.

“There is something I want to try.”

Jude gets all serious.

“It better not be what I am thinking, Tommy. Splinters are no bueno!”

I roll my eyes.

“At least have faith in my originality...”

“I know that look. You've been glancing between me and the water this entire time. If you think I'm jumping in with you then you can forget it!”

I look down at my waterproof watch and double check the amount of time we have left.

“If we do this now you'll have time to go back to the house and change before we drive to the airport.”

“Do what exactly?”

“Have you ever tried to kiss someone underwater before?”

I grin mischievously and I can tell Jude is pondering something.

“Tommy, I honestly believe you have lost your mind. But I figure I own you at least one 'goodbye favor'. Just don't act too surprised when you realize you are failing at the impossible.”

“Do you really think it is impossible?”

“I don't know. But let's get this over with and find out before I lose my nerve.”

I smile gently as we close the gap between our bodies.

“When we start to kiss count four beats in your head then we'll jump in together, okay?”

“Aye, Aye Cap'n”

I let her response echo in my head for a couple seconds before leaning in to capture Jude's lips. The metronome in my mind clicks four times just before I have the chance to get lost in the moment and internally my heart races as our feet leave the safety of the wooden structure and plunge towards the water at least 15 feet below us. Anticipation clouds my mind for the brief moment before our bodies completely submerge. Our lips somehow slide apart at impact, but our minds must be in sync because we both move to recapture the other's lips as soon as our heads reach the surface.

The kiss ends up short due to lack of air from holding our breath under the water, but she leaves a peck on my cheek as we suck in oxygen.

“Answer your question, Tommy?”

She has a wide grin on her face and I imagine the same one can be seen on my face.

“I suppose I'll accept the results for now, but any good hypothesis has multiple tests to back up a conclusion. Rain check for when you get back?”

“I don't know, Quincy. I may just test this out with some of the cute boys over in Europe. I'm sure they wouldn't object.”

Jude sticks her tongue out and begins to swim away towards a ladder that is usually used by boat captains.

I quickly catch up and wrap my arms around her from behind as she is reaching for the ladder. I allow my head to rest against her left shoulder and look into her eyes as she turns her head to face me.

“You know if you want to keep me out of jail you'll keep those other guys at one hundred yard distance from both you and your lips at all times, right?”

“What about my band? I don't think there is a stage large enough to maintain the distance rule.”

“They can be an exception because I know none of them are stupid enough to make a move on my girl. Especially when the location of where they normally sleep is programmed in my head.”

“If you said that in any other context I think I'd have to be scared.”

She raises an eyebrow and I just shake my head. I let go of my hold on her and allow us both to finally climb back up the ladder to end up back where we started.

“It's miraculous you are letting us both get into your car while soaked like this!”

I shrug and lean over to give her a quick peck on the lips.

“The cause was totally worth it!”

I open Jude's door for her and shut it after she has shifted comfortably into the seat. For the first time since waking up I willingly pass up the opportunity to check the time by leaving the radio turned off.

Ten hours later.

I fall back onto my bed, noticing the empty space beside me right away. The open closet gives a clear view of many empty hangers and the lack of suitcases parked beside the dresser makes it clear that she is really gone. My bedside alarm clock appears in my vision, as if mocking my earlier anxiousness, and I reach out to turn it around so I can no longer read the numbers.

The covers remain under me and I make no effort to get on the other side of them. My eyelids get heavy and I can feel myself drifting, but I force them back open after readjusting my position, which leaves me facing my favorite portrait on the wall. It shows Jude and I, the day after we met, innocently working on her music at the pier.

But we have a new memory to relate to that location. One that is worth reliving every day until we meet again.

I can hear the rain begin to hit to window behind me, but I keep my focus on the picture, remembering what Jude was like back then. She was fifteen. I was twenty two. It should seem so wrong but over time it has turned out so right.

One last thought crosses my mind as I finally give in to my drowsiness.

Yeah, I oughta leave the young thing alone, but ain't no sunshine when she's gone.