As my bare feet padded through the soft sand,my hand tightened its grip on hers. I guided her down the slope thickwith tall saw grass. We had traveled up and down the roughly carvedpaths through the rolling dunes for what seemed like nights upon nights.Gazing at the glassy sky and its reflection on the water made theminutes tick by more slowly than ever. Every once in a while, I stole aglance at her to see what she was thinking. Her sparkling, emerald eyesheld the moon in them, and as I looked at her, the moon shone back. Nowords were spoken. None were needed. Both of us knew what the other wasthinking, and I found it comforting. We were nearing the water, and Icould hear the waves crashing on the rocks and retreating. As I raisedmy eyes to the horizon, the dark line of ocean came into view. We madeour way to the wide beach below. The crystal ripples on the smoothsurface were breathtaking, and the bright moon reflected off the wateronto our shadowed faces. As we came closer, the light of the moontraveled across her face, and I saw that she was smiling.