She had many secrets, most of which she kept because of the pain they produced. She kept them hidden in a dark corner of her mind. If she kept them hidden they would not return later in life to haunt her.

A quick glance at the clock and she noticed she was late. Someone would be waiting on her in less than an hour. That someone she would meet was one of her many secrets. She meets him every Wednesday by the old covered bridge in the next town. From there they would walk thru the woods to his secluded cabin. Her husband Mark knew nothing of this secret meeting. That's the way they both wanted to keep it.

She got in her car and as she was driving she recalled the way her husband Mark had treated her after they were married. He was a loving and considerate man. Over the years since they were married the man she loved and had married seem to vanish right before her eyes. Although she still loved him the need to be caressed and loved back was much stronger than her fidelity. Mark was a so called executive of a secretive company and this took up much of his time and energy. Of course, he still had the sexual desires as any man does, but without the time for any other activities she had loved and enjoyed with him, it was plain and simply sex for her. This was why she had gone astray; it wasn't for sexual gratification, for if that was all she wanted she got it from Mark. Luke on the other hand was very different from her husband. He gave her all of himself which in turn make the intimacy more enjoyable to her.

All of the attention Luke gives her seems to supply the lasting strength to make it through another week of torture Mark puts her through at home. She sometimes wished they could run away together, just the two of them. This way they could spend all their days and nights together. It just didn't seem to be enough, Wednesdays, the weekly fling between them seem to be more than she could stand sometimes. She constantly dreamed of Luke holding her all through the night. The safety and loving caress of his arms around her, the time spent just talking and learning about each other. This was although a dream, Mark would never let her leave. After all she held in the back corner of her mind not only her secrets but one of her husband's darkest secrets. No, he would never let her go; there was no need to dream about it for she knew it would only make her crazy. She was stuck with Mark; perhaps this was her cross to bear for what she had done.

She parked across the street across from the covered bridge. Before getting out of the car, a quick glance around was always needed to maintain her secret. She had to make sure no one she knew was around to witness the Secret Wednesday meeting with her lover. Although this town was a two hour drive from her home, caution was always needed to assure both of their safety. Her heart sank when she thought of what Mark would do if he ever caught them together.

When she exited the car her heart was fluttering when she looked up at the bridge and seen Luke standing poised there. He had a loving smile on his face. With one more look around she proceeded toward him. The anxiety building up within her was almost unbearable. She had waited on this moment all week and now it was time. They would only have six short hours but all six would be well spent.

2

As she walked closer, she felt as if her entire body was shaking. Then he spoke softly to her. She thought she would faint when he said, "hello beautiful". The honesty in his voice seemed so right to her. He had a deep yet loving voice, whenever he spoke to her it gave her chills. She replied, "hello handsome".. Without any other words they both turned to walk across the rustic old covered bridge. When they came to the pathway to his cabin a few feet away where the huge trees and lush undergrowth of the forest hid them away from the world, he strongly but tenderly took her in his arms. She knew for sure if he hadn't held her up she would be on the ground. She melted into his arms. He looked deeply into her green eyes, she gazed back into his. 'Why are you shaking so", he said to her with a true concern. "Is something wrong my love" he said. Nothing's wrong she replied. She was ashamed to tell him she was shaking from just the thought of him. She had longed for his touch all week and now she was shaking from the simple excitement of his arms around her. The feelings which she had never experienced all at once, usually these feelings only came one at a time. They were all bound together; this made her feel so out of control the feelings of, love, longing, excitement, dread, hate, and anxiety, they were overwhelming her. When at last came the long awaited kiss, she knew her heart would explode it was beating so fast. Then all at once as quickly as the feelings appeared all but one vanished. The one feeling she had now was a deep aching, an aching and yearning to make love to Luke. After all, 6 days is a long time to be apart from someone you love so deeply. He took her by the hand and led her to the cabin. 'I have something to show you, it's a surprise" he said. As they walked down the long and winding pathway she wondered what surprise he would have for her this week. As they drew closer to the beautiful log cabin with its huge front porch which went around the corner to the bedroom, she could hear a whimper. She knew very well the whimper was coming from, something she longed for but could not have, a puppy.

Mark would not allow any animals, he didn't like them and they usually felt the same about him. Therefore animals of any kind were banded from their home. As soon as Luke opened the door, the small ball of fur tumbled out onto the porch. She picked him up hugging him she said I love him so much. He's such a little cutie. Luke said, "He's a Golden Retriever and you get the job of naming him. She looked up at Luke and said I think we should name him Wednesday. They both laughed as they entered the cabin. As Luke shut the door behind her he took the puppy from her and sat him on the floor. The he lifted her up and carried her over to the oversized sofa. As Luke tried to lie on the couch beside her his height made it uncomfortable for him. He was 6'4" this was a big height difference for she was only 5'3". She thought her husband was tall but Luke would tower over him. Mark was 6" and handsome, but sometimes when you got to know someone they were not as handsome as you first thought. Luke was a bad looking man at all, but if you got to know him, he was the most beautiful person you would ever meet.

The puppy made his way over to the makeshift bed in the corner of the room, and with a small thump he lay down and went directly to sleep. "Too much excitement already", she said. He put his arms around her tightly and pulled her close to him. This is what she really longed for, connecting to someone, being held and truly loved. This is something Mark hasn't had time for, he is always too busy. To him such as this is a waste of time and energy. Therefore, this is where she got her attention, every Wednesday just the two of them. It was times such as this, the time with Luke that really made life seem worth living, it always made her feel whole again, something which she had been searching for. Since she had met Luke life had changed for her, she wouldn't take anything for their time together. She wouldn't want to go on if she didn't have Luke; it just wouldn't be worth it.

3

As they lay there embracing each other as they did most of their time together, they caught up on the time they had lost with each other. She never understood why Luke wanted to know what she had been up to during their time apart; she thought she was a boring person. Why would anyone want to know about her? Luke's week was always filled with adventures but hers was a dull existence. Luke had money and lots of time on his hands to spend it. He had no wife or kids to consume his time so he kept himself busy in other ways. They money he has was left to him by his parents, his father owned a Company in New York and in his senior years sold the company so he could retire and be with his wife. She had spent years waiting on him to retire so they could travel and be together. He was always away on business. When the company was sold they took a second honeymoon to Canada. His father had his own jet so the day the business was sold they packed up and set off for a two month stay in Canada. On the way there was a terrible accident. The jet crashed and both were killed. Luke always hated the fact they never got to spend the time together which his mother had longed for. She deserved the time with her beloved husband of 45 years. He always knew his father spent too much time working and not enough with his mother. But she was a very patient woman he would say. Sometimes patience does not pay, take what you have and don't put it off, not for love or money. Luke inherited 9 million from his parents estate. The sad thing was as much in love as they were money couldn't buy what he wanted the most. He couldn't buy her freedom from Mark, so what use was it to him. Luke often told her with his money they could leave together and never be found by no one not even Mark. She simply did not believe it. He would hunt them down to the end of the world if he had to. All Mark had was Wednesday just like her. He would travel and see places he wanted to go, but never was he away on Wednesday he never missed their time together.

After an hour of catching up on their lost time apart Luke got up and led her through the kitchen to the back yard where he had sat up a picnic for them. He got the basket from the table and followed her out. As she sat on the quilt he sat up lunch for them. He had even sat up candles and wine glasses for them. As he sat everything up she got pleasure out of watching him, it never mattered what he was doing. It gave her some kind of peace just having her eyes on him, it soothed her inside, took away all the pain of the past. For lunch they had chicken, potatoes and wine. They finished and she said "that was the best meal I had all week". "My compliments to the cook" she said laughing. "I will be sure to tell the Cornel" he said. She looked at her watch, only four hours left she thought. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "What's wrong, did you not enjoy the picnic?" he said. "No" she replied, "There is only four hours left". Luke stood up and took her hand then he led her back into the house through the kitchen then the den, where the puppy was still fast asleep on the towel, into the bedroom. He took her into his arms and said, "Don't waste the time we have together by dreading what is to come." He laid her gently onto his bed and lay beside her. "You know I love you very much and my offer still stands." She shook her head, she was afraid to talk afraid she would begin to cry and not be able to stop. He gently took off her pink sweater, then the shorts, he always undressed her so tenderly. The loving tenderness in his touch was enough to achieve what took her husband an hour. She knew Luke had never been with many women, but what he did to her was nothing she had ever experienced before. She often wondered why he never married anyone. Most of the time his mother was alive he spend countless days taking her places trying to make up for times his father was working. He never had much time. There was one woman but come to find out she only wanted Luke's fortune. She got sent on her way three years ago not long after she and Luke met. Luke knew she did not want his money, she felt the same as he did in the regards to money. Neither cared for it much. As long as they were happy, they didn't care if they were living in a shack.

It was sometimes hard to hold her composure when they made love. He never jumped into it like Mark. Luke took the time to give her every pleasure she longed for; time was not an issue with him. Sometimes she felt as if she could not wait any longer before they made love, she would want to scream, the excitement, pleasure and intensity was unbelievable sometimes. Then just when she could not bear any more it would come, the moment when they bodies met, the intensity was enough to make the heavens shake, sometimes she thought it would shake the heavens. This moment should never be denied to anyone on this earth. It definitely should not be denied to people in love as much as they were. When they had both been satisfied both were week and shaking, holding each other as if it would be the last. As they lay there as one speaking tenderly to each other the feeling came again, this would occur several times before the day was over and they had to part. Was it the love they shared that made it last or the feelings building up for the previous week? She did not care which it was she always enjoyed it, even if it was once it would be good.

Luke got up and went into the other room, as she turned over she noticed the clock on the nightstand beside her. Only two hours left with her precious lover. When Luke came back into the room he was carrying the wine glasses from earlier, he sat them on the nightstand and turned the clock down on it face. "That's enough of the time keeping" he said. She sat up in the bed beside him and took the wine glass; she took a sip then leaned over to Luke and kissed him. "I love you so much it sometime hurts, and it always hurts to be away from you so long," she said. "You must not think of how little time we have together, it makes it go so much faster, just cherish when we are together and it will always seem to last longer," he replied.

As the time neared the dreaded departure they dressed. They could not seem to be able to touch each other enough to satisfy the lonely week ahead of them. "Please take me up on my offer, anywhere you would like to go, it will be arranged." He said. She looked up into his blue eyes, they were so soothing to her, it was if you could see into his soul deep within what she saw in his eyes was trust and truth. "No" she replied. The thought of what Mark would do to her beloved Luke, it was to risky, a chance they could not take. "We could never go far enough to hide from him, he would catch us" she began crying. Luke held her close to him, "Please don't cry" he said. It kills me to see you like this. What if I could arrange it so it would be impossible for him to come after us? I could hire someone no one would ever."Stop" she cried, I will not put you into that position anyway, it wouldn't matter he would have others come after us. There would only be one way to stop him and I would never want you involved in something of that nature. "O.k. I wont bring it up again, I just miss you so much while you are away" he said. She knew this was hard on Luke, she knew how tormented he was about his father being away so much. He really wanted a wife and children. He had mentioned children on more than on occasion. She deeply wanted children too, but for years she begged Mark for children. He always told her he did not have the time to bring up children and it would be for the best if they had no children. It was about a year after this conversation things went wrong at home and since that day she was physically unable to have children. Mark knew of this and knew she could never have children, since he had found this out he never mentioned it again. So this whole situation was unfair to her beloved Luke.

Maybe we should stop seeing each other, it's really not for the best, she said. How can you say that, the past three years have been the best of my life. There is nothing I want more than you. You really must believe that, he said. With a look of solitude in her eyes she said, I would only want one thing more than you that is for you to be happy either with or without me. I only want what would be best for you. My life has already been shattered but yours has not. You can go on free, free from any guilt or shame. I love you so much, I could never put into words and I could never show you how much I do. That's why I want what would be best for you, that's why I would let you go because I love you so much she said weeping.

No more words of this he said, it torments you too much. I just want to be with you and love you, forever. I could never want anything more than you, he said. After a few moments had passed she regained her composure and pulled away from him. I have to go now, I have to go back. If Mark gets there and I am out he will come looking for me. With great regreat she proceeded to the coverd bridge

During the drive home she began to wonder what it would be like to just turn the car around and take Luke up on his offer. What if she never went home again? Could Mark actually track her down? She couldn't help but think how wonderful life would be with Luke, the love they shared was nothing like she had ever known. If Luke actually felt the same way it would be worth the risk, but would it be worth always looking over their shoulder, waiting for him to show up and find them together. She could imagine the rage in his eyes for she had seen it before. Then she decided something then and there, she would turn around they would leave together never to be found by Mark or anyone again. After all life is too short for anyone to go though life unhappy. She turned the car around and headed back to the covered bridge, her heart was racing she was elated she had made this decision. When she arrived at the covered bridge Luke was still leaned against the covered bridge as he had been when she left. She noticed a smile come across his face as she parked. He proceeded to the car to meet her. "What is it darling" he asked. Luke I have decided to take you up on your offer. I cant go on without you any longer and I feel in my heart you honestly and truly do love me. Luke didn't care who seen them he took her and held her so tightly. She felt so safe in his arms so at home like she was meant to be with him always. With a feeling like this how could it ever be wrong. Luke took her hand and led her to the covered bridge. Where again he stopped to hold her so tightly. She asked him about her car. This had to be planned out so there was no trace of her anywhere. Luke told her not to worry he would take care of everything.

They went inside the cabin and Luke made a call. It seemed an old college buddy of his was a little on the shady side and could get them passports with alias. He also asked about the car and what he should do. The drop time for the passports was arranged and Luke hung up the phone. "We need to take you car to a secluded place and leave it, you will need to drive and follow me, Luke said. They quickly got into their vehicles and proceeded down the road. There was dirt turn off which was about 25 miles out of the small town where Luke lived. She followed him as he turned off. They stopped at a large drop off. This was evidently a trash dump to some there were a variety of items which were thrown from the steep grade.

Luke instructed her to turn the car facing the drop he motioned her to the very edge and asked her to get out of the car. Then with one push from this large man the car toppled and went over. It never made a loud crash it was if it was driven off and just rested on top of the trash which had been collecting at the bottom.

She quickly followed Luke to his truck and they started the drive back to the cabin. Luke reached across the seat and pulled her closer to him; he could see the concern and worry on her face and assured her everything would work out to their advantage. He assured her they would live quietly together unharmed by Mark or anyone associated with him. The words did not ease her mind but when she turned and looked into his blue eyes this comforted her more than any words could. With just a look into his eyes all her pain and worry would seem to vanish, like none of it mattered anymore.

When they returned to the cabin Luke proceeded to pack a few things, she kept her eyes upon him the entire time. She wondered if he was frightened of what they were doing, she wondered if he ever really actually meant he would leave with her. What if he was just saying this to make her feel better and he never actually thought she would ever go through with it. All the questions she had were overwhelming her, what if all this is a mistake she thought. Luke turned to see her watching him. He proceeded over to where she was sitting on the foot of the bed and sat beside her. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's as if Luke always knew what was on her mind and this turned out to be one of those times. Luke looked into her eyes and told her that he was so happy she had made this decision. That he would lye awake in bed at night wishing she was beside him and not with the uncaring husband she had. Luke also said to her that since the day he meet her all he wanted was to be close to her to hold and love her forever. After this was said she could not speak, there were no words to express how this made her feel. She threw her arms around him and held him tightly. He promised her everything would be fine and she deeply believed him.

As nightfall drew near Luke had everything he needed to make the trip. They would stop where they could and get her new clothes and anything else which she needed. She still sat silently on the bed when Luke reentered the room with one of his tee shirts for her to wear that night. He approached her and began to undress her so tenderly as always and kissed her so lovingly. The he put the tee shirt around her neck and after she had got it on she just couldn't seem to stop there. She drew him close to her their bodies tangled as one as they fell back upon the bed. The passion she had for him was wound so tight insider her its as if she couldn't restrain herself any longer. They passionately made love as though they never had before. There were no clocks to watch no one she had to be home for. This was her dream come true and he could hold her through the night as she had always hoped for. After things cooled off she went into the bathroom to get a shower. There was a note lying on the counter under an unopened toothbrush Luke had left out for her. She picked up the note and could smell Luke's cologne when she opened to read it. The letter said. I am so happy you have decided to spend your life with me. I could not of gone on much longer without you beside me. You give me something to live for something to do with my life and someone to come home to each day. You are the reason I live. This brought tears to her eyes because in fact she felt the same way. She had found her soul mate. Something most people never find she thought how she had to be one of the luckiest people around to have a second chance in life. A life which she knew would be filled with love.

She returned to the bedroom her hair was wet the tee shirt Luke had gave her came to her knees. She gently placed the note Luke had left for her in his suitcase so she could keep and cherish it. Luke was already in the bed and she lay down beside him. He held her so close and they both fell fast asleep. The alarm went off at 5 am the next morning. They both proceeded to dress they had a lot to do today. They loaded the car with the suitcases and proceeded to the next town for the passports they were to pick up. She couldn't help but wonder what Mark was thinking now. She didn't love him anymore but once there was something there and she couldn't help but be concerned about him. But knowing him he was only afraid someone else had her and not him. Sort of like a prize that could be kept for the delight of saying look what I have. This is the way she truly felt about Mark. The thought of Marks feelings would not cross her mind again, the only time she would even think about him would be to wonder if he was searching for her, but only in concern for their safety.