The big day had finally arrived for Ian. He was going to meet the woman that he had fallen in love with for the first time. It might seem strange to fall in love before even the first date but this is what had happened between Ian and Fran, the beautiful flame haired woman he was on his way to meet.
It had started as an innocent game of internet pool which Ian had played countless times before, often chatting with his opponents from around the world and sometimes flirting jokingly with women he played against. This was how things had began between him and Fran, as they played they teased each other when one or the other won a game and after that first encounter they agreed a time when both could be online to play again. It wasn't long before they were regular pool partners often playing for hours at a time, chatting, joking and occasionally flirting with each other.
As their friendship grew they both felt confident enough to exchange photo's with the sole idea of it being 'nice to see who you are chatting to'. After swapping e-mail addresses Ian soon received mail from Fran and thought to himself "I may as well open it and see who I've been talking to"
When Fran's photo appeared on his screen Ian's heart missed a beat for there in front of him was a picture of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. In it, Fran was reclining on a bed, her body sheathed in a silk teddy, hair the colour of copper framing a face of pure beauty, a half smile playing across her soft lips and a mischievous twinkle in her blue/grey eyes. Ian fought to compose himself as he prepared to reply to Fran and send her his photo as they had agreed.
"I hope that doesn't scare her off" Ian thought to himself only half jokingly for at 40 years of age he knew he was past his prime even if he did look after himself.
The next time they met to play pool Ian found it hard to concentrate as the image of Fran's photo kept popping into his head and he lost game after game. Fran sensed something was wrong and when she asked him Ian blushed as he told her the effect her photo had had on him.
Expecting her to laugh Ian was surprised and more than pleased when Fran replied.
"Yours had the same effect on me Ian but I was too embarrassed to tell you in case you laughed at me."
That was 3 years ago and since then their friendship has grown into love and they meet online to chat almost every day and e-mail each other constantly. This wasn't a sordid, tacky cyber affair like Ian had heard about and poked fun at. They took the time to get to know each other, sharing intimate feelings and secrets, discovering they shared so many common interests from music, old classic movies even to the type of foods the both loved.
"I can't believe this is happening" Ian told Fran as they chatted one day. "We haven't even met and I'm in love with you"
Fran's reply came as a shock to him. "I feel the same love, so why don't we meet?"
And that was why Ian was now standing in the arrivals lounge of Honolulu airport, beads of nervous sweat running down his spine as he waits for Fran's flight to arrive. They had chosen Hawaii as their meeting place both for its tropical beauty and its location. It was midway between Ian's home in England and Fran's in Australia. With the time of Fran's flight drawing near Ian's head was filled with thoughts.
"Will she like me in the flesh, will the chemistry between us be the same, will she actually be on the plane?"
And then the moment arrived, the plane had landed and the passengers were filing through customs. Frantically searching through the sea of faces it was as if time stood still for Ian as his eyes found her. Waving tentatively to catch her attention he was rewarded by her radiant smile as she made her way towards him. Ian couldn't help but smile himself as his eyes took in her beauty. Unsure of his first move as she approached him, Ian took both her hands in his holding her at arms length until Fran broke the ice saying.
"Aren't you at least going to kiss me after traveling this far."
Needing no second invitation, Ian took her in his arms and their lips met for the first time, softly at first them more passionately as the years of waiting for this moment overcame them.
Not wanting to break the spell but eager to be alone with Fran, Ian gently broke free from Fran's embrace and whispered to her, "let's continue this in the hotel, I have a taxi waiting."