AN: First I would like to thank my editors GentWithHandcuffs and curi0us7r4n for being so supportive. This is my first submission, so I would like to have as much feedback as possible. And I hope you all like it.
"Attention everyone. For those of you still awake, this is your captain speaking. I want to inform you all that we are fifteen minutes outside of the Long Beach Airport. I recommend buckling in, and thank you for flying with American Airlines."
The Captain ended his spiel. Everyone around Vince started to throw away their trash and gather their things ready to get off. Vince just sat there taking deep shallow breaths. He was finally home after serving eleven months over in Afghanistan. Eleven months away from everything he loved including his home, his friends, and his wife had really taken a toll on him. Vince was supposed to be home earlier, but there was an incident that kept him gone two months longer; he hadn't had the means to contact anyone during his extended stay. That was all behind him now. He was about ten minutes away from holding his beloved wife in his arms.
Vince wondered how Neveah changed or if she was exactly how he remembered. Their last conversation had been a brief and sad one; Neveah talked about wishing he was home and how she was always lonely because she didn't like being without him. She had even gone as far as to joke that it was his fault she was losing sleep every night.
It had been the same way for Vince, impossible to sleep without her warm body lying in his arms. Vince had the unfortunate luck of getting a seat in the back of the plane. He waited anxiously in his seat as everyone in front of him took forever to gather their things in their sleepy haze.
Walking out of the plane to the luggage carrousel, Vince passed plenty of little novelty stores that were still open despite it being after one in the morning. He didn't really notice any until out of the corner of his eye he caught the sight of a blue orchid in the window of a floral shop. It must have been his luck, considering how he always has to order them far in ahead whenever he buys them. He stopped in the little floral shop where he ordered an arrangement of blue orchids and white roses.
As he walked, the scent tingled his nose; he couldn't wait to see the look on Neveah's face when she saw the arrangement he picked up. Vince kept imagining the smile that would cross her face when she saw him sans her favorite flowers.
At the luggage carrousel it took some time for the workers to start getting all the luggage on the machine. Vince grabbed his camouflaged pack and exited the hovering crowd. He looked around for Neveah, but he didn't see her anywhere.
Then he heard her voice, the sweet voice he'd known since sixth grade. He followed it to the other side, but the woman he saw didn't resemble his wife; or at least the back of her didn't.
The Neveah he knew was always slightly plump with long braids hanging down her back. This woman wasn't fat or skinny she seemed to have curves everywhere. In place of the braids were tight brown ringlets that hung a few inches past her shoulder. Everything else about her was right though: her skin color, her height, the way she talked on the phone, even the shape of her butt; it was worth a try.
*
*
*
Damn, she was running late. It would take him some time to get off the plane but she had wanted to be there ahead of time. Neveah had wanted to check herself before seeing him again. The problem was, she hadn't expected the traffic to be that backed up heading into downtown at this time of night.
Neveah had spent lots of time making sure she looked good when he came through the terminal. She had spent months working out hard and eating better, ensuring that her body was fit and tight compared to the chubby state he had left her in. When Neveah had been on her trail dying and wanting to stop, she just pictured the look on Vince's face when he walked through the terminal to see her slimmed down form. That's all it took for her to keep at her strict regimen.
Vince would probably wonder what had happened to her braids as well. Even as little kids he had only seen Neveah in her long micro braids. For once she wore her natural brown ringlets out; they had spent all that time "hibernating" in her braid, and had grown all the way down to the middle of her back.
Neveah wondered if Vince had changed at all during his time gone. He always came back a little more tan than usual, skin weathered from being in the heat, his body harder from all the weights he did while bored.
She adjusted her shirt as she speed-walked across the terminals. She could see the American Airline symbol hanging over the baggage claim. She pulled her phone out off her pocket and dialed the first speed dial. She kept running, ignoring the stares of people who didn't get why she was running.
Neveah looked through the crowd wondering where Vince was. He was so tall, she should have been able to see him over everyone. God, her heart was beating a mile a minute as she anticipated the sight of him.
She bit down on her lip as she squeezed her way through the crowd. She couldn't find him. He wasn't answering his phone either.
"He couldn't possibly be on the plane could he?" she asked herself.
She walked out of the crowd looking at all the tall heads and again none of them were him. She sighed heavily and dialed his number again. She was so into looking for Vince she didn't feel the presence of someone towering behind her.
"Hey babe," she spoke to the voicemail. "I'm not sure where you are. I had been running late, but I'm here now. And, I have looked everywhere and can't find you. If you can call me and let you know where you are that would be nice." Her voice sounded a little nervous. "I love you. I can't wait to see you."
She hung up and hurriedly turned around, bumping into the brick wall of a man behind her.
"I'm so sorry sir. I--," she noticed the Marine-issued boots. She blinked back the tears that burned her eyes as she scanned up until she was able to look at a pair of familiar green eyes.
The squeal that had left her mouth couldn't have possibly been stopped. She wrapped her arms around his tall neck and pressed her mouth tightly against his, in the process squishing the beautiful arrangement that he had bought her.
Vince didn't hesitate to kiss her back; he had felt so bad hearing how sad she sounded as she left the message on his dead cell phone. He had been nervous about seeing her the entire plane ride. Vince wanted his wife to still be in love with him.
Over the course of being gone, he had heard so many stories about what wives did when their husbands were away. He just hoped that she hadn't fallen prey to anyone while he was gone. Like those other guys, they had their share of problems before he had left. That further ignited the little bit of doubt that was surging through Vince's mind.
Holding Neveah in his arms was the most perfect feeling. It had been almost a full year since he was able to hold her, and it made his heart soar.
He pulled away wanting to get a chance to really look at her.
"Wow, sweetheart... you look... God! Nene, you look freaking fantastic!"
His fingers cupped her slimmer face.
Sure they Skyped when she didn't have a busy schedule, but with the quality of video they had, he was never able to see how much of a transformation there had been. She had been perfect before, but now he couldn't think of any words to describe how beautiful she was. His hand slipped down to the middle of her back.
"You look so great. I like everything. You look beautiful Nene. I mean you're so slim now."
He was now able to wrap his arm fully around her body.
"I still have a long way to go. Thank you, though. You, on the other hand, look amazing."
She stood on her tippy toes giving him a peck on the cheek. Neveah looked over his body. She forgot how tall he was. Vince was only four inches taller than she was, but with his arms wrapped around her she felt completely dwarfed.
"No, you're amazing. I feel like you should have some model standing next to you."
Neveah looked into his beautiful green eyes to make sure he really understood her.
"I don't want a model. All I want is my hero. Let's go home," she said as she pulled him toward the exit door.
Her eyes ran over his tan skin, and she couldn't get past how he looked. He was so tan, and he was a lot more ripped. He hadn't been lanky when he left the house, but there was a definite difference. All of a sudden a broad grin appeared over his face and he started laughing. She couldn't help but furrow her brow, like she always did when she was puzzled.
"What's so funny?" She didn't attempt to keep the curiosity out of her voice.
He wrapped his arms around her shoulder.
"No, I was just thinking, 'Damn, you're home.' I mean I'm back home, I got my wifey on my arm," he told her before his full lips kissed her forehead. "Honestly, I'm not sure if it is possible to be any happier than I am right now. I am on cloud nine."
She smiled too."That's great, babe."
They were finally getting into the night air. Vince grabbed the keys that were hanging out of the back of her tight jeans.
"Sorry, Nene." He looked at her apologetically," I miss driving you around everywhere."
Before Vince had to be gone all the time he would drive her everywhere, just because she hated it so much.
"That's fine. Trust me, I don't mind at all," she said as a slow smile graced her face.
Vince couldn't resist those lips and found himself pulling her close to him. Her lips were so full and soft, almost like new pillows. His tongue traced her upper lip trying to part the two of them and gain entrance.
"Mhm, Vince--Baby--Baby, Mhm," Neveah was finally able to pull away from his lips. "How about we wait till we get home for all of that."
