I take off my glasses and look up from my Kindle. The seatbelt light is on and I hear buckles clicking in the seats around me. The pilot is making her final descent into Marco Polo airport. My stomach is knotted and I feel nervous. After months of chatting online, now, finally, I get to meet you in person, face to face. I know your flight is due to land an hour after I arrive. We messaged late into the night, both so excited about the prospect of spending our first days together in Venice.
I hear the heavy thump of the tires on the baking tarmac and before long I have collected my bag and made my way through to the arrivals lounge. I check the info board. Your flight is on time and will land in just under an hour. I feel hot and anxious, my mouth is dry.
I know we both want this so much, we have talked of nothing else online over the last month, but I can't help the expectations weighing heavily. My head is telling me lies, kidding me. 'What if she doesn't like you? You are way too old for her, what if you get tongue tied? What if you disappoint her Henry?" These words go round and around in my mind. I decide to get a beer and try to relax. I pay for the beer and sit in the lounge sipping nervously. Always glancing at the board, checking, always checking. I start to feel vaguely sick with nerves.
I flick through our messages, and there you are. That photo I love so much. So naturally beautiful and confident. I'm clever with my words but your wit is quick and much more lively than mine, much more spontaneous. Your words thrill me. Somehow I get a sense of dread, feeling like an imposter. But there is no way back. Your plane is due any moment. 'God, this is it Henry, this is the day your life changes. You just adore this woman so much. Just be you. Don't fake it. Don't be too jokey, just be warm and loving, show her how you feel.'
I pop a gum to freshen up my mouth. I pick up my bag and move towards the arrivals gate.
I see the board update, you are in baggage claim. I ditch the gum and join the crowd waiting for their loved ones. Weary travellers start to appear, pushing luggage trolleys across the marble hall, smiles and waves as families and couples are reunited. My heart is pounding wildly. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, I see you come into the hall, pulling a large case. My heart almost bursts. You look gorgeous in a summer dress over a pastel tee shirt, your hair up, held in place by your sunglasses, unruly strands falling. Your eyes search the crowd. "Hi, over here Hun" You look up and for the first time our eyes meet. No more digital emotions, no more ones and zeros, this is real, this is all I have dreamed of for so long. You stop; letting go of your bag, a huge, dazzling, smile spreads across your face, I walk forwards to greet you. And now, my mind just closes down and my heart takes full control of my movements and my emotions. For a moment we stand disbelieving. I grin like a kid. "Hello you." You smile. "Hello Henry."
Within a second we are in each other's arms, wrapped in a huge warm loving embrace. Not wanting to let go, our bodies rocking gently from side to side - the longing, relief and emotion is immediate, all consuming and authentic in this moment of complete and utter bliss. This has been a slow train coming, from those first tentative, uncertain messages online, finding connection, exploring our emotions and falling for each other. But, now, here, in the arrivals hall at Marco Polo, we are finally together, our atoms fusing; becoming us. You look up into my eyes and my heart splinters into a thousand pieces as you reach up to kiss me.
And in this moment everything fades into the background, all I feel is you in my arms your warm soft lips on mine. Tired, weary after 14 hours travelling but still the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Your lips gently part from mine. But your kiss remains, etched into my heart forever, that sweet, soft, first kiss that has been in my thoughts for so long. And here, now, it's so natural and unforced. Just like you, spontaneous, thrilling and perfect. I feel my chest decompress as you take my hands and step back looking up into my anxious eyes. There is no hesitation in your expression, no doubt, only the scintillating warmth of your gorgeous smile. As my heart beat calms, I smile.
"As much as I could spend my whole lifetime here with you, I have a little surprise in store! Are you ready?"
And just like always, you laugh. And looking into my eyes you reply: "I'm always ready for anything Henry!"
We both laugh. I take your hand, our fingers interlocking; a simple thing but this tiny connection between us means everything. We trail our bags out of the departure lounge along the escalators and out into the dazzling Venetian sunshine. We head to our left across the busy forecourt to the lagoon, where the water taxis wait for customers. We are greeted by the skipper who takes our bags and loads them onto a gleaming wooden launch with cream leather bench seats. The handsome Italian skipper gives you an admiring glance and winks at me. I smile back at him and my heart fills with pride. He takes your hand and helps you aboard and you recline into the luxurious leather seat and lower your sunglasses looking so incredibly beautiful. I take my phone and you pout a film star smile my way. I take the gleaming steel rail and step down into the boat beside you taking your hand in mine. Our skipper is dressed in typical gondolier clothes, blue and white striped tee shirt, black cropped pants and espadrilles. The powerful engines roar into life and the sleek speed boat reverses out of the dock into the Lagoon. We feel the thrust as the boat turns and starts to speed out following the ancient wooden posts across the glittering blue sea.
