It was 3:00 p.m., and the buzzing of Jesse's phone woke them. He apologized, and got up to check it.
"Well, it looks like I'm going to Baton Rouge this week, after all. Team lead just emailed everyone. We start Tuesday at 1:00 p.m." Jesse was talking more to himself, but Diana was concerned.
"Do we have to leave now?"
"Not remotely. I'll catch a Tuesday morning flight to New Orleans and drive in. Let me make a quick reservation." Diana got up and headed to the shower. Five minutes later, Jesse joined her. "Let me wash you up."
"I've already washed up. I want to wash you up." Diana loved taking care of her man, and her desire to care for him had just reached a new level of intensity. She knew that she had said many things in the heat of passion, and she would think through everything, but the reality of her love for Jesse was unquestionable. She rubbed the soap in her hands and began to rub a thick lather over his entire body. She loved his body, a combination of runner's strong legs and the 'dad-bod'. He had strong shoulders and arms, a thick chest, and just enough of a gut to tell her he wasn't vain. Diana knew she didn't have a great body. Her first marriage, and her pregnancy, had taken its toll on her. But Jesse told her often how beautiful she was, and she would continue to put forth the effort to please him. As she began to wash his legs, she spent too much time rubbing his ass, her favorite part of his. While she rubbed his ass, she took his manhood in her mouth. He was sensitive, but she loved knowing she could get him hard any time she wanted. And Jesse loved seeing her care for him. He couldn't form words when she cared for him. She was the first woman to ever love him that much, and Diana found herself forgetting all others when she was with him. No one had ever had this effect on her. She rinsed him off, and they kissed passionately. He loved the naked hug/hold. There was nothing more intimate, save sex itself.
"Let's go to the beach." Jesse knew his woman loved being on the beach, sitting on the sand and reading her book. Diana smiled at him and began her preparations. She donned a dark blue swimsuit and stood, awaiting his approval. "I love it!"
They gathered a few things, Jesse grabbed his camera, and they headed down to the elevator. "I need to get the shade out of the truck." Jesse proclaimed, surprising Diana, who was about to say the same. They were getting on the same page. After getting the shade, Jesse carried the bulk of the gear, something Diana enjoyed about his anglo upbringing. He was a gentleman, yet very much in charge. She was his lady, yet very much his sexual object and toy. After Jesse had erected the shade, Diana laid out the blanket, and Jesse set down two beach chairs. Diana reclined, and Jesse was enjoying the view of her.
Jesse picked up his camera and began taking pictures. He took pictures of his woman. She smiled and posed for him. After several pictures, he set down the camera and picked up his book. They both reclined and read quietly. Diana didn't realize that Jesse wasn't reading much. He was staring over the edge of his book at her body. He couldn't get enough of how her swimsuit hugged her body and curved into her secret garden, a garden no longer protected with any foliage, no longer available to anyone but him, then entrance to her womb, the birthplace of their family. He wanted to devour her again. He loved the taste of her womanhood. Doing so on a public beach might get them into a little bit of trouble, so he went back to his book.
Jesse and Diana had both read several pages, but none of the text had registered in their minds. Both were wondering what might have been. A strange breeze blew over the beach, and they both noticed a change.
He looked at his woman, and she was much younger, wearing a very tight bikini that barely contained her large breasts. They stared at each other, and he realized by the look on Diana's face that he looked different. He was thinner. They were in another place, another time, one they had dreamt of. Diana was wearing a small diamond ring and a simple gold band. Jesse was wearing a gold wedding band. The sun shade had been replaced by a simple beach umbrella, and instead of their beach chairs, they were on the rented beach loungers. A waiter soon appeared with a tray of drinks.
"Your drinks, Doctor y Seora Richards." He announced.
We looked at each other, and he reached into his pocket, hoping he had cash to pay the tab. Jesse had several $20s, so he gave him one and told him to keep the change.
"Senor, que este ano?" Diana's question surprised the waiter, but he knew that playing along would result in better tips down the line.
"Este vente y uno. Porque?"
"Bueno. Gracias." Diana proclaimed, and he left with a confused look on his face. She turned to me "Where are we?"
We both looked into our bags. In mine, my driver's license showed that I lived nearby, and a university ID card from the local college showed my status as "faculty". Diana found her license, which showed a different address, but she also found a beige envelope that intrigued her. Inside was a wedding invitation, with a wedding date of June 1st, 2001. We each had a ving card, and I realized that we were definitely in another time. "It looks like we're at the Island." I answered.
"I'm hungry, and really curious. Let's go get a newspaper." As Diana got up and started packing, Jesse couldn't help but admire her body.
"Wait." He ordered. "I have a question."
"What?" She answered, impatiently.
"Do we love each other?" He was hoping that he would hear the answer he desired.
Diana exhaled heavily and stopped. "I know that I love you. And I know that I was imagining what might have happened, had we met when we were younger." So let's go figure this out.
On the way into the hotel, they stopped at the gift shop and bought a newspaper. Their cell phones were simple flip phones, sans cameras, and prior to the automated setting of date and time. The newspaper was dated June 2nd, 2001. In the weddings section, Diana found the announcement of their wedding the previous day.
"How are the newlyweds today?" a cheery question from a grey-suited manager came as she approached them. Diana and Jesse looked at each other in disbelief. "I see the newlywed shock hasn't worn off. I'm Maria Garcia, the assistant manager here. I came on duty this morning and saw that we had a couple in the honeymoon suite. I recognized you from the picture in the paper, Dr. Richards. You were my instructor for Strategic Management. Thanks to you, I had some great ideas that got me promoted here. Lunch will be on the house today. Or would you prefer room service?"
"We would prefer room service, please." Diana replied. Jesse was still in shock.
He composed himself and concurred, "Yes, room service would be great. Thank you, Maria. It's good to see you again." He lied. Jesse didn't recognize her, but things were too strange to get into details.
Once in their hotel suite, Jesse and Diana breathed, held each other, and wondered what was going on. Jesse saw a black backpack on the desk and thought 'that looks like something I would carry.' Inside was a laptop and a stack of printed articles, along with what looked like a resume. It was his, and he realized that he had taken the path of greater wisdom, a BBA and MBA from Tech, a PhD in management logistics from SMU, and he was an assistant professor of management at the local college. According to a contract in his portfolio, he was also doing some consulting for two maquiladoras in Reynosa. A glance through the articles made it clear to Jesse that logistics was his thing.
