by NICHOLX, 11.08.21, 2.3K words
LOVE on the SAND, Part 2
I held her close and kissed away her tears, but more came, tasting sweet, just like her honey skin. I couldn't have held her closer to me, without feeling her going through me. I held her sweet face in my hands and kissed her, a long, long kiss, then doing the saddest thing I ever had to do, I looked one last time into her beautiful eyes, turned and slowly walked away, leaving her standing alone on the strand. As I walked, I kept looking back at her through tear-filled eyes, until she was out of sight. The surf washed in, and my footprints were gone, as if I had never been there.
At the motel, I hurriedly packed my things, throwing them into my travel-bag like they were just so much fucking garbage; the sooner I got the hell out of there, the better. The hurt was deep, deep inside; I was missing her already.
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Arriving at LAX four hours before my flight time, I would have plenty of time to get a drink or two.
I checked my luggage and got a boarding pass, and was told my flight would be delayed three hours because of bad weather over Norfolk. Now with over six hours to kill, I had enough time to drink my fucking brains out and then sober up before boarding. I started walking aimlessly through the crowd of thousands of milling people. Someone said the loniest place in the world is in the middle of a crowd, and he was so right. It seemed like I was in a vacuum, that my mind and body were in different places. But I managed to keep an eye out for a good watering place. Eventually I wandered into the Rolling Stone Bar & Grill and took a small table.
A little hungry, I ordered a salad and a Bloody Mary. Then wanting to write something to her, I took a pad and pen from my jacket pocket and started a letter, then tore it up. Instead I wrote a poem and would mail it to her when I got home. After downing four more Bloody Marys, I thought I better find my gate, while I could still manage to walk.
The girl at the gate desk was a sweet pretty brunette, probably about forty-five, with a cute shape, and the prettiest green eyes.
"Hi, sweetie, going to Norfolk?" she smiled.
"Yes, darlin'," I said."Okay if I board early?"
"It's okay, but it'll be about five hours before takeoff." She gave me that look, "Um, I have a break in about fifteen minutes, hon, if you'd like to join me for a coffee...or something?" she smiled invitingly.
"Would love to, but I'm just plain tuckered out and need to sit down before I fall down. Rain check?" I smiled.
"Sure thing, sweetie. This flight is very lightly booked. Let me see your boarding pass and ticket." She tapped a few keys on her computer and scribbled on my papers, then handed them back to me. "You're all set now, Nicky," she said. Then she whispered, "I changed your ticket to first class."
I took her hand and kissed it,"Why thank you, darlin', you are a sweetheart!" She called me Nicky, I thought, smiling.
"Have a good flight, sweetie, and we'll cash that rain check next time!" she smiled, a little wistfully.
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Tired and needing sleep, I was glad to see the plane was an MD80 type with the two engines at the tail, which makes for a very quiet flight. I crashed on a window seat, and closed my eyes. It was impossible to not think about Brittni. The images of her face, her lips, filled my mind, and I recalled her gentle touch, the scent of her hair, the sweetness of her skin, as I drifted to sleep...
About three hours later, in the twilight zone of sleep, I felt a gentle tug on my arm, "Excuse me, sir, is it okay if I sit here?" a sweet female voice said. Thinking I must be dreaming, I rubbed my sleepy eyes and did a double take.
"Brittni?...Brittni!" I had to touch her, to convince myself I was awake. "Sweetie, what...how--," as I pulled her down to the adjacent seat, kissing her as gently as I could. "Damn! I think maybe God does love me a little after all! Darlin', I can't tell you how glad I am--" I couldn't stop the tears, and laid my head on her shoulder, sobbing like a little kid. Too many Bloody Marys maybe, I thought.
"It's okay to cry, Nicky," as she wiped my tears and kissed my cheek. "I went home and got dressed in a flurry and threw on some makeup, but I didn't think I looked THAT bad!" she giggled.
"They're happy tears, darlin', you look as delicious as ever."
"Mmm...good enough to eat?" she smiled.
"Even better than that. I wish we were someplace private. How did you--"
"I called my friend Tiffany, who works in ticketing. She snooped you out and got me a ticket and this seat."
"Your friend is an angel! But, how about Sari? Was she upset that you left?"
"She's okay with it. You said we shouldn't speak of tomorrow or forever, so I didn't. I just told her I would be with you for an indefinite period, and that she would be welcome to join us anytime. And she's going to send my pc and ipad so I can keep up on my copywriting. The only thing that worries me--"
"Yes, sweetie, go on..."
"I just hope that I can fit...into your world," she said, meekly.
"Fit? Oh darlin', my sweet, sweet darlin', how can I make you understand...you ARE my world!"
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